|
Nepal
2008: Facts on the Conflict |
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Rehabilitation
of Maoist combatants remains key challenge |
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KATHMANDU,
30 October 2008 (IRIN)
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| Close
to 20,000 former Maoist combatants are in need of rehabilitation.
Thousands of Maoist soldiers continue to face
an uncertain future in UN-supervised cantonments.
Over
the past two years, the 20,000 former combatants, including 3,846 women,
of the Maoist military wing, the People's Liberation Army (PLA), have been
confined to seven main camps and 21 satellite camps monitored by the UN
Mission in Nepal (UNMIN). |
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In
2006, the Maoist rebels and Nepalese government signed a peace agreement
to end a decade-long armed conflict that killed more than 13,000 people
and displaced nearly 200,000.
Rehabilitating
the combatants is crucial for the successful conclusion of the peace process,
say UNMIN officials. However, the issue remains controversial.
Local
conflict analysts believe the only way to rehabilitate rebel soldiers -
who spent most of their lives undergoing military training and engaging
in violent activities - is to find them alternative jobs.
They
said the only options seem to be recruiting them into security forces,
the police force or the army.
Yet
their integration into the army, which the Maoist leaders have been demanding,
has proven a subject of controversy among the political parties.
In
2006, the Maoist rebels and Nepalese government signed an historic peace
agreement
"There
is a danger of mutiny inside the Nepal Army if the former rebels are integrated,"
said one analyst, who asked not to be identified.
The
PLA combatants and army were sworn enemies during the conflict and often
engaged in bloody combats, said the experts.
The
analysts added that the failure to resolve the issue of rehabilitating
the Maoist soldiers would jeopardise the peace process.
"No
peace process can be said to be complete while there are two armies in
one country," said Ian Martin, chief of UNMIN.
He
added that a special committee representing key national parties was being
formed for the integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants.
Integration
concerns
However,
key political parties like the Nepali Congress (NC), Madhesi Janadhikar
Forum (MJF) and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML)
are concerned over Maoist attempts to go for a full-scale integration between
the army and the PLA.
"There
would be new conflict if they forcefully integrate PLA into the army,"
warned Arjun Narsingh KC, senior leader and an army spokesman. The Communist
Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M), was quick to refute this charge, however.
"Apart
from the national army, the PLA members could be inducted into the police
force or industrial security force. They will not be forced to join the
army," said Defence Minister and senior Maoist leader Ram Bahadur Thapa.
That
modality of integration between the army and PLA has yet to be agreed upon
at the political level, however, he said.
"Army
integration is an important aspect of the peace process," said Thapa, explaining
that a new national army would be formed after integration and in line
with a new national security policy for the Himalayan nation.
Credit
IRIN 2008
Copyright
© UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2008
[
This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations] |
 |
Integrated
Regional Information Networks (IRIN), part of the UN Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
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