E-Kantipur

CHITWAN & NAWALPARASI, FEB 03 - The government on Friday started the much-awaited process of discharging the former Maoist combatants who have opted for voluntary retirement by providing them the first installment of the cash package. The process when completed will return over 7,000 former combatants to civilian lives.

The teams deployed by the Special Committee Secretariat started making payments to the retiring fighters at the Third Division cantonment of the Maoist army located in Chitwan and the Fourth Division cantonment based in Nawalparasi. All 7,365 combatants choosing the voluntary retirement will head to their homes after the Maoist party hosts a formal farewell ceremony on February 11.

The process of making payment to the combatants started late on Friday after commanders of the Maoist army submitted their demand list to the Secretariat team that reached Shaktikhor and Jhyaltungdanda. They demanded certificates for the retiring combatants, special package for the disabled fighters, and insisted that the cash package should be based on current ranks of the combatants.

"We urged them to talk with their party leadership on those contentious political issues. They allowed us to start our work on the basis of the information registered by the UNMIN after talks with their party chairman," said Special Committee Secretariat coordinator Balananda Sharma.

Altogether, 147 combatants opting for voluntary retirement were registered at the Third Division and cheques were provided to 47 of them on Friday. Another team of the Special Committee Secretariat led by Sanandan Prasad Kurmi handed over the first installment and travel allowances to 50 retiring fighters at the Fourth Division.

"Some of the combatants who collected payments were seen leaving for their homes on motorbikes," he said. The government officials have reached the remaining five main cantonments on Friday evening.

The cheque distribution could not start in the First and Second divisions located in Ilam and Sindhuli, respectively, after the commanders visited Biratnagar to attend a party's orientation programme. The Secretariat officials in Rolpa, Surkhet and Kailali fell behind the schedule due to delay in setting up the logistics.

Secretariat Coordinator Sharma said the distribution of cash package would start at all seven cantonments from Saturday. He said retiring fighters could stay in the cantonments until February 12 as salaries and food allowances have already been released.

Commanders of the Maoist army have threatened to disrupt the discharge process if their concerns are not addressed by Saturday. "The government should immediately respond to our concerns. We will stop the discharge process if issues like rank determination, certificate and special package for lactating mothers and disabled combatants are not addressed," said a commander.

In a peace deal signed on November 1, the major parties agreed to provide cash package worth Rs 500,000 to Rs 800,000 to combatants opting for voluntary retirement. The government is providing 50 percent of the proposed package to the retiring combatants in the first phase.

Posted on: 2012-02-03 10:20

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