However, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai on Sunday assured the Special Committee meeting that integration would be carried out as per the calandar endoresed last Wednesday.[break]
A knowledgeable source at the Special Committee told Republica that the process will be delayed by at least five days. It means the integration process will not commence by April 17, provided the Special Committee takes all necessary decisions and parties resolve related contentious issues.
The calendar of integration approved by the Special Committee last Wednesday could not be implemented due to absence of Maoist commanders in their respective cantonments Sunday. PLA commanders have come to Kathamandu to participate in the PLA´s general staff meeting scheduled for Monday.
"The commanders cannot reach cantonments by Tuesday even if they returned without delay. The process cannot be started until they return to their respective cantonments," said another source.
According to sources at the Special Committee, the teams from the secretariat that have already reached cantonments to start categorization and voluntary retirement process, will need at least three days for giving voluntary retirement to those combatants opting for voluntary retirement.
The teams will need another couple of days to bring Maoist arms from satellite cantonments to the main cantonments. "It will take one more day to arrange logistics to bring Maoist combatants to the Nepal Army barracks where the combatants will be selected for integration," said the source adding that the initially planned deadline of April 12 will be missed.
But Prime Minister Bhattarai on Sunday assured the Special Committee members that the cantonments will be vacated by April 12, according to Committe member Bhim Rawal.
"He assured us during the Special Committee meeting Sunday that the cantonments will be emptied as per the initial plan and even told us that he has directed the army in writing to make necessary preparations to meet the deadline," said Rawal about the prime minister´s assurance.
On Sunday, all seven teams from the secretariat had reached the cantonments to start categorization and voluntary retirement process and opened their offices but they could not carry out the tasks due to absence of the commanders, said Balananda Sharma, coordinator of the secretariat.
In the meantime, a meeting of the Special Committee, which was supposed to discuss all contentious issues related to integration, decided to hand over 12 cantonments to Nepal Army and three to the Armed Police Force, according to Barshaman Pun, finance minister and Maoist representative on the Special Committee. The Special Committee will meet again on Tuesday morning.
"The prime minister has sought two days for internal consultations," said Rawal when asked why the commmittee did not take up contentious issues on Sunday.
"The top leaders of the major parties have reached an understanding that Tuesday´s Special Committee will take up all issues of integration and discuss constitution making after resolving the integration issues," said Maoist Vice Chairman Narayankaji Shrestha.
Related story
Monsoon exit to be delayed by a few more days
_20210128123149.jpg)
