KATHMANDU

The extension of UNMIN term with a restricted mandate sought by the care taker Madhav Nepal Government has developed into an ugly affair putting at stake the prestige of the country. The Secretary General of UN Security Coucil Ban Ki Moon in his report submitted to the council on September 8, recommended for extending the term of UNMIN with a "roll over" to the current mandate to permit necessary discussion with a "duly formed government" in the near future.

He further added that he will propose further alternative measures to the council , "including the possible termination of the mandate of UNMIN" if the discussions between political parties and the duly formed government  in Nepal fails to come up with consensus on the role of UNMIN in relation to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the Agreement on the Monitoring of the Management of Arms and Armies.

Moon said that the inconducive political atmosphere and short term extensions and the atmosphere of persistent and unfounded criticism of UNMIN by political parties and the government has been complicating its ability to function

The letter to the UN by Prime Minister Madhav Nepal requested that the UN mission in Nepal may be extended for four months with an added request that the mission should focus on monitoring Maoist combatants and their arms.  The letter was silent on the UNMIN's responsibility to monitor the arms of the Nepal Army, but by implication it meant that the mission need not monitor arms or the Nepal Army.

Moon's  usage of the term of "duly formed government" irked the present government of Madhav Nepal as it has questioned the "legitimacy of the present care taker government."  Other objections include treating on par the Maoist combatants with Nepal Army and the UCPN (Maoists) with that of the Government. 

Earlier Karin Landgren, the Chief Representative of UNMIN in response to the request of Nepal Government to monitor only the arms of the Maoists, had categorically refuted to do so terming that it would  be a violation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the Agreement on the monitoring and management of arms and armies.

In her report to the UN Security Council, Karen Landgren, the UN mission representative in Nepal  said that the risks to the peace process and democratic governance in Nepal are real and were mainly of unresolved leadership battle and no likelihood of delivering a consensus government for concluding the peace process. She further stated that the despite the political tensions, Nepal's  peace process has not failed even though it has moved far more slowly and unevenly than anticipated by either of the parties or the mission. And lastly she expressed confidence in brining the process back if the political leadership is ready to place this process at the front and centre of the political activity recognising that only through continued and persistent negotiation can it move forward.

The previous Nepali Congress government led by G.P. Koirala had agreed to treat the Maoists on par with the Nepal Army  though  there is no precedence anywhere in the world where the army of the government was made to surrender for "monitoring" an equivalent quantity of arms given by the rebels. Despite these technical difficulties the caretaker government of Madhav Kumar Nepal along with some political parties has been in favouring to pull out NA out of the UNMIN mandate with out forging consensus on the issue among other political parties not even with the Maoists who are the major stake holder of the peace process.