The 147-member mechanism will either have ex-security officers or serving members of the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police. [break]
As per the plan, which has been opposed by the Maoists, these personnel will be stationed in all the 28 cantonments to monitor Maoists combatants and their arms round-the-clock, something UNMIN monitors have been doing since 2007. Seven personnel will be deputed at each seven main camps while each 21 satellite cantonments will have five monitors.
In addition, the mechanism will also observe abidance of a set of code of conduct that is supposed to be enforced upon the combatants once they will come under the command and control of the Special Committee formed by the government to supervise, integrate and rehabilitate the ex-Maoist fighters. The code of conduct prohibits the combatants to participate in any political activities, among others.
The Maoists have opposed the plan as it is silent about monitoring of the Nepal Army and its arms. They have also proposed to form a joint monitoring team comprising commanders from Nepal Army and Maoist army instead.
“We have written a note of descent on the plan, saying no decision should be taken on the issue until it is settled at political level,” said Chandra Prakash Khanal aka Baldev, who represents the Maoist party in the secretariat. “We want such a mechanism to monitor the Nepal Army as well.”
But another member of the secretariat Dipak Prakash Bhatta said, “We expect the cantonments to come under the Special Committee before UNMIN´s exit on January 15. Once the cantonments are commanded by the committee, there is no need to monitor the Nepal Army.”
The Special Committee headed by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal discussed the plan briefly on Sunday and decided to take up the matter with the top leaders of major parties on Monday, according Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, a member of the Special Committee.
As directed by the Special Committee on Thursday to submit one-month long work plan to ensure integration and rehabilitation of cantoned Maoist combatants, the secretariat proposed the mechanism in view of the fast approaching exit of UNMIN.
Maoists said that they will engage in discussions on pending contentious issues related to management of the combatants despite their objection to the plan. The secretariat is yet to settle modality of integration, rehabilitation package and schemes for those combatants who will opt for voluntary exit.
Talking to media persons after the Special Committee meeting held at Singha Durbar, Special Committee member Mahendra Yadav said the secretariat submitted a month-long working calendar for integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants. “But we have not held any discussions about it today,” he said.
Yadav said they had to put off the meeting as some of the issues relating to the working calendar need to be agreed at political level. He said that the issue will be discussed at the three party meeting scheduled for Monday.
Another Special Committee member representing UML Ishwar Pokharel said they have decided to forge consensus at political level before holding discussion on the work plan at Special Committee. “Implementation of the work plan requires political consensus,” he said.
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