Oppn fury as PM ‘asks’ Army to begin integration process
Prime Minister Babu-ram Bhattarai has sent a formal letter to the Ministry of Defence instructing it to start the process of integrating former Maoist combatants into the Nepal Army.
The official instruction comes in the wake of mounting pressure from opposition parties to take forward the integration process. The letter sent by the Prime Minister’s Office instructs the ministry to start the process based on the decision taken by the Special Committee for Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist combatants.
Sources in the ministry said the content of the letter is ‘ambiguous’ and that they are yet to forward the instruction to the Army. “The letter does not mention the decision of the Special Committee and it is also silent on whether the decision was endorsed by the Cabinet,” said a highly-placed source. “The newly-appointed defence secretary assumed office from today. We are yet to discuss how the instruction can be transmitted to the Army.”
Opposition parties have taken serious exception to the letter sent by the government, arguing it was prepared unilaterally. “There was an understanding that the PM would deliver his instructions to Army officials in the presence of Special Committee members. But he has not called a meeting so far,” a joint statement issued by the NC and the UML on Monday said. “There has been no discussion with political leaders and members of the Special Committee also have not been informed of the letter.”
In the seven-point peace deal signed on November 1, the major parties had agreed to form a general directorate with non-combat duties for the integration of a maximum of 6,500 combatants into the Army. The parties have agreed to relax the standards on age, marital status and educational qualification and say the ranks to be conferred on the combatants will be decided on the basis of existing standards.
The political agreement was endorsed by the PM-led Special Committee a day after it was signed. A two-star General at the Army Headquarters confirmed the government has “step-ped up efforts to issue an official instruction to begin the integration process.”
“We had so far received verbal instructions from the PM. We expect an official decision within two-three days,” the General said.
The Army Headquarters is all set to furnish a detailed plan of action on the integration work once it receives the order. Instead of a general directorate led by a major general, the Army leadership is trying to push for a department under the leadership of a three-star general to integrate the combatants. Some 9,705 fighters have opted for integration into the Army.
$2m US aid for NA in offing
KATHMANDU: The United States is all set to announce a US$ 2 million aid for the Nepal Army to execute the integration process. A formal announcement to this effect is likely to be made on Tuesday, according to multiple sources contacted by the Post on Monday.
The US had put a rider on military aid after the royal takeover of February 2005 and limited its support to training, peacekeeping operations and improving the disaster response capability of the Army. It had recommended the Army improve its human rights record, implement reforms, including Defence Ministry restrengthening, and facilitate integration of former combatants in order to receive aid under its Foreign Military Financing Programme.
Posted on: 2012-02-07 07:59
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