Nepal vows funds for Maoist camps

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/6385339.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Nepal's government has promised to improve conditions in camps in which former Maoist fighters are being held.

The move came as hundreds of Maoists continued to leave weapons cantonments saying they did not have enough to eat and conditions were intolerable.

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula urged former rebels to return, saying money would be found within the week.

The United Nations expressed deep concern over the move by the Maoists, saying it breached peace accords.

Leaving the camps will send a wrong signal to the world Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Home Minister

Mr Sitaula was speaking after talks in Kathmandu between the government, the Maoists and UN officials.

"I urge the Maoist fighters to return to their camps immediately," he told reporters.

"Leaving the camps will send a wrong signal to the world and could hurt the peace process."

He gave assurances that budgetary and logistical shortfalls would be met within a week.

Military fatigues

On Wednesday, more than 500 unarmed ex-rebels walked out of a camp in southern Chitwan district, complaining of poor accommodation and food.

The BBC's Surendra Phuyal in Kathmandu says the exodus continued on Thursday as hundreds more went off in search of work in nearby towns and villages.

Most of them were wearing military fatigues in violation of the historic peace deal reached last November.

Former combatants are also reported to have left another camp in Kailali, our correspondent says.

In the eastern district of Ilam a Maoist commander, Parwana, warned that the combatants lodged there would also leave their camps if adequate funds were not allocated.

Under the peace deal, about 30,000 Maoists have been lodged in cantonments around Nepal under UN supervision.

The UN is currently working to register and verify the fighters and their arms.