» 11/28/2011 14:03 NEPAL – UNITED NATIONS Kathmandu, UN praises developments in peace process by Kalpit Parajuli
After visiting the Himalayan nation Helen Clark, administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), painted an “optimistic picture” of Nepal’s future. Out of 13,000 former fighters, half chose to join the military and the other half opted for a pension. No one sought reintegration into civil society.
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) – The United Nations expressed support for recent developments in Nepal’s peace, which include the dissolution of Maoist militias and their incorporation into the regular army and reintegration into civil society, said Helen Clark, administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), during a recent visit to the Himalayan nation, the first by a top UNDP official in 25 years. The former New Zealand prime minister met Nepali political leaders, including Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and President Ram Baran Yadav, and painted an optimistic picture of Nepal’s future.
“We haven’t been asked for help,” she said. “Nepal is taking charge and that is appropriate.”
The international community has an interest in the rehabilitation side, and “the signs are that most people are going to take integration or cash options,” the UNDP official said.
Nepali authorities have offered former Maoist guerrilla fighters three options. After fighting for more than ten years, they can opt for reintegration into civil society, accept voluntary retirement or join the regular armed forces.
The first option is one-to-four year programme at a cost of US$ 8,000-12,000 per fighter. Those choosing voluntary retirement will get between US$ 6,750 and US 10,500 according to rank based on UN 2006 classification. About 6,500 fighters will instead join the regular military.
Nepal had some 19,000 Maoist fighters. Of these, 13,000 have already been regrouped, half choosing a military career and the other half, voluntary retirement. No one chose reintegration in civil society.
The United Nations and donor countries are not planning to hand out huge sums to pay for former fighters’ retirement, Helen Clark said. They will however provide funding for government initiatives to implement and conclude the peace process.
Nepal’s civil war pitted the Nepali military against Maoist guerrillas for 11 years. The latter sought the overthrow of the monarchy and the creation of a People’s Republic.
The hostilities ended on 21 November 2006 when an overall peace plan when the Nepali military and Maoist leaders signed a peace deal.
Altogether, the war cost 12,800 lives and created about 100,000 refugees.
Until recently, the Maoists had refused to hand over their weapons, demanding instead the integration of their fighters into the armed forces.
On 2 September, they accepted to disarm and hand over their weapons depots located in seven training centres across Nepal.
