International
UN monitors collect weapons from Maoists http://www.ndtv.com/template/template.asp?template=Nepalmaoists&slug=UN+monitors+collect+weapons+from+Maoists&id=99664&callid=1
Associated Press
Friday, January 19, 2007 (Kathmandu):
United Nations arms monitors have started collecting weapons from former communist rebels at two sites in south Nepal, officials said on Thursday.
Ian Martin, the UN's chief official in Nepal, said the registration and collection of Maoist rebels weapons had begun in two camps at Chitwan and Nawalparasi in south Nepal.
They were expected to begin work in all seven camps by next week.
He refused to say what types of weapons or how many of them had been collected so far from these two camps where work of disarming thousands of ex-guerrilla fighters had begun.
Moving ahead
The rebels blocked journalists from entering the camps where the process had begun but a UN video handout showed rebels lining up in Chitwan camp to register with UN officials.
Martin explained that the fighters were storing their weapons with the UN, not surrendering them.
The fighters would be confined to these seven main camps and 21 smaller satellite camps until a still-to-be-formed assembly decides on their futures.
This special assembly, to be elected later this year, will write a new Constitution and decide on the ex-fighters' futures.
The Maoists entered mainstream politics on Monday, when 83 former guerrillas were sworn in as lawmakers in Nepal's 330-seat interim Parliament, making them the second-largest group in the legislature.
Some of the former rebels are also expected to join an interim government.