VZCZCXRO3642
PP RUEHCI
DE RUEHKT #0342/01 0851013
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251013Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8217
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2310
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1986
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 4736
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 6703
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 5952
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6379
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 4088
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000342 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV EAID KWMN KHIV KDEM NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: U.S. MISSION VISIT TO MORANG AND 
SUNSARI DISTRICT FOCUSES ON ELECTIONS AND COMMUNITY 
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U) During a recent two-day visit to Biratnagar 
and neighboring Sunsari District in the eastern 
Terai region of Nepal, the Ambassador and USAID 
Mission Director discussed electoral preparations 
and the security context with local government 
officials and domestic election observers.  They 
also visited USAID field sites for community-based 
neo-natal care, a womenQs micro-credit group 
receiving leadership training, and a community- 
outreach radio program.  Accompanied by the country 
representative for UNICEF, the delegation visited 
two UNICEF-funded projects benefiting women and 
children in the two districts. 
 
Election Preparations Under Way 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) In the course of a March 16-18 trip to 
Biratnagar, the capital of Morang District, and to 
neighboring Sunsari District, the Ambassador and 
USAID Mission Director met with local government 
officials, representatives of a domestic election 
monitoring alliance and ordinary citizens to get a 
personal impression of the poll preparations and 
security environment in the volatile Eastern Terai 
region.  The local authorities, including the 
District Election Officers in both districts, 
claimed that the preparations for the upcoming 
Constituent Assembly elections are on track.  The 
Chief District Officers and representatives of the 
police and armed police in both districts claimed to 
be making progress in improving the law-and-order 
situation by arresting criminal elements.  However, 
all expressed some concern about the threats by 
armed groups from the Indian border areas to disrupt 
the polls if the government does not bring them to 
the negotiating table. 
 
¶3. (U) There were visible indications of campaigning 
by all the major parties, including the newly 
registered Madhesi regional parties.  Each of the 
four villages visited by the Ambassador and the 
USAID Mission Director had heard about the election 
date and expressed enthusiasm to participate in the 
poll.  However, most people had a poor understanding 
of the voting process and the new, mixed election 
system. In addition, most people expected a quick 
announcement of election results.  Even the local 
officials and domestic election observers 
anticipated election results in two or three days, 
whereas the Election Commission has indicated to 
post that it is expecting to require a minimum of 
three weeks to finalize the election results. 
 
Improving the Health of Disadvantaged Communities 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶4. (U) The Ambassador and USAID Mission Director 
also visited a number of USAID and UNICEF-funded 
community programs, most of which focused on the 
health and welfare of women and children in the 
poorest and most disadvantaged social groups. In two 
separate Dalit, or QuntouchableQ villages, USAID and 
UNICEF are supporting, respectively, a community- 
based intervention to treat bacterial infections in 
newborns and a womenQs group to develop local 
strategies to improve nutrition, hygiene, and access 
to education for their children.  In close 
collaboration with the local health and development 
offices, both projects are showing impressive 
results in improving social indicators, such as 
maternal and child mortality and child malnutrition. 
The Ambassador also accompanied the Country Director 
of UNICEF to a Working ChildrenQs Club in 
Biratnagar, which receives UNICEF assistance to 
promote child rights. 
 
Reaching Out Through Radio 
 
KATHMANDU 00000342  002 OF 002 
 
 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) The delegation visited the site of a 
community-radio outreach program, supported by 
USAIDQs Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI).  The 
radio program, named QPeace Traveler,Q visits three 
villages a week to record community discussions on 
topics related to the peace process and Constituent 
Assembly elections.  The questions and comments of 
local people, representing all castes and ethnic 
groups, are recorded and transformed into a radio 
program.  A local expert, often a representative of 
the local administration, answers the questions 
posed by the community and the program is translated 
and broadcast in two languages: Maithili, one of the 
dominant languages of the Eastern Terai, and Nepali. 
In this way, both Maithili and Nepali-speaking 
communities can learn what issues and questions the 
other linguistic community is posing.  The radio 
program has been wildly popular for giving a voice 
to local communities and providing a critical link 
between communities and local government. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Since the agreement between the Government 
and Madhesi parties at the end of February, the 
climate for election preparations has improved 
dramatically in the Eastern Terai.  However, the 
hurdles to a peaceful election process are still 
high.  The potential impact of the armed groups is a 
factor that could disrupt campaigning and keep 
fearful voters away from the polls on election day. 
The short timeframe to put all the election 
machinery in place is likely to have a negative 
impact on the efficacy and reach of voter education. 
Misconceptions about the time required to finalize 
election results could also increase tensions in the 
immediate post-election period.  Despite the 
uncertain political environment, it is encouraging 
to see that development programs are under way which 
are having visible impacts in the most disadvantaged 
communities.  In the post-election environment, the 
challenge will be to step up these development 
efforts so the people of the Terai see the benefits 
of peaceful participation in mainstream politics, 
rather than choosing more radical political 
solutions. 
 
POWELL