Expressing his dismay at the deaths, injuries and destructions in Terai in recent days, a senior UN official said that the efforts towards making the Constituent Assembly elections successful as per the schedule could be jeopardised if the current unrest continues or escalates.

Ian Martin, the Personal Representative of Secretary General and acting head of the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), said that the UN is deeply concerned with the unrest. “I add my voice to those calling on all parties to avoid violence and promote tolerance,” he said, at a press meet organised on Friday.

Martin also quoted what UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon had said in his report to Security Council on January 9, “If Nepal fails to meaningfully include traditionally marginalised groups in the peace process and in the election, and in the deliberations of the Constituent Assembly, the country will lose a crucial opportunity to harness the strength and the vision of its own people.”

Arms registration resumes

Addressing the press meet, Martin said that the registration of arms of the Maoists in the cantonment sites in Chitwan and Nawalparasi had resumed from Friday following his meeting with Maoist chairman Prachanda.

The arms registration process had stalled quickly after it began a few days ago “due to a technical issue about how they are being recorded.” He indicated that the differences between the UN monitors and the Maoists were on how to register the arms – whether to register under the name of the combatant who presents the weapon before the monitors or under the name of the particular unit. Martin said this issue has been amicably resolved.

Martin also informed that the registration of combatants in Chitwan and Nawalparasi cantonments, along with associated satellite sites, will be completed by Friday. “(We) should be able to complete the process at the first two sites by Sunday and move to the three cantonment sites in the west, Rolpa, Surkhet and Kailali, moving finally on to the two eastern sites, Sindhuli and Jhapa,” he said.

According to him, arms and combatant registration will be held at two stages – the second stage will be initiated soon after the completion of the first stage.

Responding to reports that Maoists were bringing in crummy weapons from India to store in the arms containers while retaining sophisticated ones for themselves, Martin said he has no evidence to suggest that it is the case.

On the issue of the tenure of UNMIN, Martin said that the monitoring personnel will not remain in the country any longer than their tasks are necessary.

The UNMIN currently has 40 arms monitors on the ground and it has recently brought communication and engineering equipment together with first two helicopters. Six electoral advisers have also already arrived in the country.