Kathmandu: The UN has unanimously agreed
to renew for the seventh time the mandate of its peace mission
in Nepal, but the government today criticised reports tabled
by world body`s chief Ban Ki-moon and his representative as
"unbalanced".
The Security Council in New York last night adopted
the UNSC resolution 1939 (2010) unanimously for the extension
of UNMIN`s term, which is mandated to monitor the arms and
army of the Maoists and the Nepal military as part of the
landmark 2006 peace process.
With the seventh extension, the UNMIN set up in 2007
will stay in the country till January 15, 2011.
The caretaker government today said that UNMIN` chief
Karin Landgren report to the Security Council was "less
balanced" with "some examples of inaccuracies" in it.
"UNMIN chief Landgren?s briefing was even less
balanced than the Secretary-General?s report, often through
selective omission rather than commission," the government
said in a statement here today.
"We share herewith some specific examples of
inaccuracies and imbalance in UNMIN’s reporting and actions
with a view to help avoid similar situation in the future," it
said, adding that the government is in no position to
compromise on the "excellent historic relationship" with the
UN.
Regretting that the views of Nepali diplomats and
senior leaders were "not given much weight by those
shepherding UNMIN?s operations in Nepal", the government said
the mission only protested loudly insisting it is subjected to
"exaggerated and unfounded criticism."
"Landgren`s briefing portrayed a picture of the
parties in the government being in greater turmoil,
inconsistent and irresponsible while similar deficiencies in
the major opposition party are glossed over," the Himalayan
Times quoted the statement as saying.
In her briefing on September 7, Landgren had said:
"Risks to the peace process and to democratic governance in
Nepal, are real."
"The risks include an unresolved leadership battle
which may keep critical decisions in limbo and, at this point,
appears unlikely to deliver the consensus government that
would form a stronger basis for concluding the peace process,"
the Nepalese daily quoted her as saying in the report.
Ban`s status report highlighted that the peace process
remains incomplete, and the parties have been unable to
produce a new constitution.
Landgren described Ban`s report as "discouraging
picture of the state of Nepal`s peace process, and of the
failure of the political parties to invest in its revival."
The Security Council resolution has called on the
government and the Maoists to set up an action plan with clear
targets for the rehabilitation and integration of the
UCPN-Maoist`s People`s Liberation Army combatants currently
residing in the UN-monitored cantonments in various parts of
the country.
The UNSC asked "all political parties in Nepal to
expedite the peace process, and to work together in a spirit
of cooperation, consensus and compromise in order to continue
the transition to a durable long-term solution to enable the
country to move to a peaceful, democratic and more prosperous
future.
An accord signed on Monday by Nepal`s caretaker
prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Maoist chairman
Prachanda pledged to complete the peace process by January 14,
2011. It also upon UNMIN`s extension for four months with its
current mandate rolled over.
Following wide criticism of UNMIN`s role in the
country`s peace process amid differences among the political
parties, UNSG Ban in his latest report presented to the
Security Council said that he was not in favour of repeated
extensions of UNMIN?s mandate in an atmosphere of persistent
and unfounded criticism that complicates its ability to
function. However, he had maintained that the UN wants to see
its body`s mandated tasks completed.
In 2006, the Government and the Maoists ended a decade
long civil war but since then the peace process has been
wracked with loopholes.
Last week, Nepal`s envoy to the UN, Ambassador Gyan
Chandra Acharya told the Security Council that Ban`s latest
report did not reflect the situation on the ground.
"We would like to see the report more balanced,
nuanced, and reflective of the correct assessment of the
situation on the ground in its entirety," Acharya said.
"The Government of Nepal has been successively working
hard to push forward peace process from the early days in
order to move from the transition phase to the normal state at
the earliest," he added.
More than two months after the 22-party coalition led
by Nepal collapsed, seven rounds of Parliament vote has failed
to elect a new leader, deepening the political crisis in the
country. They will again attempt to elect the next Prime
Minister on September 26.
The country has been in political limbo since the
June 30 resignation of Nepal, who is currently heading a
caretaker government.
PTI
