Maoist combatants unloading supplies for the UN registration and monitoring team . Photo Courtesy: Sagar Shrestha/UN OPRSG Nepal

Maoist combatants unloading supplies for the UN registration and monitoring team . Photo Courtesy: Sagar Shrestha/UN OPRSG Nepal
Even as the parliament promulgated interim constitution and an interim parliament including Maoist representatives was formed on Monday, the arms monitors of the UN were engaged in completing final logistics preparations for beginning of the arms registration.

“General Jan Erik Wilhelmsen, on Monday, completed an inspection of final logistics preparations for arms registration at the PLA 3rd Division cantonment site in Chitwan. On Tuesday, he will complete an inspection at the PLA 4th Division cantonment site in Nawalparasi as part of the process of initiating registration of arms and combatants,” states a statement issued by the Office of the Personal Representative of the Secretary General in Kathmandu.

Following the final inspection of logistics, the formal registration and collection of weapons into containers is then due to commence.

“All 35 members of the advance monitoring team for monitoring arms and armies have now arrived in Nepal; 15 monitors are deployed (one team in Kathmandu and one out of Nepalgunj); the second group completes its training tomorrow (Tuesday), and will be deployed this week,” the statement adds.

Meanwhile, the chief electoral advisor, Fida Nasrullah (a citizen of Lebanon) arrived in Nepal on Monday and started work immediately.

Ian Martin, the Personal Representative of Secretary General, will return to Nepal on Tuesday. He had gone to New York to brief the Security Council, which is considering the proposal on Nepal presented by Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

Speaking at the parliament on Monday, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had expressed satisfaction that while the Maoists were entering into the mainstream parliament, their weapons were being collected in containers.