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Voluntary retirement likely to give lifeline to peace

KATHMANDU, FEB 03 -
The process to bid farewell to Maoist combatants opting for voluntary retirement is starting amid a political stalemate over the peace and constitution making processes. If successfully concluded, not only the fighters will re-enter civilian life after decades, such a move could also bridge the widening trust gap among parties.

Opposition leaders term the retirement process just a “partial step” and say integration of combatants into the Nepal Army (NA) is staring them in the face. They argue issues like formation of a national unity government and constitution drafting can gain momentum once fighters opting for integration are referred to the NA.

“The beginning of the voluntary retirement is a positive news, but it is a partial and half-hearted attempt. The Maoists should now submit the list of combatants opting for integration into the Nepal Army and they should take the peace process to a irreversible point by handing over the weapons to the government,” said Nepali Congress leader and Special Committee member Ram Sharan Mahat.

“The Maoists have fooled us a number of times in the past by obstructing the peace process. They should complete this process to ensure completion of the constitution drafting,” he added.                                                                                      

All 7,365 retiring combatants living in the cantonments are supposed to leave for their home within next two weeks to start civilian lives. The government plans to downsize the number of cantonments from current 28 to 14 for relocating the remaining 9,705 combatants choosing integration.

The integration process is likely to start only after the parties reach an agreement on the senior most rank to be conferred on the combatants. The seven-point deal commits to integrating 6,500 combatants at the most by forming a new directorate in the Army and says that rank would be determined by the security body concerned after the selected combatants complete the bridging course.

The Maoists have been demanding the second-in-command of the new directorate and are stressing that the bridging course should be agreed at the political level. “We are fully committed to conclude the peace process. That is why we have started the voluntary retirement process,” said Maoist leader Janardan Sharma. “We will now start holding talks with other parties to settle differences on rank determination. The process will not be delayed or obstructed because of us,” he added.

CPN-UML leader Bhim Rawal has doubts about the Maoist commitment. “They are not whole heartedly supporting the discharge process and are unnecessarily raising the issue of certificates for retiring fighters and payments based on the current rank of the combatants,” he said. “The seven-point agreement is clear on all issues, including ranks and numbers. They should implement the agreement and help restore trust among parties.”

The NC and UML are highly likely to press the current government to start the process of referring the fighters opting for integration to the Nepal Army within February 12. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has already stepped up consultations to issue a formal direction to the Army to start the integration process.

According to leaders involved in cross-party talks, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal is confident that the process of army integration would accelerate in near future. “He had repeatedly told us that the peace process will not get hiccups. He has even told us that there is no problem in determining ranks,” said a senior non-Maoist leader.

Posted on: 2012-02-04 09:15

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