Release of children from Nepal Maoist camps delayed

By Gopal Sharma

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepal's plan to release thousands of former child soldiers living in Maoist camps has been delayed because of a political deadlock with the ex-rebels who quit the government in May, a minister said on Tuesday.

According to U.N. estimates, nearly 3,000 children and another 1,000 people who joined as Maoist fighters after a peace process began three years ago, were living in camps housing former Maoist fighters, part of a deal that ended a decade-long conflict which caused more than 13,000 deaths.

In July, the government said it would start releasing the children from the camps in November.

"That schedule has been delayed due to the ongoing political stalemate," Peace and Reconstruction Minister Rakam Chemjong told Reuters.

"We are trying to work out a new plan to start releasing children in mid-December."

Nepal has remained in a political crisis since the Maoists resigned from the government they were heading after the president refused to allow them to fire the country's army chief who they say refused to take orders.

Maoists say they were "unconstitutionally" forced to quit the government and have since been protesting against the president in a crisis that has stalled the peace process.

The government says it will provide vocational training to the children in Maoist camps and help them find employment but the former guerrillas insist on financial and other support.