In Nepal, the process of discharge of disqualified Maoist combatants began from Thursday with more than 200 men and women leaving behind their military lives and returned to civilian mode at a UN monitored camp in Sindhuli district.<br/><br/>Addressing a ceremony that marked the beginning of the 40 day long discharge process, at Dhudhauli in southern Nepal, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Robert Piper described the discharge process as an important milestone in the ongoing peace process that will speed up other steps laid out in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.<br/><br/>According to UN Mission in Nepal, various UN agencies gave the young disqualified people civilian clothes and briefed them about rehabilitations options with iidentification cards that will allow them to go to school, take up vocational training or start businesses with the help of the government and UN agencies.<br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports that the first group of over 200 young on Thursday bid farewell to their comrades in UN monitored cantonments where they lived after the former Maoist rebels joined the peace process. A total of 4,008 disqualified combatants are due to be released over the next 40 days. Nearly 3,000 of those were minors at the time of the ceasefire in May 2006. <br/><br/>About one dozen are under 16 years of age and roughly 500 are under 18. The rehabilitation process will now give these young people the opportunity to gain new skills – returning to school or learning a trade – provided by the Government of Nepal with the support of the United Nations. The discharge process is scheduled to be completed by mid February. One hopes that their return to civilian lives in the New Year also marks the beginning of a new decade of peace and prosperity for Nepal.