VZCZCXRO3684
PP RUEHBI RUEHCI
DE RUEHCI #0065 0521309
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211309Z FEB 08
FM AMCONSUL KOLKATA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1892
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1771
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 0811
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 0816
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0543
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0536
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0436
RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2310

UNCLAS KOLKATA 000065 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER MARR ASEC PHUM IN
SUBJECT: SECURITY FORCES IN ORISSA STILL PURSUE MAOIST INSURGENTS 
WITH LIMITED RESULTS 
 
REF: KOLKATA 0062 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  On February 20, approximately 400 Indian 
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel joined Orissa 
security forces in the search for the over 200 Maoists 
insurgents who attacked police facilities and armory on February 
¶15.  The scale of the Maoist attack prompted Orissa Chief 
Minister Naveen Patnaik to announce additional measures to be 
taken by his government to counter the Maoists threat such as 
increasing anti-Maoist forces, police staff and strengthening 
armory defenses.  The GOO has agreed to have discussions in the 
State Assembly on the issue on February 21, but no coherent 
response to the Maoist threat in Orissa appears likely at the 
state level.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  On February 20, four companies of the Central Reserve 
Police Force (CRPF) joined security forces in Orissa to search 
for Maoists who had raided several police posts and escaped with 
a large haul of weapons after killing 15 people (including 14 
security personnel) on February 15 (reftel).  Six CPRF 
battalions and two air force helicopters had already been 
committed immediately following the attack.  About 20 Maoist 
rebels were reportedly killed in a fierce battle in the Gosama 
forest of Orissa's Ganjam district, which is close to Nayagarh 
where the Maoist attacks took place.  Post spoke with an 
official in Orissa's Home Department, who indicated that so far 
they have found eight half-burned vehicles used by Maoists in 
the Gosama forest, but have not found any Maoist bodies. 
 
¶3.  (U) On February 20, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik 
briefed Orissa Assembly legislators on the security operations, 
announcing a series actions to be taken and that on his request 
the Federal government has sent four additional companies of 
CRPF men.  Patnaik said that all available vacancies in the 
police department would be filled expeditiously, and that the 
Director General of Police would train rapidly new recruits. 
Patnaik also stated that all police stations and armories in the 
state would be "fortified."  In addition, Patnaik indicated he 
would be strengthening the special intelligence wing that 
monitors Maoist activity, and that the state police chief would 
be authorized to hire the next of kin of police personnel killed 
in anti-naxal operations, commensurate with their qualifications 
and eligibility as a form of compensation to the the deceased 
officers' families. 
 
¶4.  (U) The Chief Minister's plans did not prevent Orissa 
Opposition legislators, mostly from Congress, from coming to 
blows with ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLAs in the State 
Assembly.  The trouble began on February 18 when Opposition 
Legislators rushed to the well of the Assembly to reiterate 
their demand for a discussion on the Maoist problem.  As a group 
of Congress legislators argued their case they were confronted 
by BJD members and a scuffle broke out.  The ensuing three days 
were marked by continued bickering and argument, causing the 
Speaker to adjourn the Assembly three days in a row.  Orissa 
State Congress Vice President Gurupada Nanda told Post that the 
Orissa Treasury Bench (governing coalition) has finally agreed 
to have discussion on this issue, and that an all-party meeting 
under the chairmanship of Assembly Speaker would plan a course 
of discussion to break the stalemate. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Comment:  The addition of four CRPF companies to the 
anti-Maoist operations will help the present ongoing anti-Maoist 
operation, but may not have a significant impact in preventing 
Maoist activity in the future.  The measures announced by the 
Chief Minister are encouraging but come too little, too late. 
As a result, Orissa still finds itself generally unprepared and 
without a long-term strategy for engaging the Maoists, who 
appear to be more efficient and coordinated than local 
authorities.  Opposition political parties see the poor 
preparedness for the Maoist attack as a way to undermine 
Patnaik's ruling coalition but offer few alternative solutions. 
 
JARDINE