Management of Maoists combatants within four months

The government has forwarded a proposal to complete the integration and rehabilitation of the former Maoist combatants within next four months.

In a meeting of Special Committee for the Integration, Supervision and Rehabilitation held on Tuesday, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal presented a detailed action plan to accomplish the task by April 30, 2010.

The Special Committee, which met on Tuesday after a gap of several weeks, has started deliberation on the proposal tabled by Prime Minister Nepal.

The Prime Minister heads the 8-member Special Committee, which is responsible for overseeing the integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants living in cantonments.

"The Special Committee has started debate on the Prime Minister's proposal," UML general secretary Ishwor Pokharel, a member of the committee, informed after the meeting.

The committee will discuss the proposal in detail before arriving at a conclusion.

Top leaders of three major political parties -– UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML—in the country are scheduled to meet on Wednesday to determine the number and the criterion each Maoist combatant will require for integration with the national army.

As per the Comprehensive Peace Accord, a total of 19,575 Maoist combatants are living in various 28 UN-monitored cantonments across the country. The then government and the Maoists agreed to rehabilitate or integrate these combatants with the national army depending on their choice.

The Maoist armed insurgency that began in 1996 claimed at least 13,000 lives and billions worth properties. The former rebel came into peace process after inking 12-point agreement to hold Constituent Assembly election to draft new constitution and abolish the institution of 238-year old monarchy through the elected Constituent Assembly.

- Asian Tribune -