Price of conflict costing state in excess of Rs. 2.5 billion

The Himalayan Times - Price of conflict costing state in excess of Rs. 2.5 billion - Detail News

Added At: 2011-03-31 6:07 PM

Last Updated At: 2011-03-31 6:07 PM

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LEKHANATH PANDEY

KATHMANDU: As the saying goes, conflict comes at a cost. Nepal’s post-conflict approach to assuage the decade-long conflict-victims reflects it truly.

The state coffers have already been depleted by at least Rs. 2.5 billion just to give a nominal relief package to some of the thousands of victims of the Maoist insurgency, and the cost continues to rise.

Data prepared by the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction (MoPR) showed that it has delivered an amount of Rs. 1.4 billion as relief to the kin and kith of 14,064 people who died during the rebellion. It is yet to allocate relief to the remaining 2655 people who suffered the same fate. It means that the state would have to pay at least another Rs. 265 million to the remaining victims’ families.

Relief and Rehabilitation Unit at the MoPR has set a criterion of allocating Rs. 100,000 to the family of every single person killed during the conflict. A total of 16,719 people have been reported dead in the conflict.

“We have already sent necessary relief fund of 14,064 deceased persons to District Administrative Offices concerned to provide relief to their families,” said RRB Division Chief at MoPR Ganesh Prasad Upadhaya. “The remaining will soon get the relief package.”

The relief package costs the state more than Rs. 1 billion for those affected by the conflict, including disabled, disappeared, abducted, dependents, including children and widows. Only 29,000 internally displaced persons out of 78,675 have received nominal relief and compensation from the government and have been resettled in their own place. It has already cost the state at least Rs. 340 million, and the remaining two thirds will certainly cost nearly twice the amount.

At least Rs. 100 million has been used as compensation for some 11,775 cases of physical infrastructure destroyed. Likewise, Rs. 130 million has been expended as relief to the kith and kin of 1302 people who disappeared. The amount has been mobilised through Nepal Peace Trust Fund, a donor-funded Trust to address the post-conflict relief and rehabilitation issues.

An account of the victims in different categories had been prepared by the RRU, based in MoPR, with the help of inter-governmental agencies and the relief fund has been distributed through the local channel. Upadhaya, however, said that RRU had faced the challenge of identifying the true victims of the conflict.

In addition to the relief package, a whopping 5,560 physical infrastructure had been destroyed during the conflict. Only 1,968 has been rebuilt at a cost of more than Rs. 3.7 billion from the coffers.

Debate on Nepali Army reform

  Experts against using term 'democratisation'

Added At:  2011-01-27 12:19 AM

   Last Updated At: 2011-01-27 12:19 AM

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HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Security experts have taken exception to the use of the term ‘democratisation of the Nepali Army’, which figures in the Interim Constitution and the Comprehensive Peace Accord, among others, arguing that such term is not suitable for an apolitical organisation. They said such a term will hinder NA’s reforms.

The experts, commenting on the draft paper of the Comprehensive Work-plan on Nepali Army’s Democratisation, after its presentation at a seminar of Nepal Institute for Policy Studies here today, reasoned it will be better to use the term ‘modernisation or restructuring’.

The work-plan, prepared by inter-minister committee under the Minister for Defence, is currently under consideration at the Cabinet’s State Affairs Committee for approval. “I had never heard or read words like ‘democratisation of army’ before. Army is itself a non-democratic institution, such a word may mislead the objective of Nepali Army’s reform,” said Dr Deepak Prakash Bhatta, who wrote his PhD dissertation on the NA, adding, “It would be more correct to use words like reform, modernisation, or restructuring of the Nepal Army in the draft.”

Senior Advocate Vishwo Kanta Mainali, advocates Kumar Regmi, Rudra Sharma, ex-army officials Kesher Bahadur Bhandari, Deepak Gurung, CA member Gopal Singh Bohara shared the same view.

By using the term democratisation in reference to army’s reform, there would be the danger of political leadership’s influence and interference within the army, Lieutenant General (Rtd) Balananda Sharma warned. “Professionalisation of Army would be a correct term,” suggested Sharma, coordinator at the Secretariat of Special Committee for Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of PLA Combatants.

However, Dr Paul Jackson, Professor at the University of Birmingham, UK, stated the term of ‘democratisation of army’ should be considered as legal control over its functioning, civilian oversight upon it and inclusiveness within every aspect of the army.

Defence Secretary Nabin Ghimire, who had presented the work-plan draft at the seminar, argued that the term democratisation was not put to mean political influence or to break army’s institutional discipline, but rather to make the organisation more efficient, transparent and responsible.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal expressed hope the suggestions made at the seminar will be helpful in making the work-plan more comprehensive.

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Debate+on+Nepali+Army+reform&NewsID=274542

For more http://nipsnepal.org/

Monitoring mechanism gets full shape

Added At:  2011-01-25 12:07 AM  

Last Updated At: 2011-01-25 12:07 AM

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LEKHANATH PANDEY

KATHMANDU: Two days after Maoist PLA fighters were officially handed over to the Special Committee (for supervision, integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants), SC today gave final shape to its monitoring mechanism.

A meeting of SC today named members of the monitoring mechanism that comprises four representatives each from SC and its Secretariat and one from Maoist PLA combatants.

Barsha Man Pun of the UCPN-Maoist, Ram Sharan Mahat of Nepali Congress, Ishwor Pokharel of UML and Jitendra Dev of Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic will represent SC in the nine-member monitoring mechanism. Balananda Sharma of NC, Chandra Prakash Khanal of UCPN-Maoist, Gopal Singh Bohara of UML and Mahesh B Karki of the Nepali Army will join the mechanism from the Secretariat. In addition, PLA commander Nanda Kishor Pun will represent the Maoist party.

A three-point deal reached between PM Nepal and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on January 14 has it that ‘a six-member monitoring mechanism will be formed comprising three representatives each from SC and its Secretariat’. However, following Tarai-based parties’ demand to include their representative also, the mechanism has been expanded to a nine-member committee. Today’s inclusions were: UCPN-M’s Nanda Kishor Pun, MJF-D’s Dev and UML’s Bohara.

The first-ever SC meeting today since PLA fighters were handed over to SC also hailed the change of guard of former Maoist fighters.

“We reviewed PLA handover function. As it was an important day in the peace process, we approved a proposal to extend thanks to all those who largely contributed to make the function a success,” Maoist representative in SC Janardan Sharma told THT. “Our gratitude goes especially to the PM, Maoist chairman and PLA combatants.”

PM Nepal and Chairman Dahal had signed a PLA handover agreement and exchanged it on Saturday in Shaktikhor during an official handover ceremony.

Today’s meeting also directed the Secretariat to prepare a work plan for PLA integration and rehabilitation at the earliest

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/rssReference.php?headline=Monitoring+mechanism+gets+full+shape&NewsID=274286

Nepal at crossroads as UN ends peace mission

By Claire Cozens (AFP) – 10 hours ago

KATHMANDU — A UN mission set up four years ago to oversee Nepal's post-war transition has closed down, removing a crucial buffer between two armed factions in the troubled nation.

The UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) was established in 2007 with a one-year mandate to supervise the peace process that followed a decade-long conflict between Maoist insurgents and the state in which at least 16,000 people died.

Delays in implementing key elements of a 2006 peace agreement, including the integration of 19,000 former Maoist soldiers into the state security forces, meant its mandate had to be repeatedly extended.

Last September, the UN Security Council voted to close UNMIN after a final four-month extension, citing a lack of progress and saying the mission had been unfairly drawn into political battles between the parties.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Nepal's peace process was "at a crossroads" but that it made little sense to keep UNMIN open "without any meaningful progress by the parties on political issues".

At a ceremony to mark the mission's closure, Ban's representative in Nepal said many challenges remained.

"We have been reminded every day of how much this country has achieved in a few short years, and also of the challenge that lies ahead," said UNMIN chief Karin Landgren.

"The mission?s contribution to the peace process has been a job well done. But the peace process itself is unfinished."

The United Nations has promised to remain involved in Nepal's peace process even after UNMIN's departure, but it leaves the country in a state of flux, with no government in place and growing divisions between the parties.

Sixteen rounds of voting in parliament have failed to produce a new leader since prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal stood down last June, and the lack of leadership is hampering development in one of the world's poorest countries.

The process of drafting a new national constitution aimed at ending the historic social inequalities that were a major cause of the war -- another key tenet of the peace deal -- has stalled.

Sarah Levit-Shore, head of the Nepal office of the US-based Carter Center, which deploys monitors across the country, said citizens were frustrated and concerned.

"I think this is a fragile time for Nepal," she said. "It is critical for Nepal's political leaders to come together, refresh existing agreements and make new and very important agreements in advance of what is a very short constitutional deadline."

Analysts say the continued existence of the Maoist People's Liberation Army, whose soldiers were confined to camps around the country after the war, has added to a growing sense of public unease in the country.

The arrangement was intended as a temporary solution pending a merger of the PLA and the national army, but has dragged on because the Maoists and their political rivals have been unable to reach agreement on the issue.

UN arms monitors who conduct round-the-clock supervision of the PLA camps, where the Maoists' weapons are stored in sealed containers, and of a Nepal Army barracks near Kathmandu, will leave at midnight (1815 GMT) Saturday.

The caretaker government and the Maoists, now the main opposition party, agreed late Friday that a new team of monitors comprising members of the state security forces and the PLA would replace them.

Nepalese political commentator Prashant Jha said UNMIN had acted as a symbolic deterrent against the resumption of violence, and predicted the impact of its departure would go well beyond the technical aspects of its work.

"UNMIN leaves at a time when the most complex task of this process -- integration and rehabilitation of the former combatants -- has not even started," he wrote in the Indian newspaper The Hindu.

"Peace has held in Nepal because Nepali actors, including the Nepal Army and the Maoists, have behaved with restraint and responsibility, but UNMIN's exit will make this task more difficult."

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

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दुई छोराको खोजीमा ६ वर्ष

जे पाण्डे

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बर्दिया डेउढाकालाकी सावित्रीदेवी अधिकारी द्वन्द्वकालमा बेपत्ता भएका दुई सैनिक छोरा धर्मेन्द्र र कृष्णको तस्बिर हेर्दै। तस्विरः जे पाण्डे

नेपालगन्ज, मंसिर २४ - बर्दिया डेउढाकला ९ बनगौडीका चेतनारायण अधिकारीले बेपत्ता दुई छोराको खोजी गर्न थालेको ६ वर्ष बितिसकेको छ । दुवै छोराको अवस्था अझसम्म अज्ञात नै छ । 'सोध्दैखोज्दै हिँड्दा थाकिसकें,' उनले भने, न छोरा फेला पारे, न त सरकारले राहत दियो ।

नेपाली सेनामा कार्यरत जेठो छोरा धर्मेन्द्र कर्णाली पुल सुरक्षामा खटिएका बेला ०६१ पुस ७ गते माओवादीसँग दोहोरो भिडन्तपछि बेपत्ता भएका थिए । कान्छो कृष्णलाई पनि साउन ३ गते माओवादीले अपहरण गरी बेपत्ता पारेका हुन् ।

भिडन्तमा पुलको दुवैतिरबाट आक्रमण हुँदा ज्यान जोगाउन करिब २ फिट माथिबाट सहायक लेफटनेन्ट रमेशकुमार बन्जारा, जवान दिलबहादुर भुजेलसहित ५ जना सेना देशकै ठूलो कर्णाली नदीमा हामफालेका थिए ।

तीमध्ये बन्जरा र भुजेललाई नदीबाट निस्केपछि माओवादीले कब्जामा लिई अपहरण गरे । १४ दिनपछि उनीहरूलाई अधिकारवादीहरूले मुक्त गराएका थिए । दुई सैनिक दाजुभाइको भने अझै अत्तोपत्तो छैन ।

माओवादीले यी बेपत्ता दाजुभाइलाई अपहरण गरे/नगरेबारे प्रतिक्रिया दिएको छैन । सरकारले पनि जीवित रहे नरहेको पुष्टि नभएकाले परिवारले पाउने आर्थिक सहयोग दिन अस्वीकार गरेको छ ।

परिवारका सदस्यहरू सेनाको जिल्लादेखि केन्द्रसम्मका सबै निकाय र मन्त्रालय धाउँदा दिक्दार भइसकेका छन् । बेपत्ता दाजुभाइका बाबु कृष्ण अधिकारीले कान्तिपुरसित भने, भद्रकालीस्थित सैनिक अभिलेखालयले राहत र क्षतिपूर्तिको फाइल नै थन्काइदियो ।

यसका लागि जिल्ला प्रशासन, प्रहरी र सुरक्षा समितिले सेनालाई लिखित अनुरोध गरेको पनि दुई वर्ष बितेको छ । यी निकायले कणर्ाली भिडन्तमा रणशेर गणका प्युठ धर्मेन्द्रलाई माओवादीले कब्जामा लिई हत्या गरेको र भवानी बक्स गुल्मबाट उपचारका लागि घर आएका सिपाही कृष्णलाई अपहरण गरी हत्या गरेको भन्दै राहत र क्षतिपूर्ति दिन सिफारिस गरेका हुन् ।

लासमात्र देख्न पाए पनि चित्त बुझ्ने थियो । आमा सावित्रादेवीले रुँदै भनिन्, 'काजकिरिया पनि गर्न पाइएन । पीडित परिवारले माओवादी अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाललाई भेटेर छोराहरूको अवस्था सार्वजनिक गरी क्षतिपूर्तिका लागि अनुरोध गरेको पनि दुई वर्ष हुन थाल्यो ।

सबै सुरक्षा निकायले ती सैनिक दाजुभाइले वीरगति प्राप्त गरेको दाबी गरेका छन् । सेनाले भने उनीहरूको पद यथावत् राखेको छ । मृत्यु वा अपहरण पुष्टि नहुँदासम्म पद खाली हुँदैन । बाँकेको राझास्थित नम्बर ४ बाहिनी सैनिक अड्डाका निमित्त बाहिनीपति नैनराज दाहालले

भने, 'जसका कारण परिवारका सदस्यले पाउनुपर्ने सरकारी सुविधाबाट समेत वञ्चित

भएका हुन् ।'

कर्णाली पुलको उक्त घटनामा ५ सैनिक, ५ सर्वसाधारण र २ माओवादीको मृत्यु भएको थियो । उनीहरूमध्ये अधिकांशका परिवारले राहत तथा क्षतिपूर्ति पाएका छन् । नरसिंह दल गणका सिपाही मानबहादुर साउ पनि ८ वर्षदेखि बेपत्ता छन् । उनी माओवादीले सल्यानको गेरासेमा ०५९ जेठ २९ गते भएको भिडन्तपछि  बेपत्ता भएका हुन् । इन्सेकका भोला महतले भने, 'बेपत्ता सेनाको अवस्था त यस्तो छ । अरूको झन् कस्तो होला ।'

बाँके र बार्दियासहित मध्यपश्चिममा करिब ५ सयभन्दा बढी बेखबर छन् । उनीहरू अधिकांशका परिवारले क्षतिपूर्ति पाएका छैनन् ।

प्रकाशित मिति: २०६७ मंसिर २४ ०८:३३

http://www.ekantipur.com/np/2067/8/24/full-news/321777/

Plan for conflict affected kids awaiting nod

Added At:  2010-12-08 11:41 PM

   Last Updated At: 2010-12-09 11:41 PM

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HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: National Plan of Action (NPA) for Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Conflict Affected Children, jointly prepared by Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction (MoPR) and Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MoWCSW), is awaiting cabinet approval.

MoPR prepared the action plan with the objective of rehabilitating and reintegrating children displaced and affected by the decade long conflict. MoPR proposed the action plan to the cabinet on November 16.

Hari Prasad Dawadi, under-secretary at MoPR said the plan is not only for reintegration of child combatants but all children affected by armed conflict. After cabinet approval, the ministry will implement the plan.

NPA was developed in collaboration with national and international NGOs, and in agreement with international standards, including the Paris Principles which provide very specific guidelines on disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of all categories of children associated with armed forces and armed groups. The plan is also based on the Comprehensive Peace Accord that speaks of ending violation of children’s rights, including recruitment of persons under 18 years of age, said Dawadi.

“The plan will pave the way out for rehabilitation and reintegration of conflict affected children with their own families and communities,” said Dawadi, adding it will also protect children from lawlessness.

Laxmi Prasad Tripathi, under secretary at MoWCSW said instability in the Tarai region was posing threat of children’s recruitment by various Tarai-based armed groups as well as certain hill-based indigenous rebel groups. They are following the practice of the erstwhile Maoist insurgents of abusing children as arms carriers, sentries, messengers and even as social mobilisers, thus putting children at grave risk, added Tripathi.

The ministry will collect statistics on affected children and provide community based reintegration programmes to give educational and psychosocial support and impart vocational training and income generation skills. Community sensitisation and awareness-raising programmes and reconciliation and peace building initiatives will also be launched as per NAP.

http://thehimalayantimes.com/fullTodays.php?headline=Plan+for+conflict+affected+kids+awaiting+nod&NewsID=268781  

Nepal: UN reports progress in rehabilitating child soldiers from civil war

Ambassador Claude Heller (left) and Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal in Kathmandu

26 November 2010 – A Security Council working group today reported significant progress on the release and reintegration of thousands of Nepalese child soldiers who fought in the decade-long civil war between the then-royalist government and Maoist insurgents.During “a very constructive” week-long visit, the Working Group for children and armed conflict conferred with the Government and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) on the Action Plan the two signed with the United Nations last December for the re-integration of minors released by the Maoist army.
“I am particularly pleased to report on the commitments that the UCPN (Maoist) and other political party officials made during our discussions,” Mexican Ambassador Claude Heller, chairman of the Working Group, told reporters in Kathmandu, the Nepalese capital.
“The Working Group feels these commitments constitute a significant step in the right direction for the children and youth of Nepal,” he said, citing UPCN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s agreement to significantly strengthen coordination with the UN to monitor implementation of the Action Plan so as to address remaining challenges in its execution.
Under this agreement, the UN Monitoring Team will meet with the UCPN-M on a regular basis to address the concerns that have been reported.
On talks with the Government, Mr. Heller noted that the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction pledged to press for Cabinet approval and speedy implementation of the national plan to rehabilitate and reintegrate child solders and other conflict-affected children.
Chairmen of political youth wings agreed to work with the UN to find ways to end the use of children below the age of 18 in potentially violent political activities and to exclude schools, school children and school personnel from strikes and other work actions.
The delegation and the Nepalese discussed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s next report on children and armed conflict, due in April, which contains annexed lists of parties responsible for recruitment and use of child soldiers. The Government and Maoists both have responsibilities under the Action Plan and removal of parties from the lists depends on full compliance with the plans they have signed, Mr. Heller said.
“I would like to relay the Council’s firm support for the peace process in Nepal and highlight that all parties in Nepal told the Working Group that the Action Plan and release of verified minors from the cantonments signalled a key event in this beautiful country’s moves toward a consolidated peace,” he added.
“I hope the latest commitments and their effective fulfilment, with the support of the UN, will signal another step toward lasting peace for Nepal.”
Under the Action Plan signed on 16 December 2009, nearly 3,000 child soldiers who served in the Maoist army were discharged by February in a move the UN hailed as a milestone in the country's peace process.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=36875&Cr=Nepal&Cr1