THT ONLINE
KATHMANDU; United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) on Sunday formally handed over the information of UCPN-Maoist combatants to the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction as requested by the government.
“UNMIN released the data following the necessary agreement of the parties. I view that agreement as another positive step in the peace process,” UNMIN Chief Karin Landgren said in a statement.
The meeting of the Special Committee for the supervision, integration and rehabilitation of Maoist army personnel, held on October 2, had decided to ask UNMIN for the complete data of the combatants residing UNMIN-monitored camps, to expedite the integration and rehabilitation process.
Previously, UNMIN had been reluctant to share the information of the combatants with the government, which later created a stir in the political circles.
According to Secretary at the Peace and Reconstruction Ministry, Dhurba Prasad Sharma, UNMIN provided the hard copy of the necessary information of the combatants including their complete name, permanent address, age and photo. On Thursday, UNMIN had provided its electronic version to the Ministry.
Sharma said that the Peace Ministry handed over the data on Sunday to the Special Committee, headed by Prime Minister.
An official of the Peace Ministry informed that the number of combatants living in UNMIN-monitored cantonments has come down to 19,532, which is 70 less than the total verified by UNMIN in the year 2007. This new figure of the combatants came to the government’s notice after the Office of Cantonment Management registered only 19,532 combatants to receive their salary last month.
An UNMIN official said that the UN mission did not provide the fresh data to the government adding there is no fresh head count of the combatants in the moment. UNMIN had collected the data as part of its activities related to the monitoring of the management of arms and armies.
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