Kathmandu - Nepal's main political parties have agreed to
extend the term of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) by
another six months while proposing to reduce its peace-keeping
mandate, media reports said Wednesday.
The agreement came during marathon talks among the ruling Seven
Party Alliance on Tuesday night, which had been called to discuss
continuing opinion differences on key issues between alliance members.
Under the agreement, the UNMIN's term will be extended by another
six months when it expires in mid-July, the Kantipur newspaper said.
However, the parties have proposed to reduce the size and mandate
of the UN body.
'The term of the UNMIN will now be limited to just the
reintegration of the Maoist fighters and management of their
weapons,' the newspaper said.
Until now, the UNMIN mandate covered other areas, including
monitoring the peace process, cease-fire violations and the election
of the constituent assembly as well as the political process.
'Within six months, the Maoist combatants will be integrated into
the national army or other security bodies,' the newspaper said.
'Those who do not qualify to join the security bodies will be
reintegrated into society.'
Integration of the Maoist fighters, a key component of the peace
agreement between the government and the Maoists, has been a
contentious issue.
The Nepali Congress Party of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala
said in the past only those who met the strict criteria set for
recruitment into the national army would be able to join the security
body.
The Maoists maintained that all fighters verified by the UN should
be integrated into the army or other security bodies.
Under Nepal's peace deal, over 31,000 Maoist fighters were
initially housed in seven cantonments and 21 satellite camps spread
across the Himalayan nation. Their weapons were locked up under UN
supervision.
However, after two rounds of verification, the UNMIN said only
19,602 fighters passed the rigid process.
The verification process was intended to identify minors serving
in the Maoist fighting force and those recruited after the peace deal
was signed.
Almost 14,000 people died during the decade of communist
insurgency which formally ended with the signing of a peace deal
between the government and the Maoists in November 2006.
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