Army integration process still afar

KATHMANDU, Oct 25 - Even after two years since the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) was signed in November 2006, bringing an end to the decade-long armed conflict, the fate of the guerilla fighters of the CPN-Maoist into the national army still remains on the fence.Although the major political parties finally ...

While the NC has been maintaining that a non-Maoist should head the special committee, the Maoists want their majority in the committee. They have proposed Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Janardan Sharma, former Maoist army commander, and two other Maoist leaders to be included in the special committee which will look after the integration of the Maoists combatants into the Nepal Army (NA).

Earlier, the ruling coalition partners Maoists, UML, Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF) and the NC had agreed to form a four-member committee, including one representative from each party.

With the Maoists’ new proposal, the parties could not reach an understanding at the meeting of the cabinet held Saturday.

Article 146 of the Interim Constitution provides that the Council of Ministers shall form a special committee to supervise, integrate and rehabilitate the combatants of the Maoist army, and the functions, duties and powers of the committee shall be determined by the Council of Ministers.

The process of integrating the Maoist combatants into the NA seems afar as the process can only begin after the special committee decides its criteria.