Consensus unlikely on integration plan

KATHMANDU, March 27: The secretariat of the Special Committee on integration is unlikely to come up with a unanimous plan of action for integration of Maoist combatants into the Nepal Army due to differences between Maoist and non-Maoist members in the secretariat on issues related to standard norms and procedures of integration.



"We will try to forge consensus on Tuesday before the meeting of the Special Committee on 3 pm. If there is disagreement, we will submit a divided plan of action for integration to the Special Committee," said a member of the secretariat on condition of anonymity. [break]



As of Monday, the efforts to come up with a plan of action agreeable to all has yielded no results after the Maoist representative in the secretariat maintained that the secretariat should propose to integrate all remaining combatants left after a fresh round of voluntary retirement.



But the non-Maoist members in the secretariat argued that such an option would go against the seven-point deal signed on November 1.



The second issue on which the parties differ is the standard norms the aspiring combatants are being asked to follow for joining the Nepal Army. The Maoists representatives have demanded that they themselves be allowed to test the standards norms and decide whether the combatants are fit for integration into the Nepal Army. But the non-Maoist members maintain that the task of screening the combatants based on standard norms be left to the army.



Third, the Maoists have demanded that the age of the combatants as verified by the United Nations Mission in Nepal should be considered during the integration process, while the non-Maoist members have stuck to their position of considering citizenship as the basis for age verification.



Fourth, the secretariat members are also divided over the sequence of events for the integration and voluntary retirement. The non-Maoist members have argued that those who opt for voluntary retirement following a fresh call from the Special Committee should be released immediately. But the Maoist members, worried over the effect of abrupt release of combatants on the chain of command, want it deferred until the integration process is completed.



"These issues need to be settled at political level. We hope for a political understanding among the Special Committee members," said the member.



The secretariat members held a meeting at Godavari following a direction from the Special Committee on Thursday to prepare a plan of action for the integration of Maoist combatants.

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