Top UN envoy calls on Nepalese to resist violence in lead-up to elections

The top United Nations envoy to Nepal today urged the country’s people to resist violence as preparations continue for the holding of elections later this year – a critical step forward in the peace process.

“It is sickening for those of us who wish to see a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nepal to read daily of killings, assaults, threats of violence and destruction of public and private property,” Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative Ian Martin said at a press conference today in Kathmandu.

“When the opportunity beckons for all issues to be resolved through dialogue and a democratic process, no group will advance its cause, however legitimate, by such violent methods; and certainly they stand only to forfeit the sympathy of the international community,” stated Mr. Martin, who is also head of the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN).

Constituent Assembly elections are scheduled for 22 November in Nepal, where a decade-long armed conflict that killed some 13,000 people came to a formal end when the Government and the Maoists signed a peace accord last November.

The polls were to have been held in mid-June but had to be postponed because regulations governing the process were not ready. November was the next earliest available date because of the monsoon season and several major national holidays.

Mr. Martin said the holding of the election in a “conducive climate still faces major challenges,” and stressed the importance of dialogue to reach out to historically marginalized groups such as Madhesis, Janajatis, Dalits, women and others.

“Such dialogue is also essential to the challenge of assuring public security,” he stated, adding that UNMIN looks forward to being briefed on the Government’s plans for election security in the coming days.

In addition to electoral support, UNMIN is also mandated with monitoring the arms and armed personnel of the Maoists to ensure that no minors are serving – a crucial part of the implementation of the Agreement on the Monitoring of Arms and Armies.

UNMIN, with assistance from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), are individually verifying the details of each registered Maoist army member to ensure that they were over the age of 18 before 25 May 2006 and that they joined the Maoist army before this cut-off date.

In this regard, Mr. Martin reported that the second stage of registration and verification was carried out in Ilam in the country’s east from 19 to 26 June, and the findings were presented on 27 June to the Maoist leadership.

UNMIN is ready to begin registration at a second site at Sindhuli, while at the same time cooperating with the Maoist army and the Interim Government regarding arrangements for discharging those found ineligible at Ilam.

At the same time, he noted that Maoist Chairman Prachanda wanted further discussions – including on issues beyond verification – with the Government and with UNMIN before proceeding.

Mr. Martin emphasized that UNMIN recognizes the importance of such discussions, which must lead to eventual decisions regarding the future of Maoist combatants within the context of the future of the security sector. “However, the important issue of security sector reform is primarily relevant to the future of those who remain in the cantonments after verification: it should not be a pre-condition to verification itself.”

He stressed that “In accordance with the Agreement, the international community expects in particular that those who have been found to be under 18 on the relevant date must be discharged promptly.”