The government has taken strong exception to UNMIN´s involvement in preparing the plan and is lodging an objection, most likely on Sunday, saying such activities are outside UNMIN´s mandate. [break]
On Friday, caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal publicly accused UNMIN of violating its mandate in preparing a 60-week plan of action for the integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants living in UN-monitored cantonments. UNMIN leaked the plan to some media, coinciding with a Maoist move to unveil a similar plan.
"Now some actors, to whom it is of no concern, have proposed a 60-week proposal [on integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants]. This is clearly a violation of their jurisdiction. This is totally wrong," the prime minister told reporters at Norvic Hospital at Thapathali.
He had gone to the hospital to see UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari, who is undergoing treatment there for asthma.
The prime minister is chairman of the Special Committee, which has sole responsibility for management of over 19,000 former Maoist soldiers, as envisioned in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the Interim Constitution.
Asked about the mandate question, UNMIN spokesperson Kosmos Biswokarma said “The completion of UNMIN´s arms monitoring mandate, in large part, is contingent on the parties agreeing on a plan to address the future of Maoist army personnel. Parties across the political spectrum have repeatedly stated the expectation that UNMIN needs to remain until concrete and initial actions are taken in carrying out such a plan. The urgency for progress on integration and rehabilitation was discussed with political party leaders informally, some of whom have indicated that a generic “think piece” could be useful. UNMIN is acting in line with the [Security] Council´s instructions to expedite this process.”
Biswokarma further said that following UNMIN´s second term extension in July 2008, the Security Council has consistently called on the parties to take advantage of UNMIN´s expertise and readiness to support the peace process, in order to facilitate completion of the Mission´s mandate.
Moreover, the Security Council has tasked UNMIN to work with the parties to immediately make the necessary arrangements for its withdrawal, he said.
Meanwhile, a source at the Special Committee told myrepublica.com that the government is lodging its objection with UNMIN for having prepared a plan for management of the combatants.
“We drafted a protest letter on Friday but could not send it because the prime minister could not go through it. Once he approves the letter, we will send it,” the source at the Special Committee said on condition of anonymity.
In the draft letter, the government is going to remind UNMIN that under the Interim Constitution the Special Committee is solely responsible for planning such integration and rehabilitation.
Talking to media at the hospital, the prime minister urged the UN body not to “impose any unwanted suggestion” on Nepal, saying such a suggestion is unacceptable.
The prime minister was of the view that any proposal that intends to complete management of the combatants in 15 months (60 weeks) cannot be acceptable as the Constituent Assembly (CA) term is expiring in less than 11 months.
"This will only help render the statute-writing process itself a failure. We don´t need experience which couldn´t be implemented in any other part of the world," he said.
The prime minister had also prepared such a plan earlier. Initially, the plan aimed at completing the management in 102 days. As time ran out, the plan was reduced to 90 days and finally to 60 days. The plan could not be implemented due to the atmosphere of mistrust among political parties.
Meanwhile, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Rakam Chemjong has said the government has taken the issue seriously.
“The integration and rehabilitation issue does not fall under the mandate of UNMIN, in case the latter is involved in preparing the plan as reported by media,” Chemjong said.
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