By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : The chief of the UN agency that is assisting in Nepal’s fragile peace process has said a UN role in Nepal’s security sector was not outside its mandate, though the government has ruled out giving it any additional responsibility.
“When I say I believe that the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) is able to offer further support to some key aspects of the peace process, I believe we could be more supportive without a larger presence or expansion of the current mandate,” UNMIN chief and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s special representative for Nepal Ian Martin said in a surprise press conference here Friday.
Martin, who returned from New York this month after briefing the UN Security Council on the political developments in Nepal, had suggested that his team could be of further help in the floundering peace negotiations.
Though the UNMIN’s mandate is managing the armies of the state as well as the Maoists, observing the elusive constituent assembly election when it is finally held, and monitoring the ceasefire signed between the guerrillas and the multi-party government, Martin has expressed interest in assisting in additional areas.
He has suggested the UNMIN could help in merging the combatants of the guerrilla People’s Liberation Army with the Nepal Army, advise in improving public security and help implement the agreements signed between the government and the Maoists.
On Wednesday, after Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala held a meeting of his cabinet, Foreign Minister Sahana Pradhan told journalists that while the government was ready to extend for another six months the term of the UNMIN — which ends in January — provided the Maoists agreed, it had decided not to widen the agency’s mandate.
However, Martin Friday said that helping improve public security was part of the mandate already given to him.
He said that the original letters written by the government of Nepal and the Maoists to the UN had requested for assistance to create an atmosphere for free and fair constituent assembly election and the peace process.
“These areas (improving public security and finding a long-term solution to the Maoist combatants confined to cantonments for 11 months now) are very closely related to our mandate,” Martin said.
He also defended the UNMIN’s meetings with leaders of the ethnic communities and plains groups who are demanding autonomous states for their communities, saying: “If you are asked to help in creating a free and fair election atmosphere, it is unavoidable that we should be extremely concerned about the situation in the Terai”, Madhesis (plains communities) and other marginalized groups.
Martin also defended the UNMIN against allegations that its work pace has been slow, saying it was “on course” and would complete verifying the last of the seven Maoist camps in December.
With the ruling parties and the Maoists likely to lock horns again over the immediate abolition of monarchy and a new electoral system in parliament when the new sessions starts Monday, Martin said maintaining unity between the ruling coalition and the rebels remained fundamental to the success of the peace process.
He also suggested a review of the peace process and implementation of all agreements, including the peace pact brokered by India.