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OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHCN
DE RUEHCI #0071/01 0581159
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 271159Z FEB 07
FM AMCONSUL KOLKATA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1437
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1341
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 0582
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 0576
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 0232
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0063
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0364
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0153
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0366
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0292
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 1773

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KOLKATA 000071 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PACOM FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PHUM IN
SUBJECT: AFTER TWO ROUNDS OF PEACEFUL VOTING, VIOLENCE HITS MANIPUR 
ELECTIONS 
 
REF: KOLKATA 00028, KOLKATA 00059 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary: On February 23, Manipur held the third and 
final phase of its Legislative Assembly elections for the 
remaining 12 seats in the 60-seat legislature.  Unlike the first 
two phases, this final round of polling was marred by violence 
and intimidation due to ethnic rivalries in the polling 
districts.  Though Congress is expected to maintain control of 
the assembly after the ballots are counted, the violence is 
another reminder of the instability plaguing this small 
Northeastern state.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) The final phase of Manipur's State Assembly elections 
covered constituencies in Churachandpur, Tamenglong, Chandel and 
Imphal East districts.  The Congress Party contested 11 of the 
seats, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) 9, Rashtriya Janta Dal 
(RJD) 6, Samajwadi Party (SJP) 5, Communist Party of India (CPI) 
4, the Manipur People's Party (MPP), Bharatiya Janta Party 
(BJP), National People's Party (NPP) 3 each, Samata Party (SP) 
2, People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) and Janata Dal United 
(JDU) one each.  There were also 23 Independent party 
candidates.  Election results are scheduled to be announced on 
February 27. 
 
¶3.  (U) Because of the number of ethnic groups living in the 
districts included in the third phase of polling, Chief 
Electoral Officer R.R. Rashmi termed the final polling day the 
"the toughest phase."  The two rival National Socialist Council 
of Nagalim factions, Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) and Khaplang 
(NSCN-K), share territorial influence in the Chandel and 
Tamenglong districts, along with some ethnic Kuki and Meitei 
groups struggling for control over smaller portions of these 
districts.  Nagas control 11 seats in Manipur, of which 5 were 
being contested in this third phase. 
 
¶4.  (U) At least 10 abductions occurred during the gap between 
the second (February 14) and third phase.  Nine civil society 
organization leaders in Chandel were abducted, reportedly by 
NSCN-IM, and are yet to be released.  In Tamenglong, NSCN-K 
supporters attacked the NSCN-IM backed Independent candidate on 
February 20.  Three candidates -- one Independent contesting in 
Tamenglong and two CPI candidates in Chandel - were forced to 
"retire" from the election by militant groups. 
 
¶5.  (U) The intimidation was not limited to the Naga factions. 
A BJP candidate in Churachandpur N. Haokip has been in hiding 
since February 16 after he and his family were harassed by thugs 
allegedly hired by the Congress Party.  Minister for Information 
and Public Relations T.N. Haokip, also contesting in 
Churachandpur, was accused by his LJP opponent of using Kuki 
National Army cadres to intimidate voters and opposition 
workers.  On February 21, two political workers of the NPP and 
the Congress were killed in Churachandpur by unknown assailants, 
most likely rival party "enforcers."  The Indian Army was not 
spared either -- militants ambushed an Assam Rifles team in 
Chandel district, killing one and injuring another. 
 
¶6.  (U) The NSCN-K in Zeliangrong and Tamenglong banned all 
candidates and declared a poll boycott alleging that NSCN-IM was 
carrying out "dictatorial activities" in the districts.  The 
NSCN-IM, for their part, imposed a curfew in the constituency on 
election day.  When polling day arrived, a gunfight between 
NSCN-IM and NSCN-K militants took place at Makoinung polling 
station area of the district.  No casualties were reported.  In 
another incident in Tamenglong, unidentified armed militants 
entered the Tharon polling station and told voters to cast their 
votes in favor of a candidate.  Voting in the polling station 
was discontinued thereafter.  Unidentified militants also 
attacked the house of an Independent candidate in Imphal East. 
 
¶7. (U) Capping the violence on February 24, sixteen Indian 
Reserve Battalion and police personnel were killed and several 
others wounded in an ambush by unidentified militants at 
Jouzangtek under Bishnupur police station.  The security 
personnel were returning from election duty in Tamenglong 
district.  The first two vehicles of the six vehicle convoy came 
under attack reportedly from prepared positions uphill from the 
road as they were nearing Jouzangtek village.  The attackers 
used rocket launchers and automatic weapons, completely 
 
KOLKATA 00000071  002 OF 002 
 
 
destroying the two vehicles.   Following the ambush, all 
security personnel deployed on election duty have been asked not 
to move out from their posts till further instructions. 
 
¶8.  (U) Comment: The violence surrounding the final phase of 
polling was in contrast to the relatively peaceful previous 
phases earlier this month.  With nearly 20 percent of the 
Assembly seats up for grabs in this phase, there was a potential 
opportunity for a coalition to form to counter Congress' 
influence.  However not surprisingly, intra-ethnic infighting 
among the various Naga groups and local rivalries dashed any 
chance at political progress in one of India's most troubled 
states and demonstrated the difficulty of implementing 
democratic elections in a region wracked by persistent ethnic 
violence. 
JARDINE