By P. Vijian, NNN-Bernama
Kathmandu : The first batch of seven Malaysian soldiers sent to Nepal on a political mission to monitor a ceasefire accord between the Nepalese government and Maoist rebels will return home this week.
Their mission, under the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN)), was initiated by the United Nations Security Council last year at the request of the Nepalese government to support the peace process after violent episodes triggered by the Maoist group rocked the Himalayan kingdom.
Malaysia, with its experience in international peacekeeping missions under the UN banner, joined the mission by dispatching seven soldiers to assist in the peace process.
Under the agreement, UNMIN was to monitor the management of arms and armed personnel of both the Nepal and Maoist armies under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), Malaysian contingent leader Lt-Col Mohammad Fuzi Taib told Bernama.
“This is a diplomatic mission, no uniform, no military gadgets. Malaysia’s Confrontation with the Communist has given us a lot of experience to handle the Maoists. We use the heart and mind tactics to win them<' he said. "We visit schools, give children pencils and pens and explain our role. We also provide healthcare in remote villages. This is the only way to reach out to them." The decade-old civil war in Nepal began after the Maoists, or Communist Party of Nepal, declared a "People's War" in 1996 after they were disillusioned with the Nepalese political structure soon after democracy was introduced. More than 12,000 people were killed in the violent conflict. In 1996, the Maoist movement, which holds sway in much of rural Nepal, consented to a peace agreement with the interim government, pending a democratically-held election, slated for April 10 this year. "The peace process is quite slow, both parties are not on good terms," said Fuzi who would be returning to Kuala Lumpur soon. A new team from Kuala Lumpur would replace them. An estimated 13,000 armed Maoist rebels want to be part of Nepal's mainstream politics and participate in the coming general election which would likely pave the way for a new constitution for the 27 million people who were once ruled under an absolute monarchy.