The parliamentary committee on Tuesday directed the government to immediately implement its previous instruction to the Prime Minister´s Office (PMO) and the Home Ministry to expedite the process for procuring the Armored Personnel Carriers (APC), security vehicles, equipments and other logistics needed for Nepali peacekeepers deployed in UN-AU Mission in Darfur.[break]
Lawmakers at the committee´s meeting grilled Home Minister Bhim Rawal and CIAA officials for non-implementation of the committee´s previous directives to this effect.
Earlier, around nine months ago, the committee had instructed the PMO and the Home Ministry to immediately supply APCs and other necessary logistics to the mission keeping in view the safety of Nepali peacekeepers. The committee had taken the decision after its sub-committee came up with findings that the APCs and other logistics bought for the mission were sub-standard
On top of that, the Nepali peacekeepers deployed there were in danger due to lack of APCs as those sent to the mission were completely non-functional.
The sub-committee, headed by lawmaker Pradip Gyawali, said around Rs 300 million was embezzled. During the probe, the sub-committee had interrogated erstwhile Home Minister Krishna Sitaula, then IGPs, police officers and other officials involved in the procurement procedures. The probe members also visited Darfur mission before finalizing the report.
“We have reissued the directives to the PMO and the Home Ministry to implement our previous decision to provide APCs, security vehicles and other logistics to the Darfur mission within 10 days,” Ramnath Dhakal, chairman of the committee, told Republica. “The committee has taken non-compliance of the decision very seriously because the prime minister himself had vowed before the committee to take immediate action to this effect.”
CIAA directed to prioritize investigation
The committee also directed the constitutional anti-graft body, CIAA, to prioritize investigation into the Darfur scam.
“We are wondering why the CIAA didn´t expedite investigation in such a serious case for as long as nine months. Therefore, this time we have instructed them to prioritize the case,” Dhakal said.
A team headed by CIAA secretary Bhagwati Prasad Kafle answered lawmakers´ queries. They said they will complete the investigation before the Constituent Assembly (CA) term expires on May 28.
Ishwari Paudel, CIAA spokesperson, however argued that investigation into such a case would take time.
´Nepal mission may be declared non-functional´
The lawmakers at the meeting also fiercely criticized the government agencies and CIAA for not taking any action in this connection for a long time even though the performance of Nepali Mission was seriously questioned in Darfur.
“As the committee has received information that our mission in Sudan might be declared non-functional due to sub-standard logistics provided to them, the issue has become quite serious. This led us to reissue the directives to the government and press the CIAA for immediate action to this effect,” Dhakal said.
Dhakal said the fact that Nepal´s prestige in the international forum will be seriously tarnished if the Nepali mission is declared non-functional led the committee members to take the matter seriously.
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