Delayed Resumption
The Maoists agree to let the second stage of verification proceed but not before compelling UNMIN to re-verify some cases in Ilam
By SANJAYA DHAKAL
The meeting of the Joint Monitoring and Coordination Committee, including representatives of the UNMIN, Maoist army and Nepali Army (NA), on Monday (July 23), agreed to resume the second stage verification of Maoist combatants from Sindhuli camp from mid-August.
The resumption was agreed to take place only from mid-August because of the important plenary meeting of Maoists scheduled before that.
The Maoists have agreed to let the verification proceed after the UNMIN agreed to re-verify the Maoist combatants who had failed the recent verification in Chulachuli cantonment site, Ilam district. Deputy commander of the Maoist People's Liberation Army (PLA) Nanda Kishor Pun 'Pasang' told reporters after the JMCC meeting that the UNMIN was ready to re-verify the disqualified combatants.
Earlier, the meeting between the Maoist leadership and UNMIN officials, on Friday (July 20), had decided to hold more discussions regarding the immediate resumption of the verification.
The meeting between Maoist leaders including Prachanda and his deputy commanders and UNMIN officials led by its chief Ian Martin, on Friday, had focused on resolving the issue of stalled verification.
Following the meeting, Martin told reporters that more discussions were necessary before the second stage verification can resume. Martin left for New York on Friday evening. He will brief the UN Security Council on the progress of peace process in Nepal.
"It was agreed to prepare to resume the second stage of registration and verification of Maoist army personnel as soon as possible. Military representatives will now meet to exchange views on lessons learned from the verification at the first cantonment site in Ilam and to consider the basis for a possible review of disputed cases," said the statement issued by UNMIN after the meeting on Friday.
In the statement, the UNMIN had said that re-verification on limited cases could be done based on certain criteria only. "UNMIN has made it clear that any review of a limited number of cases could be based solely on the two criteria set in the Agreement on Monitoring the Management of Arms and Armies (AMMAA). UNMIN also expects that the discharge of those found to be ineligible will proceed as soon as appropriate arrangements are decided. UNMIN hopes that the Special Committee established by the Interim Government will discuss the issue of discharge with urgency," it stated.
Amid the stalled second stage verification of the Maoist combatants, Indian ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee and British ambassador Dr Andrew Hall had held separate meetings with Maoist chairman Prachanda on Friday and advised him to abide by the peace agreement. The discussions focused mainly on the constituent assembly election, current security situation and the stalled verification of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
The second stage of verification had stalled after the completion of verification process in the Chulachuli cantonment in Ilam. It was reported that about 900 combatants at the Chulachuli camp were rejected because 400 plus did not meet the UN criteria while over 400 had deserted the camp and did not show up during the verification. The UNMIN has not yet revealed the actual number of those rejected from the camp.
ROW OVER CHANGE OF GUARDS
Maoist ministers have threatened to walk out of the government over the row regarding the change of Nepali Army (NA) guards in their ministerial quarters. Suspecting conspiracy over the sudden change of guards in their official quarters, Maoist ministers have rejected the Nepali Army (NA) guards.
Stating that they were not given prior information before the change of the guards, the Maoist ministers said that since the guards belonged to Bhairabnath battalion notorious for rights abuses and since they are American-trained ranger force they could not accept them.
There are five Maoist ministers in the current cabinet including Krishna Bahadur Mahara (Minister for Information and Communication/government spokesperson), Dev Gurung (Minister for Local Development), Hisila Yami (Minister for Works and Physical Planning), Matrika Yadav (Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation) and Khadga Bahadur Biswakarma (Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare).
Addressing a press meet on Monday, the Maoist minister and government spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara said his party was seriously discussing if they should walk out of the government. He accused PM Koirala of 'conspiring' against them. The Maoist ministers accused that the army is still not under the government control.
However, NA spokesperson Brigadier General Ramindra Chhetri termed it as a 'routine' change of guards. "They are not from Bhairabnath battalion. They are from Sinhanath Battalion of Shivapuri and are trained to provide VIP security," said Chhetri, adding that guards for all the ministers, not only the Maoist ministers, were to be changed for the sake of uniformity. "But, due to misunderstanding we have now decided to recall them for the time being," he said, adding that the guards will now be sent only after thorough discussion.
