Though they had reached an agreement in principle to allow nearly 40 combatants to give up military training, the committee members failed to reach to any decision on the compensation amount. They have demanded that they be given a package similar to combatants who opted for voluntary retirement earlier. [break]
Talking to media persons after the meeting, Special Committee member from CPN-UML Bhim Rawal said there an agreement has been made to allow combatants to quit training on humanitarian grounds. "The meeting decided to allow Nepal Army to relieve incapable combatants," he said, adding that they have not reached any agreement on compensation amount.
Special Committee members from the opposition parties had argued in the meeting that the since the combatants undergoing Nepal Army training are governed by the Military Act, they cannot be given any compensation. However, ruling party members had argued that they should not be denied compensation on “humanitarian ground”.
The government had provided Rs 500,000 to Rs 800,000 to each of the retiring combatants depending on their rank in the Maoist army. The ruling party members in the Special Committee had proposed that 40 combatants be given at least 75 percent of amount given to combatants retiring earlier.
Altogether 1,442 former Maoist combatants, including 70 in the officer rank, are current receiving military training. As it is punishable under Military Act to quit the training halfway, nearly 40 combatants currently undergoing training have demanded that they be allowed to choose voluntary retirement with the voluntary retirement package.
Earlier, the committee had asked then Special Committee Coordinator Bala Nanda Sharma to submit a report on combatants wishing to quit training.
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