Kathmandu, Nov 28: Cementing the peace process in
Nepal, the government and Maoists today signed a pact
mandating the UN to manage rebels' arms and troops as per the
agreement reached between them last week to end the
decade-long insurgency in the Himalayan nation.
Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitoula and Maoist
spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara signed the "agreement on
monitoring of the management of arms and armies" in the
presence of a UN officials.
Jan Eric Wilhelmson, military advisor to the UN head
of mission in Nepal and Ian Martin, UN Secretary General`s
representative witnessed the signing of the pact.
A copy of the pact was handed over to the UN official.
"We have signed a 12-page agreement on disarmament.
There are many issues covered in the agreement, including
verification of the Maoist army and weapons, and the role we
would like the United Nations to take in monitoring," Pradeep
Gyawali, a government negotiator, told reporters.
"We have agreed to manage the arms and the armies
after six days of continued discussions and it was very
tough task," Sitoula told journalists after signing the
document.
"This is the most important part of the historic peace
agreement. Now it will ensure free, fair and fearless election
to the constituent assembly elections," he said.
Maoist negotiator Mahara said "This has opened door
for the peace process to move forward. Now we will move
towards holding the constituent assembly elections to re-write
the constitution."
"We have shown our strong commitment and sincerity to
end the armed conflict," Mahara said, adding "we are aware of
the challenges that lie ahead."
The agreement divided in seven chapters mentions the
modalities and rules of managing arms and armies of both sides
under UN monitoring.
Under the pact, the Maoists will be stationed in
cantonments while the Nepalese army will be confined to their
barracks to facilitate free and fair elections to the
constituent assembly for re-writing the constitution.
Under the agreement both parties have decided not to
include children under 18 years in the cantonment or barracks
and Maoist soldiers recruited after may 25 will not be treated
as their combatants.
Both sides will have to provide information about
landmines, unexploded mines and minefields to each other under
the pact.
Each main cantonment site (of Maoists) will be allowed
30 armed personnel with weapons for security of the sites and
15 such armed personnel will be allowed in satellites or
sub-divisions.
There will be seven main cantonment sites and 21
satellite sites for the settlement of the Maoists army. Under
the agreement, any air movement of Nepalese army will have to
notify at least 48 hours in advance.
The Maoists were due to join a new interim government
on Sunday but that was delayed amid detailed talks on how the
Maoists should lock up their guns. The government also wanted
Maoist soldiers in camps before they were granted 73 seats in
a new 33-seat parliament.
Bureau Report
