Involve The UN In The Peace Process

Govt-Maoist truce code of conduct needs more specific provisions: UN the current ceasefire agreement (code of conduct) between the Nepal government and the Maoists is too general and needs to include many specific provisions........ doesn’t talk about the number of armies on both sides, who are commanding the armies, where are the soldiers kept, is their uniform identifiable or not, who are actually in the armies etc ....... the numbers of guns, tagging those guns with numbers, keeping them inside an alarm enabled armour with as much as three keys- “two of them will be with the two sides and one will be with us ........ a detailed process ...... disarmament is different than that of arms monitoring. “That is a subsequent process which could be done in second phase.” ....... two sides should agree on a joint commission where both are represented and that commission should jointly monitor the ceasefire agreement....... disarmament, arms monitoring, decommissioning, demobilizing ..... If both sides want UN involvement in the peace process, Kahane said, the world body would be very willing to provide assistance. “First we will provide advice on how do you write a ceasefire agreement,” he said. “Technical terms should be mentioned. ....... waiting for the Nepal government’s official and written request for UN involvement ....... Lauding the 12-point understanding reached between the seven-party alliance and the Maoists as much more detailed as compared to those agreed upon previously, Kahane said that the talks should be held in private environment for effective outcomes....... any solution to the problem should make the fighters feel that their role in the war was right........ the issues of human rights violations shouldn’t be left untouched. ....... updating the voters’ list would be the biggest technical problem for constituent assembly election. “Many people have grown up since the list was updated last time and many haven’t got citizenship certificate. Several million such people will have to be added in the list.” the UN had nothing to do with Indian role in Nepali peace process.

The UN will not charge for the services: they are free.

The UN does not take over. The seven party alliance and the Maoists will still be in control. And they will answer to each other, not to the UN.

"I have heard many jokes about the UN, but nothing beats the real thing," Bob Dole said during a 1996 presidential debate with Bill Clinton. The right wing in the US despises the UN, and it is because they know the UN is the only hope countries like Nepal - even India - have for a genuine empowerment on the global stage.

Kofi Annan has taken a keen personal interest in Nepal for years now. He has really gone out of his way. And of course Kul Chandraji is our own person. His presence at the world body has made a world of difference for Nepal.

Nobody knows the intricacies of a peace process like the UN. They are as good as they come. A peace process is nothing short of heart surgery. When one heart surgery fails, one person dies. When a peace process fails, hundreds, maybe thousands die.

India is not opposed to the idea. Not that it matters. But it helps.

The UN is part of the 12 point agreement. To exclude the UN would be to veer away from that agreement.

This is not an issue of pride. This is not about the SPA and the Maoists not being able to do it on their own. That has been tried a few times before. Did not work. Why take a chance?

UN's involvement will pave the way for involvement by the big powers, and we sure need that. We will need their funds for parts of the peace process. Those funds will come easier if they are part of the peace process.

Call the doctor. This is surgery.

The UN will be a conduit for lessons learned from the constituent assembly process in other countries.

The UN's presence will make sure the process does not get overshadowed by the big powers.

Involving the Nepali civil society is just as important.

All along the SPA will stay in the lead. All the way to it becoming formally an eight party alliance. EPA.

In short, there is nothing to lose, and much to gain.

This is a rather large high profile peace process that is destined to succeed. It will succeed better and faster if the UN is involved. And the UN will have to be accorded its fair share of credit.

UN Mediation Is Key (May 12, 2006)


Award Dr. Brian Cobb An Honorary Citizenship

This is an email I sent out to many top leaders in Nepal yesterday.

I think Dr. Brian Cobb should be granted an honorary citizenship for
being the only medic out in the streets during the April Revolution.

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/04/gongabu-massacre.html

Brian Cobb: "I need a long term visa and my medical council
registration changed from limited to one institution temporarily to
permanent and unrestricted.  I am already registered since 2002. Just
need status changed. My program will be multiinstitutional so I need
latitude to work. I just want to be able to do my work."

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/05/dr-brian-cobb-speech-at-gongabu.html
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/04/cobb-to-leahy.html
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/04/brian-cobb-savagery-on-roof-of-world.html
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/04/brian-cobb-brave-man.html

(1) He is a street hero from the April Revolution. He was the only
medic out in the streets.
(2) His request is minor. It is a very done thing in India, for
example.
(3) If his request goes through, that will tell me Nepal is getting its act
together for its next big challenge: rapid economic growth in the face
of globalization.
(4) He is a Nepali at heart. He is reverse "brain drain."

So please help him. He has been running around for weeks now. Petty
bureaucrats have been giving him a hard time. Granted you politicos
have bigger things to worry about, like the peace talks, this can not
be ignored.

Thanks for your time.