KATHMANDU, JAN 09 - The United Nations said that it is firm on its decision to repatriate Nepal Army Maj. Niranjan Banset from the UN peacekeeping mission in Chad. Refuting the recent reports on local media, the UN said it has not sent any letter to Nepal to clarify Maj. Basnet’s repatriation, and added that it did not say that the repatriation was a mistake.

Issuing a press statement on Saturday, Office of the UN Resident Co-ordinator in Nepal maintained that the UN is firm over the decision. It also expressed displeasure over the local media for disseminating ‘misleading reports’.

The government officials had claimed that the UN’s statement came during a meeting on Dec. 18 between Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Edmund Mullet and Deputy Permanent Representative of Permanent Mission of Nepal to the UN in New York Shankar Bairagi.  According to the reports, Mullet indirectly said the UN repatriated Maj. Basnet without any consultation with the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the UN due to the pressure.

Meanwhile, Spokesperson at the Foreign Ministry Durga Bhattarai, claimed that the government received a letter few days ago from the UN that said the decision to send back Maj. Basnet was done in haste. According to him, the letter has now been forwarded to the Defense Ministry.

Maj. Basnet arrived in Nepal on Dec. 12 after being sent back by the UN for his alleged involvement in serious human rights violations.

OHCHR has accused him of breaching human rights, especially for his role in the disappearance of 15-year old girl Maina Sunuwar from Maharajgunj in Feb. 2004.

Posted on: 2010-01-10 01:10

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