Only 5,000 Maoist guerrilla can be integrated in the army:PM

Kathmandu, 26 June(Dainikee)

Nepal’s Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has said that national army cannot absorb more than 5,000 former Maoist guerrillas. The prime minister’s remarks comes at a time when some leaders of his own party, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist and Leninist) and a key coalition partner Nepali Congress argue that politically indoctrinated Maoist combatants cannot be integrated into the national army.
Prime Minister Nepal said that those fulfilling the necessary criteria for enrollment could be made part of Nepal Army and that the number cannot be more than 5,000.

As per the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) reached between then government and the Maoists on November 21, 2006, altogether 19,602 Maoist combatants have been living in various 28 cantonments under the supervision of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN).

In an exclusive interview with Reuters, the prime minister said that remaining other combatants should be given chance to engage in alternative jobs. He claimed that Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had told him that up to 5,000 Maoist fighters should be absorbed in the national army.

The premier added that the future of Maoist fighters must be settled before the new constitution is written or work in the Constituent Assembly would be hampered. He also said rehabilitation of combatants would be complete by the end of the year.

Currently, the strength of national army is 92,000-plus. Security analysts believe that the number is higher that desired in a poor country like Nepal and that it cannot compete with two giant neighbors—China and India—in terms of military strength.

Meanwhile, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has termed the prime minister’s remarks ‘unfortunate.’

Dina Nath Sharma, the Maoist spokesperson, said the issue of integration of Maoist combatants into the national army is not a subject to be decided by Madhav Kumar Nepal as an individual. “It is a serious matter to be resolved by the special committee [formed to supervise, integrate and rehabilitate the Maoist army combatants],” he said. “Giving such an irresponsible public statement by the prime minister is unfortunate.”

Sharma accused the government of deliberately pushing the peace process to the brink of breakdown. “Instead of taking the peace process to a logical end, both the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML are intentionally trying to breakdown the peace process,” he further said.

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