There is strong concern at the highest level of the United Nations that minors continue to remain in cantonments that houses the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M) combatants, Special Representative of UN Secretary-General Ian Martin said here on Saturday.
"We are concerned that those disqualified continue to remain in the cantonments," Martin told myrepublica.com in a brief interview, adding "in particular, we are very much concerned that minors have not been discharged yet."
Martin also expressed the hope that the Nepali government would act soon to release the minors from the UN-monitored 28 cantonments throughout Nepal.
A verification by United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) last year found that there are about 2,973 minors, besides 4,000 other disqualified combatants. Among these 4,000 are those who left the cantonments and did not return. UNMIN report said there were 19,602 CPN-M combatants. The original number was over 31,000.
Martin also said that the UNMIN hoped that the special committee that was to oversee the rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants would start work soon and complete the rehabilitation so as to take the peace process to a logical conclusion. "We are concerned that this has yet to begin."
The UNMIN head added that he had reminded the then Prime Minister and Defense Minister Girija Prasad Koirala last year that as per the peace agreements no recruitment whatsoever could take place in either armies.
Source: Xinhua
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