KATHMANDU, JAN 13 - UCPN (Maoist) leader Barsha Man Pun said on Tuesday that neither Nepal Army soldiers nor UCPN (Maoist) cadre should be victimised for their mandated actions during the decade-long insurgency.

“Individual soldiers or party cadre shouldn’t be held accountable for activities mandated to them during the insurgency,” he said. “The political leadership is responsible for those events, so victimising individuals would make the situation worse.” Though he said actions can be taken against individuals who carried out arbitary violence during the conflict, a truth and reconciliation commission should be formed for this. “Otherwise the Army will bring allegations against the Maoists and vice versa, which will create mistrust,” he said.

Human rights activist Sushil Pyakurel had lambasted the government for failure to take action against Nepal Army Lt. Gen. Toran Jung Bahadur Singh and Maj. Niranjan Basnet, accused of serious rights abuses. Singh is implicated in the disappearance of 49 detainees from the NA’s Bhairavnath Battalion in 2003-2004, while Basnet faces an arrest warrant for the murder of Maina Sunuwar, a teenager from Kavre, in 2004. 

Pun said the integration and rehabilitation of verified Maoist combatants would be decided before the promulgation of the new constitution. “The process of integration, rehabilitation and political career of those willing to serve in the party will move forward in a parallel way.” He also said the integration of Maoist combatants, democratisation and rightsizing of Nepal Army and drafting the new security policy are components of the state restructuring process.

Former UN Assistant Secretary General Kul Chandra Gautam said enhancing democratic control over Nepal Army was possible through parliamentary oversight and approval of national security policy, establishment of a proper ministry of defence and national security council, respect for human rights and human security, rightsizing and redefining the major tasks of the Army. He stressed rehabilitation of more Maoist combatants and integration of more women and other under-represented combatants into security agencies.

Posted on: 2010-01-13 09:50

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