This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

020957Z Sep 04

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 001759 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SA/INS, DS/IP/SA 
NSC FOR GREEN/DORMANDY 
LONDON FOR POL-BELL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2014 
TAGS: PTER PGOV ASEC NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: SITREP 2: QUIET ON SEPT. 2: NATIONAL DAY OF 
MOURNING 
 
REF: A. KATHMANDU 1752 
 
     ¶B. KATHMANDU 1756 
     ¶C. KATHMANDU 1753 
     ¶D. KATHMANDU 1748 
 
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, Reasons 1.4 (b/d) 
 
 SUMMARY 
--------- 
 
¶1. (U)  In the September 1 rioting in reaction to the 
executions of the twelve Nepalis in Iraq, seven people died 
and eighty-six were injured in Kathmandu.  The 
Government-called curfew has resumed in Kathmandu after being 
lifted briefly the morning of September 2 to allow 
Kathmanduites to worship, shop and travel where needed.  The 
city remains quiet, but a few incidents occurred while the 
curfew was lifted.  Political forces are calling for patience 
and cooperation, although at least one opposition party has 
also criticized the government.  End Summary. 
 
QUIET, BUT UNEASY, IN THE CITY ON SEPTEMBER 2 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U)  The country is quiet, observing the national day of 
mourning.  Kathmandu is also obeying the indefinite 
government-called curfew, in place since 2:00 pm on September 
¶1.  The GON had lifted the curfew from 6:00 am to 9:30 am 
local time September 2 to allow people to worship, shop for 
the day's provisions, and go where they needed.  During this 
time, a small group burned tires in the street in one area; 
in another part of town, people noticed a manpower agency 
that had not been damaged yesterday and destroyed it.  The 
GON has not announced any plans to lift the curfew today, but 
is assessing the situation and taking it one day at a time. 
The Armed Police Force and Royal Nepal Army (RNA) are 
deployed throughout the city.  Vehicular traffic is 
practically nil; however, in the neighborhoods, some people 
are walking and gathering. 
 
ASSESSING THE DAMAGE 
-------------------- 
 
¶3. (U)  An assessment of the damage from the September 1 
riots and mob activity is ongoing.  Police sources told 
Emboff that seven people were killed during the rioting - two 
by police and five by other rioters (three were killed 
because they were mistaken by the crowds as Muslims). 
Thirty-five police and 51 civilians were injured.  According 
to police and RNA sources, the mobs damaged 28 vehicles and 
ransacked 40 manpower agencies.  However, reports vary as to 
how many manpower agencies were damaged during the looting - 
estimates range from 40 to 50-80 to over 200 agencies.  The 
largest mosque in Kathmandu was damaged, as were other 
mosques in town and throughout the country.  Both offices of 
Qatar Airways were burned, as was the Pakistan International 
Airways Office; other houses or shops suspected of having a 
Muslim connection were damaged by stones, or in some cases, 
fire.  The police arrested fifteen rioters. 
 
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE 
------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) The Government has revoked the license of the 
Moonlight agency - the agency involved in sending the twelve 
victims to Iraq.  The Ministry of Labor also announced on 
September 2 that it would take action to cancel the licenses 
of about one hundred manpower companies.  It did not specify 
the grounds for this action.  The GON also stated that it had 
decided that each individual seeking to work outside of Nepal 
would be required to purchase insurance coverage of one 
million rupees (about USD 13,000, equivalent to the amount 
the GON is paying in compensation to the families of each of 
the victims).  The GON did not address whether this 
requirement would apply to the some 500,000 Nepalis currently 
working abroad (this number does not include the number of 
Nepalis working in India, which shares an open border with 
Nepal and is a traditional place of employment for Nepalis). 
 
PUBLIC RESPONSE TO SEPTEMBER 1 RIOTING 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U)  The news reported that all of the major parties, 
including the opposition Nepali Congress Party (NCP), echoed 
Prime Minister Deuba's call for patience, and called for 
patience and cooperation at this tragic moment.  The NCP took 
the opportunity to criticize the government "as highly 
irresponsible and ineffective."  The Kathmandu Post editorial 
reiterated calls to maintain harmony.  In the September 2 
editorial, it noted the importance of remembering the Nepalis 
still working in the Middle East.  "Any social disharmony 
against the Muslim community can backfire on them, and 
subsequently the economy.  The Nepali laborers need safety, 
security and of course, strong ties between Nepal and the 
countries they are working in."  The Kathmandu Post also 
carried a front page story including the condemnation by the 
international community of the execution of the twelve 
Nepalis, the Secretary's condolences to the PM, and 
statements from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Japanese 
Foreign Minister, and Amnesty International. 
 
¶6. (U)  The Kathmandu Post called on the Home Ministry to 
take responsibility for the plundering and urged the 
government to set up a commission to probe the violence.  The 
Kathmandu Post's front page focused, however, on the 
vandalization of the offices of its parent company, Kantipur 
Publications.  The editors castigated the government, the 
police and the RNA, for failing to provide security, despite 
repeated calls for assistance.  Kantipur suspects that people 
used the cover of the riots to damage its offices. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶7. (C)  The curfew has given time for people to cool down, 
and Embassy contacts are hopeful the situation is improving 
and that the government will soon be able to lift the curfew. 
 The government, stung by criticism, may now be overly 
cautious as it takes all steps to prevent a recurrence.  The 
Embassy will reopen with full staffing levels once the GON 
lifts the curfew. 
MORIARTY