F OCHA Nepal Situation Overview Issue No. 8 / October Kathmandu, 7 November 2006 Highlights: • Two rounds of CPN-Maoist-SPA talks take place; public optimism about the peace process remains generally high; four experts for UN‘s peace keeping mission arrive • Continuing ceasefire allows tens of thousands of Nepalis travel home during the annual festival season • New Nepal representative for OHCHR appointed • CPN-Maoist makes increasing demands for ”coordination‘ with I/NGOs programmes • Malarial outbreak in Mid West • Drought leads to a sharp decline in summer crops output • IASC-Nepal decides to prepare a joint humanitarian appeal for 2007 THE CONTEXT government has announced a reciprocal ceasefire for an indefinite period. Politics and Major Developments For the first time in years, the government-CPN-Maoist Despite the ceasefire, however, the CPN-Maoist and its ceasefire extended right through the festival season, Dashain breakaway TJMM continued to engage in violent clashes; in the and Tihar. The discussions on peace talks between the Seven Eastern district of Saptari two TJMM cadres were reportedly Party Alliance (SPA) and CPN-Maoist started on 8 October. killed and five others injured on 18 October. However, the two The second round of official talks was held on 15 October. The sides made conflicting claims about the casualty figures, each two sides, however, continued to hold informal dialogue at insisting that it had inflicted more damages on the other. SPA various levels right through the reporting period and the public members continue to make claims of routine violations of the optimism about the peace process remained largely high. mutually agreed code of conduct by the CPN-Maoist cadres, such as violent attacks on and abductions of the SPA members. Following identical letters by the SPA government and CPN- Maoist requesting UN assistance in human rights monitoring, Interestingly, both the CPN-Maoist and Nepali Army were electoral observation, management of arms and armed actively engaged in hearts and minds operations to revamp personnel in August, four experts arrived in Nepal in October their public image. CPN-Maoist organized a sanitation to join the Office of the Personal Representative of the campaign in the Mid Western district of Surkhet and the Secretary General (OPRSG). People‘s Liberation Army established a temporary camp in Kailali to discourage criminal activities in the Far Western On 15 October, a new underground outfit, the Nepal Jantantrik Terai. OHCHR has noted that CPN-Maoist cadres have been Party, announced in the Far Western Terai town of Dhangadhi reported as conducting ”law enforcement‘-type activities--as that it will launch an armed struggle in support of the king. It intervening in public fights and abducting individuals for said in a statement that the SPA and CPN-Maoist are not offences such as disturbing the pace and public drunkenness. representative of all the voices in the country. In Kathmandu, the CPN-Maoist mobilized its cadres in For his part, the king ignored the Rayamajhi Commission‘s 18 controlling crime; the party insisted that many criminals were October deadline to furnish details on his role as the head of receiving protection from the police and leaders of mainstream the government, which had indulged in excesses in suppressing political parties. The CPN-Maoist cadres also worked closely the pro-democracy movement in April. with the Kathmandu municipality to clear garbage from the streets. Across the country, they took many revellers into their On 17 October, a nationwide strike led by the Federation of custody during the festival for allegedly disrupting public life; Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) an inebriated village secretary in Morang district was made to crippled life. Nine people were hurt in Pokhara when those do 50 sit-ups in public. opposing the strike clashed with the FNCCI supporters. The strike was called to protest the government‘s alleged failure to For its part, the Nepali Army started drafting a new law aimed provide security to members of the business community. at making the army more transparent and democratic. A controversial NA officer, involved in a widely publicized On 18 October, the High Commissioner for Human Rights beating of police personnel in Kathmandu, was sacked. appointed Lena Sundh as head of her Nepal office. Sundh is a Swedish diplomat and former Deputy Special Representative of All over the country extortion by CPN-Maoist continued during the Secretary General with the UN peacekeeping mission in the the reporting period; the party confirmed setting up five Democratic Republic of Congo. permanent points on the East-West Highway in the East to collect road toll. Meanwhile, the CPN-Maoist breakaway TJMM announced on 22 October that it was prepared to enter into peace talks with Also, the CPN-Maoist sister organizations were involved in the government, but confusion remained because the TJMM aggressive recruitment drives and policing. Two youths in has itself splintered into two factions. Dharan municipality were sent to a CPN-Maoist labour camp on charges of misbehaving with women and collecting Conflict and Security donations as CPN-Maoist. On 29 October, CPN-Maoist extended its ceasefire for a three- month period; this was its third ceasefire extension since the The CPN-Maoist abducted a rickshaw puller, a central successful pro-democracy movement in April. The SPA representative of Nepal Free Rickshaw Puller's Union in OCHA Nepal Situation Overview, Issue No. 8/October 1 Dharan, after local rickshaw pullers accused him of financial attendance of development partners, including I/NGOs and irregularities. In a neighbouring town of Ithari, seven persons donors working in the Rapti zone, at an interaction programme including four women were taken in custody on 16 October on where they asked development agencies and donors to come up charges of prostitution. with a plan of action by 26 November on how Rapti could be made a model zone for development. Not all the CPN-Maoist actions have been popularly supported. In Tehrathum and Sankhuwasabha districts, PLA camps were Overall, there were reports of BOGs violations by CPN-Maoist set up in Lasune and Mudhe Sanischare. But efforts to set up in Bhojpur (East); Sindhupalchowk (Centre); Arghakhanchi, PLA base camps in Basantapur in Tehrathum district were Kaski, Myagdi (West); Bardiya and Mugu (Mid West)--see strongly resisted by local residents. In Dhankuta district, BOGs violations for October. Some NGOs believe it will be residents blocked the traffic on the Koshi Highway on 25 useful to have a common position on issues related to October after the CPN-Maoist cadres took in their custody operational space instead of carrying out individual locals playing cards. In Jhapa district, local residents retaliated negotiations to resolve BOGs violations. against the CPN-Maoist cadres after they seized cash from people playing cards; seven people including four CPN-Maoist In northern Bhojpur, NGOs have reportedly been unable to cadres were injured in the clash that followed. Residents of carry out their activities following the CPN-Maoist directive to Dhulabari in Jhapa district forced to close the office of CPN- have them register and pay tax. Maoist militia, who were based in an abandoned police post. In a statement, CPN-Maoist district government ordered all On 14 October, the business community in Dhulabari shut I/NGOs working in the Eastern district of Terhathum not to down the local bazaar to protest CPN-Maoist taxation and carry out their activities without its permission. The CPN- threatened subsequent closure of other local markets, if the Maoist district chief said the party had been —too liberal in the CPN-Maoist continued to harass the business community. past few months with I/NGOs,“ but insisted that all development partners now needed to register with the party. Extortions of various forms have continued. Foreign trekkers He, however, said that the registration demands will end once entering the Mount Makalu Base Camp in Sankhuwasabha, for CPN-Maoist joins the interim government. example, needed to pay Rs. 5000 per head. And all the locals (See OCHA Thematic Report: Operational Space for seeking foreign employment in the district are reportedly Development and Humanitarian Work - Current Status at charged Rs 5,000 and those returning from foreign www.un.org.np) employment need to pay the "foreign employment tax." Operational Space Trends of Reported Incidents Affecting Operational Space Nov 2005 - Oct 2006 50 45 40 35 s t r o p 30 e R f o 25 r e b m 20 u N 15 10 5 0 Nov-05 Dec-05 Jan-06 Feb-06 Mar-06 Apr-06 May-06 Jun-06 Jul-06 Aug-06 Sep-06 Oct-06 Access Denial / Restrictions Extortion / D onation Demands Programme Interference Registration Demand Threats / Vio lence to Staff The CPN-Maoist demands for registration on I/NGOs, Reach of the State including development works supported by UN, have increased Vacant government buildings and some local government all over the country; I/NGOs were still allowed to continue offices are being increasingly occupied by CPN-Maoist cadres their activities. After a record demand for programme funds right across the country. Some of these buildings are also being right before the festival season, the demands levelled off during used to run health clinics. These buildings include VDC offices, the festivals in a number of districts. In some districts forest and road offices and abandoned police posts. government supported development programmes, however, were completely stopped and many I/NGOs assumed that the In Biratnagar, the CPN-Maoist forcibly placed PLAs in the policies were also aimed at them. vacant fire brigade‘s building, which is owned by the city office. CPN-Maoist has also taken control of parts of Agricultural The chief of CPN-Maoist Magarat Autonomous Region put Research Centre in Sunsari district since 25 October.