E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, NOV 29 -

With the UCPN (Maoist) party failing to issue a clear directive, all the senior ranking commanders of the Maoist army have decided to opt for integration during the ongoing regrouping process.

There are seven PLA division commanders verified by UNMIN who lead each of the main cantonment sites that house former rebel combatants. Topmost commanders—PLA Chief Nanda Kishore Pun “Pasang” and his deputy Chandra Prakash Khanal “Baldev”—act as the bridge between the Maoist leadership and the combatants and do not fall in the category of verified combatants who are being regrouped since last week.

The regrouping process ended in the First Division cantonment in Ilam, Second Division in Sindhuli, Third Division in Shaktikhor and Fourth Division in Nawalparasi on Monday evening. Top commanders of the divisions have expressed their willingness to serve in the Nepal Army in the forms they filled up during the regrouping process.

Yam Bahadur Adhikari, commander of the First Division, was the first senior most commander to opt for integration. Commander of the Second Division Suk Bahadur Roka Magar opted for integration while his deputies Gopal Pande Uttam and Padam Bahadur Tamang have opted for voluntary retirement.

Third Division Commander Dhan Bahadur Maskey chose integration while his deputy Udaya Bahadur Chalune, a supporter of Mohan Baidya, expressed his preference for voluntary retirement. In Nawalparasi, Division Commander Tej Bahadur Oli and his deputy Bashudev Ghimire expressed willingness for integration. The regrouping process is still under way at the Dahaban-based Fifth division, Dashrathpur-based Sixth Division and Kailali-based Seventh Division. Seventh Division Commander Santu Darai and Sixth Division Commander Mahendra Sahi will opt for integration but it is yet to be known what decision Fifth Division Commander Kali Bahadur Kham, who faces criminal charges, will take. Earlier, the Maoist party had announced that PLA commanders who were in the party’s central committee would opt for voluntary retirement. Darai, Roka, Oli and Maskey are in the party’s central committee while others are in state committees.

“Many intricate issues including rank determination and chain of command in the new directorate that would be formed to integrate our combatants are yet to be decided at the political level. Our final decision will come once these issues are settled,” said Second Division commander Roka. Third Division Commander Maskey said he is deeply interested to serve in the national army but will take a final decision once the top rank to be offered to the combatants is decided.

Fourth Division Commander Oli, who is also a secretariat member of the prime minister-led Special Committee, said the final decision of commanders will come once the process heads towards conclusion. “If necessary, we will resign from the party’s central committee for a career in the military,” he said.

A source said all the division commanders had opted for integration to keep the chain of command intact.

“The party will negotiate with other parties and decide who will go for integration and who for voluntary retirement,” PLA Spokesman Khanal said. The Maoist party is demanding 33 percent senior ranks including a brigadier general who will be assigned to command one of the three departments under the general directorate.

Party insiders say Darai, who is from the minority Dalit community, will lead the combatants if the new entrants are given a brigadier general’s post while Adhikari will be at helm if colonel is the top post offered to the former guerrillas.

The deal states that service period of the combatants and their rank in the PLA will be

taken into account during rank allocation in a way that does not affect career growth of regular recruits.

Party leaders have said there has been a gentleman’s agreement to provide a few senior ranks to the combatants symbolically through a political decision.

Rehabilitation pickers number 5

RAJ KUMAR KARKI

SINDHULI, NOV 28

Former Maoist fighter Indra Rai at the Second Division cantonment site of the PLA in Sindhuli has chosen rehabilitation during the ongoing regrouping process. He is the third in the division to opt for the rehabilitation package.

Indra, of Kharpa in Kho-tang, wants to be a sub-overseer. He told the Post that he wanted to do a related course or receive house wiring training under the rehabilitation package. “Integration into the Nepal Army is not my cup of tea and I think there is no such benefit in voluntary retirement as well,” he said. Earlier, Krishna Kumar Rai and Nirmal Rai of Bhojpur at the division chose rehabilitation. As of Monday, only three former Maoist fighters among the over 19,000 cantoned combatants opted for rehabilitation.

According to Division Commander Suk Bahadur Roka, Krishna and Nirmal want to receive training and run businesses of their own in future. Our correspondent in Kailali said two PLA men in the Seventh Division opted for rehabilitation. With this, altogether five former Maoist fighters have expressed their willingness to be rehabilitated in society.

PLA fighters’ choice of options (as of Monday)

Division    Integration     Voluntary     Rehabilitation     Total

        retirement

1st     787    714    0    1,501   

2nd      813    481    3    1,297  

3rd     2,157    1,162    0    3,319  

4th     1,277              1,338    0    2,615  

5th     1,187    939    0    2,126  

6th     1,483    1,210    0    2,693  

7th     1,040                    1,187    2    2,229  

Grand total    8,738    7,031    5    15,774

Posted on: 2011-11-29 09:02

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