Sunday, May 4, 2008

UNMIN may leave Nepal after term expires

The United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) is all set to pack up its bags to leave the country as political leaders have indicated that UNMIN's term may not be extended after it expires on July 22.

UNMIN is also laying off its local staff and telling those still holding on with it to go find other jobs following indications that its term may not be extended beyond the current one during meetings with political leaders.

The mission has already reduced arms monitors to 82 from 186 and merged the Dhangadhi based office of arms monitors with the office in Nepalgunj and the Pokhara based office with Kathmandu, the Kathmandu Post reported.

"A number of international staff are also in the process of checking out after debriefing at their office," the daily quoted an unidentified source as saying.
The source also informed the daily that four top UNMIN officials have already left Nepal and they include chief of the political affairs department John Norris, chief of administration department Kartsen Harrel, deputy chief of mission Tamrat Samuel and chief arms monitor Jan Eric Wilhelmsen while some 250 others are also in the process of checking out

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