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2,000 discharged Maoist fighters under UN care
KATHMANDU, AUG 23 -
The United Nations on Monday said three quarters of the 2,394 minors and late recruits who were released from the Maoist cantonments during the formal discharge process that completed in February have come into its contact seeking rehabilitation packages.
UN Resident Coordinator Robert Piper highlighted this “encouraging development” at the Steering Committee led by Peace Minister Rakam Chemjong to oversee the discharge process. He said that over 2,000 former disqualified combatants contacted the UN and 1,500 of them have been given individual career counselling.
Of the 4,008 combatants registered as disqualified by the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), 1,614 personnel had not appeared in the discharge ceremonies that completed in February. The UN has said 20 percent of those non-attendants are now in its touch.
Talking to reporters after the one-and-a-half hour review meeting, the UN resident coordinator said around 800 disqualified ex-combatants have enrolled for different training courses, 194 have graduated and 42 have found jobs. “We’re very pleased at the progress but we are not yet satisfied. We are still trying to get in touch with the big group that was not present in the discharge process,” he said.
The steering committee comprises representatives of the government, Maoists and various UN agencies including UNMIN.
During Monday’s meeting, the participants discussed the interest of disqualified combatants in the UN offered packages that include formal education, vocational training, micro-enterprise development and health service training among others.
During the discussion, the UN officials urged the Maoists to encourage disqualified combatants to participate in rehabilitation programmes. They urged the government to provide jobs to those ex-combatants who have already graduated in different courses adding they could be accommodated in special programmes like youth employment schemes and other government jobs.
Peace Minister Chemjong said the rehabilitation process was going well and that the government will provide all possible support for the process. He urged the 4,008 disqualified combatants to join the UN offered packages.
PLA Deputy Commander Chandra Prakash Khanal said the PLA has no obligation towards the disqualified combatants.
“We assured them that we will request those who are in the contact of the party to join the rehabilitation packages,” he said after Sunday’s meeting.
Posted on: 2010-08-24 10:00
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