UNMIN attempts to minimize Maoist boast impact

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 20 May: In a clear attempt to minimize the impact of Maoist Prime Minister Prachanda’s embarrassing boast he duped UN into certifying 19,000 PLA combatants into 28 camps and cantonments in Nepal, UMNIM Tuesday was silent on the claim it was deceived.
The former combatants, including disqualified child soldiers continue to be there, even two years after verification.
Prachanda said in a videotape the actual strength of partially disarmed combatants was only between 7 t0 8,000 and only 4,000 combatants should be in the camps.
The UN is now trying to shift impact of the fallout on Nepal government; UNMIN attempted to do the same when Maoists murdered a Kathmandu businessman at a cantonment in Chitwan under its observation in 2008.
UNMIN said security at camps where verified Maoist weapons are kept wasn’t its responsibility.
Maoists have threatened to come out of the camps by seizing the surrendered weapons.
“The government and CPN-M decided that possession of a weapon was not a criterion for eligibility. Presentation of a Maoist army identity card was required to demonstrate service,” UNMIN said.
Nepal Army had then challenged the Maoist claim of the real combatant strength of the rebel army saying each combatant should have a weapon like verified state soldiers.
‘Joining the service before May 25, 2006, and being born before May 25, 1988,” were the only two conditions for eligibility, UNMIN added.
“UNMIN was not requested to verify whether the registered Maoist army personnel were eligible for integration into the security forces,” UNMIN went on to say even as it seeks a role integration of the PLA into Nepal Army.
UN was invited in Nepal by the government and Maoists for its reliability as UNMIN seeks another extension after its mandate ends again in July.
Nepali Congress which is staging a comeback in government has asked for a recount of Maoist combatants in camps after the Prachanda claim.
Will UN and major world capitals still push integration of Maoists combatants in the state army when the stated objective of the Maoists is to incite rebellion in Nepal Army?
Prachanda also said the camps are a source of money for the party to finance the purchase of weapons for a final war; how long with the donors now finance the combatants in the camps?
Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and then
UNMIN Chief Ian Martin quietly flew in and out of the country after the Prachanda revelation.
Congress has been critical of Martin’s role in Nepal.
Martin, charged for being pro-Maoist, was dispatched to Gaza Strip from Nepal after UNMIN was downsized and downgraded to investigate a bombing of a UN complex by Israeli army.
Israel has attempted to manipulate the embarrassing Maoist claim to expose Martin and UN in the West Asia.
“These allegations—that the UN was duped in Nepal—cast along shadow over Gaza board of inquiry’s reliability,” Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said.
UN blamed Israel army for the deadly bombings.
“If Martin failed to get the facts right with terrorists in Nepal, who can believe he got it right in Gaza, where he was also dealing with terrorists,” Jerusalem Post also quoted a diplomatic source as saying.
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