Nepal begins process of discharging Maoist child soldiers

Jul 17, 2009, 11:24 GMT

   Kathmandu - The Nepalese government Friday began the process of freeing thousands of child soldiers who remain in Maoist camps despite the end of an armed conflict over two and half years ago.

   The move came a day after the government announced it would discharge 4,000 Maoist combatants, a third of them minors, who failed UN verification to begin the process to rehabilitate them into society.

   A team of Nepalese government officials, politicians and representatives of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) flew Friday to a Maoist camp in Nawalparasi district, 130 kilometres south-west of the Nepalese capital, to begin the process of discharge.

   The team is expected to hold talks with the child soldiers at the Maoist camp in Nawalparasi ahead of a formal discharge, Nepal's Ministry of Peace & Reconstruction said in a statement.

   During two rounds of verification UNMIN disqualified 2,973 Maoist combatants as minors under the age of 18.

   The Nepalese government said the process of discharging the child soldiers would be completed by early November.

   It will be supported by the United Nations Development Programme and UNICEF to provide vocational or other training for those being discharged so they can be integrated into society.

   The government will also discharge another 1,035 Maoist combatants who failed the verification.

   They were disqualified on grounds that they joined the Maoist fighting force after the cease-fire was declared in May 2006.

   The Maoists joined mainstream politics after signing a peace deal with the government in November 2006.

   Under the deal, Maoist combatants surrendered their arms to the UN and remain confined in UN-monitored camps spread across Nepal.