According to Dr Dipak Prakash Bhatt, a member of the secretariat under the Special Committee, 64 personnel from the Nepal Army (NA), Nepal Police (NP), Armed Police Force (APF) and the Maoist PLA -- 16 each from NA, NP, APF and Maoist army -- were deployed for monitoring of arms on Saturday. [break]
NA has sent eight lieutenant colonels and an equal number of majors in the monitoring mechanism. Similarly, APF is represented by eight superintendents and eight deputy superintendents in the mechanism formed on Friday. NP has sent eight deputy superintendents and an equal number of inspectors for the mechanism. Eight brigade commanders and brigade vice commanders represent the Maoist army in the monitoring mechanism, according to Kul Prasad KC, a secretariat member representing Maoist army.
A group of eight monitors -- two each from NA, NP, APF and the Maoist army -- at each of the seven Maoist cantonments and the Nepal Army barracks at Chhauni -- have been deployed to monitor the arms and armies. The new monitors were sent as UN is withdrawing its monitors from the cantonments and the army barracks from Saturday midnight following the departure of UNMIN.
Our correspondent from Chitwan, Chandni Hamal, reported that the new monitoring team started taking charge of monitoring responsibilities from UN monitors from Saturday evening.
Govt requests UNMIN for monitoring equipment
In the meantime, the government on Saturday requested UNMIN to transfer its monitoring equipment and logistics a day after the Special Committee for Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist Combatants decided to ask for the logistics, said Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, Bishnu Nepal.
According to Nepal, the government has requested for monitoring equipment, four-wheel vehicles, engineering and communication equipment, various structures of the offices and accommodation buildings at seven cantonment sites, computer sets and other office equipment.
"UNMIN has been asked to transfer them to the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction and the convener of the secretariat under the Special Committee," said Nepal, who is the government focal point for UNMIN.
In the meantime, the secretariat officials held a meeting with UNMIN chief Karin Landgren and senior visiting UN official Tamrat Samuel for transfer of the requested materials, according to secretariat member Dr Bhatt.
"Although it came at the last hour, the agreement [the three-point deal signed Friday] should also pave the way for UN headquarters to consider a temporary loan and later donation to the government of the closed circuit television (CCTV) equipment and other monitoring-related assets that can be transferred under UN procedures. The need for agreed follow-on monitoring arrangements before any transfer of UN assets could be considered appears to be met," UNMIN Chief Karin Landgren said in a statement.
- Monitoring and arms management equipment
- Four-wheel drive vehicles
- Engineering and communication equipment
- Various structure of offices and accommodation buildings in seven cantonments
- Computer sets and other office equipment
In addition, the government has also requested UNMIN to provide training to its monitors deployed at the cantonments from Saturday.
In response to this particular request, Landgren said, "The UN will continue to offer all the support that it can to the new monitoring mechanism. Even as they are hours away from leaving the cantonments, UNMIN arms monitors are preparing to brief the members of the new monitoring mechanism."
India gives UNMIN-used vehicles, logistics to Nepal
India has decided to give the UNMIN-used vehicles, arms containers and other logistics to Nepal following the departure of the UN mission from Saturday.
India had provided 23 Mahindra Scorpio with VHF sets, ten Delco pickup trucks, three Tata buses, two cargo trucks and arms containers to UNMIN in 2007.
"In response to the government of Nepal and as demonstration of India´s continued commitments and support to peace, the government of India has decided to transfer containers and other logistics and equipment from UNMIN to the government of Nepal," said Apoorva Srivastava, spokesperson at the Indian Embassy.
A government official said the Indian assistance will be used for monitoring and management of Maoist arms and armies.
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