भारतको युरेनियम चोरेर अमेरिकालाई बेच्ने नेपाली !

लन्डनस्थित इक्वेडरको दूतावासको कोठामा झण्डै नजरबन्दको अवस्थामा रहे पनि जुलियन असान्जको विकिलिक्सले हिजो नयाँ अमेरिकी दस्तावेज सार्वजनिक गरेको छ। किसिङ्गरको पालाको अर्थात् सन् १९७० को दशकतिरको दस्तावेज भएकोले यसलाई किसिङ्गर केबल्स भनिएको छ। १७ लाख डकुमेन्ट समावेश भएको यी केबलहरुलाई अमेरिकाको कुटनीति बुझ्ने सार्वजनिक पुस्तकालयको रुपमा पनि व्याख्या गरिएको छ। त्यतिबेला नेपालमा पञ्चायत काल थियो, राजाको सक्रिय शासन। नेपालका पनि प्रशस्त कागजात त्यहाँ छन्। अहिलेसम्म मैले हेर्दा रुचिपूर्ण केही देखेको थिइनँ। कतिपय दस्तावेज रुचिपूर्ण होला कि भनेर खोल्दा सुरक्षाको कारण मेटिएको भन्ने लेखिएको हुन्थ्यो। हिजो राति अबेरसम्म खोज्दै गर्दा एउटा भने गजबको विषय

भेटियो- अमेरिकाको काठमाडौँस्थित दूतावासमा एक जना नेपालीले भारतबाट चोरेको युरेनियम बेच्छु भन्दै आएछन्। जेसी ठाकुर रहेछ उसको नाम। लौ लिने भए लिऊ, नत्र अर्कै एम्बेसीतिर जाउँला पनि भनेछन्। लौ भएन त बर्बाद ! युरेनियम ! हतियार बनाउन प्रयोग हुने सामान पो त ! खैलाबैला नै मच्चिएछ नि।

लौ यस्तो कुरा आयो, के गर्ने भनेर यहाँको दूतावासले अमेरिकाको विदेश मन्त्रालयलाई सोधेछ। ठाकुरले टेस्ट गर्नका लागि सायम्पल पनि दिन्छु भनेका रहेछन्। नमूना लिएर आयो भने कसरी तपाईँहरुकहाँ परीक्षण गर्न पठाउने ? त्यो युरेनियम रहेछ भने कसरी त्यसलाई ह्यान्डल गर्ने ? खुला हातले छुन हुन्छ कि हुन्न ? कस्तो सावधानी अपनाउनु पर्छ आदि प्रश्नसहितको केबल यताको दूतावासबाट उता वासिङ्गटन पठाइयो।

उताबाट पनि यस्तो यस्तो सावधानी अपनाउनू भनेर जवाफ पठाइयो। नभन्दै ठाकुरले नमूना पनि लिएर आए। कुरा धुत्न खोजेपनि केही कुरा पत्ता लगाउन सकेनछन्।

यताको दूतावासले भारतको अमेरिकी दूतावासमा कुरा गरेछ। त्यहाँबाट भारतीय सुरक्षाका ठूला निकायसम्म कुरा पुगेछ। लौ भारतीयहरु पनि हैरान! को रहेछ त्यो लौ न सूचना दिनुस् भनेर भनेछन्।

हेर्नुस् पहिलो केबल-

1973 September 26, 10:43 (Wednesday)
PURPORTED SALE OFFER OF URANIUM-235
SENIOR OFFICER OF EMBESY WAS RECENTLY APPROACHED BY NEPALESE
BUSINESSMAN, NAME GIVEN AS J.C. THAKUR, WHO SAID HE COULD OBTAIN
URANIUM-235 “FOR SALE TO U.S. GOVERNMENT.” WHILE EMBASSY HAS
HAD SOME VAGUE INDICATIONS IN PAST OF SOME FORM OF URANIUM
BEING OFFERED FOR SALE IN NEPAL, THIS IS FIRST APPROACH WE
HAVE EXPERIENCED FROM INDIVIDUAL WHO GIVES SOME APPEARANCE OF
HAVING ACCESS TO SOME KIND OF FISSIONABLE MATERIAL. WE FRANKLY
DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF THIS AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY BACKGOUND
DELHI AND WASHINGTON MIGHT THINK RELEVANT AS WELL AS WASHINGTON
GUIDANCE ON PROCEDURE WE SHOULD FOLLOW IN THIS MATTER. WE
HAVE NO LOCAL INFORMATION ON J.C. THAKUR.

2. THAKUR PRESENTS HIMSELF AS BROTHER OF NEPAL’S AMBASSADOR
TO JAPAN, CLAIMS HE CAN DELIVER TWO TO THREE KILOS OF URANIUM-
235 PER MONTH AT PRICE OF $40,000 PER KILO. WHEN QUESTIONED
AS TO SOURCE, HE INDICATED THAT U-235 WOULD BE SMUGGLED OUT
TO HIM FROM NUCLEAR POWER FACILITIES IN BOMBAY AREA. HE SAYS
HE IS WILLING AND ABLE PROVIDE SAMPLE FOR ANALYSIS AND HAS
BRIEFLY SHOWN EMBASSY OFFICER SMALL AMOUNT OF BROWN SUBSTANCE,
SECRET

SECRET

PAGE 02 KATHMA 04122 261141Z

WHICH HE CLAIMS IS U-235, AND WHICH HE CARRIES IN SMALL
PLASTIC VIAL. THAKUR SAYS IF USG “NOT INTERESTED,” HE WILL
OFFER URANIUM TO OTHER EMBASSIES IN KATHMANDU, MENTIONING
GERMAN, CHINESE, AND JAPANESE EMBASSIES.

3. THAKUR MAY BE IN TOUCH WITH EMBASSY OFFICER AGAIN IN NEXT
FEW DAYS. WE WOULD THEREFORE APPRECIATE GUIDANCE FROM WASHINGTON
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING WHETHER WE SHOULD ATTEMPT
DEVELOP ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON PURPORTED SOURCE OF THIS
MATERIAL, AND WHETHER WE SHOULD SEEK SECURE SAMPLE. IF SAMPLE
DESIRED. PLEASE INSTRUCT ON TOXICITY CONSIDERATIONS, IF ANY,
AND PROPER WRAPPING PROCEDURES.

भोलिपल्टको केबल-

1973 September 27, 13:50 (Thursday)
1. EMBASSY HAS NO RELEVANT BACKGROUND ON THIS MATTER. WE ARE
MAKING DISCREET INQUIRIES ABOUT J.C. THAKUR AND WILL REPORT IF WE
COME UP WITH NAY BACKGROUND ON HIM.

2. WE REPEATED REFTEL TO BOMBAY AND SUGGEST CONGEN AND AEC REP
COMMENT DIRECTLY TO ABOVE ADDRESSEES IF THEY CAN PROVIDE ANY RELE-
VANT INFORMATION.

3. EMBASY WOULD APPRECIATE GUIDANCE FROM THE DEPARTMENT ON WHETHER
WE SHOULD BRING THISOFFER TO THE ATTENTION OF THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT.
WE BELIEVE WE SHOULD DO SO. WE ARE CONFIDENT THE GOI WOULD NOT
PERMIT OR FACILITATE SUCH A “SALE”. IF U-235 HAS BEEN SMUGGLED FROM
NUCLEAR POWER FACILITIES IN THE BOMBAY AREA, IT HAS ALMOST CERTAINLY
BEEN STOLEN AND THE GOI SHOULD BE INFORMED. IN THE MORE LIKELY EVENT
THAT THIS IS A CONFIDENCE GAME, THE GOI SHOULD STILL BE TOLD WE HAVE
BEEN APPROACHED WITH A SALE OFFER OF PURPORTED U-235 SMUGGLED FROM
SECRET

SECRET

PAGE 02 NEW DE 11370 271452Z

BOMBAY FACILITIES. WE BELIEVE THAT LEVELING WITH THE GOI ON THIS CASE
WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE ATMOSPHERE OF TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN WHICH
WE WOULD LIKE TO DEAL WITH THE INDIANS ON PEACEFUL USES OF NUCLEAR
ENERGY.
SCHNEIDER

पर्सिपल्टको केबल

1973 September 28, 07:14 (Friday)
1. CONGEN HAS NO RELEVANT BACKGROUND ON THIS MATTER OR ON
J. C. THAKUR. WE WILL REPORT ANY INFORMATION WHICH MAY
COME UP ON THAKUR BUT HESITATE MAKE ANY INQUIRIES AT INDIAN
DAE FOR FEAR AROUSING INDIANS’ SUSPICIONS.

2. FOR KATHMANDU: CONGEN AND AEC SCI REP CONCUR WITH EMBASSY
ON LIKELIHOOD THAT THIS IS A CONFIDENCE GAME, BUT IN HOPES
BEING HELPFUL IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAKUR MIGHT APPEAR
WITH U-235 MATERIAL, AEC SCI REP OFFERS FOLLOWING GUIDANCE
IN RESPONSE QUESTIONS RAISED REF A PARA 3:

A. EXTERNAL RADIATION OF ONE OR TWO GRAMS OF U-235 MATERIAL
DOES NOT REPRESENT A HAZARD AS A SOURCE OF EXTERNAL RADIATION
BUT SHOULD NOT BE CARRIED ON ONE’S PERSON. (NOTE: ONE
TEASPOONFUL OF WATER WEIGHTS FOUR GRAMS AND URANIUM SALTS ARE
AT LEAST THREE TO TEN TIMES HEAVIER THAN WATER.)
SECRET

SECRET

PAGE 02 BOMBAY 01917 280805Z

B. MATERIAL SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS TOXIC AND SHOULD NOT BE
HANDLED WITH BARE HANDS. U-235 IS AN ALPHA EMITTER AND
CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED IN HANDLING. INGESTION
DEFINITELY UNDESIRABLE. SUGGEST (1) VIAL CONTAINING
MATERIAL NOT BE OPENED; AND (2) VIAL CONTAINING MATERIAL BE
PLACED IN DOUBLE PLASTIC BAG AS FIRST STEP FOR STORAGE/
SHIPMENT.
MCCASKILL

यो नमूना अमेरिका पठाउँदाको केबल

URANIUM SAMPLES
Date:1973 October 10, 12:15 (Wednesday)
1. EMBASSY AIRPOUCHING TODAY SMALL SAMPLE OF SUBSTANCE
REPORTED TO BE U-235 FOR TESTING BY AEC, IN ACCORDANCE
REFTEL A. SAMPLE CONTAINED IN SMALL PLASTIC VIAL AND
WRAPPED IN SEVERAL PLASTIC BAGS. POUCH NUMBER IS
B 3-3148; REGISTRY NUMBER 862906; INVOICE NUMBER A-116.

2. SAMPLE WAS OBTAINED FOLLOWING TELEPHONE CALL BY
THAKUR ON OCTOBER 7 REQUESTING MEETING WITH EMBASSY
OFFICER. AT MEETING FOLLOWING DAY THAKUR BEGAN BY SAYING
HE HAD BROUGHT SAMPLE WHICH HE THOUGHT WE MIGHT BE
INTERESTED
IN TESTING. (EMBASSY OFFICER THEREFORE DID NOT
NEED TO INITIATE REQUEST FOR SAMPLE. EMBASSY OFFICER
REPLIED THAT WE WOULD BE WILLING TO TEST SAMPLE, AND THAT
SECRET

SECRET

PAGE 02 KATHMA 04255 101306Z

WE WOULD INFORM THAKUR OF RESULTS. OFFICER STRESSED THAT
OUR WILLINGNESS TO TEST SAMPLE SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS ANY
FORM OF COMMITMENT ON OUR PART. THAKUR SAID HE UNDERSTOOD.
HE ASKED NO QUESTIONS AS TO WHY WE WERE WILLING TO TEST
SAMPLE, OR WHAT OUR COURSE OF ACTION MIGHT BE.

3. THAKUR SAID HE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FIVE KILOS OF
ENRICHED URANIUM PER MONTH AT PRICE OF $35,000 PER KILO,
WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS A VERY FAIR PRICE. (IN EARLIER
APPROACH TO EMBASSY OFFICER, THAKUR HAD SAID HE COULD
DELIVER TWO TO THREE KILOS PER MONTH AT PRICE OF $40,000
PER KILO.) HE AGAIN REPORTED THAT THE ENRICHED URANIUM
WOULD COME FROM INDIA, AND SAID THAT HIS PARTNER WAS INDIAN.

4. SEVERAL TIMES DURING CONVERSATION THAKUR REFERRED TO
NEED FOR SECRECY, AS HE SAID THIS WAS “LIFE OR DEATH
SITUATION FOR HIM AND HIS PARTNER”. HE SAID HE WAS
ATTEMPTING TO SELL ENRICHED URANIUM ONLY BECAUSE HE HAD
SUFFERED SERIOUS BUSINESS LOSSES AND WAS NOW LIVING HAND
TO MOUTH. EMBASSY OFFICER, WHO HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY MET
THAKUR, SHARES IMPRESSION REPORTED REF B (BEING REPEATED
TO DEPT) THAT THAKUR IS UNSTABLE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE FUTURE
ACTIONS CANNOT BE PREDICTED.

5. EMBASSY OFFICER SAID THAT HE HOPED TO BE ABLE
PROVIDE RESULTS OF TESTING TO THAKUR WITHIN TWO TO THREE
WEEKS. WE WOULD APPRECIATE GUIDANCE ON HOW TO HANDLE
OUR RESPONSE AT THAT TIME.
CARGO

को रैछ त ठाकुर ?

INDIAN URANIUM CAPER
Date:1975 August 27, 06:40 (Wednesday)
1. AS INDICATED REFTEL, DATT RECENTLY
ACQUIRED A SAMPLE OF
ALLEGED INDIAN URANIUM WHICH WAS POUCHED 22 AUGUST TO STATE
DEPT FOR TESTING.

2. ON 25 AUGUST URANIUM SOURCE ADVISED DATT HE HAD MET
PRAKASH CHAND (P.C.) THAKUR OLDER BROTHER OF BIJAY AND J.C.
THAKUR. P.C. THAKUR IS FORMER NEPALESE
AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN WHO WAS RECALLED FOR INVOLVEMENT IN DRUGS
AND WHO HAS SON IN JAPANESE JAIL ON DRUG SMUGGLING. SOURCE
TOLD P.C. THAKUR, WHO IS DISTANT RELATIVE, THAT HE HAD HEARD
OF INDIAN URANIUM SAMPLES AVAILABLE IN NEPAL. AFTER DESCRI-
BING SAMPLES, P.C. THAKUR SAID THAT IT WAS EARTH MINED IN
NAGARJUN HILLS (ABOUT 5 MILES WESTNORTHWEST OF KATHMANDU)
AT VARIOUS TIMES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. THAKUR CLAIMED
HE HAD MINERAL RIGHTS TO THAT AREA AND, BASED ON SOME OLD
CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 KATHMA 03826 020651Z

GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS BY SWISS GEOLOGIST TONI HAGEN, WAS
INTERESTED IN DETERMINING IF URANIUM EXISTED IN NAGARJUN
HILLS. THAKUR COULD NOT GET URANIUM TESTED IN NEPAL AND HIT
UPON SCHEME OF PEDDLING NEPALESE SAMPLES TO
FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS AS INDIAN. IN THIS WAY HE SOUGHT FREE
TESTING. P.C. THAKUR ASSUMED THAT HIS BROTHERS WERE AGAIN
PUSHING SAMPLES FOR FREE TESTING.

3. COMMENT: SAMPLE ENROUTE TO DEPT APPEARS TO BE PART OF
ELABORATE HOAX PERPETRATED ON US AND OTHERS OVER PAST FEW
YEARS. INGENUITY AND AUDACITY OF NEPALESE IS MATCHED ONLY
BY OUR OWN GULLIBILITY.
CARGO

CONFIDENTIAL

लास्टमा त्यो नमूना परीक्षणका लागि पठाइएछ। अनि त्यहाँ परीक्षण गर्दा त….यस्तो नतिजा भेटियो पनि केबल पठाइएको रहेछ -

ANALYSIS OF PURPORTED U-235
Date:1973 October 18, 21:14 (Thursday)
AEC REPORTS THEIR ANALYSIS OF PURPORTED U-235 SHOWS THE
SAMPLE TO BE PRIMARILY IRON WITH SMALL QUANTITIES OF
MANGANESE. NO URANIUM DETECTED. SETHNA MAY BE INFORMED.
KISSINGER
CONFIDENTIAL

अर्थात् यो युरेनियमै हैन रहेछ ! तैपनि ठाकुरले निकै ठूलो हङ्गामा मच्चाइदिएका रहेछन् उतिबेला। सम्बन्धित केबलहरु यहाँबाट हेर्न सकिन्छ।

साभार : माई संसार