Reinvigorate Special Committee

As all the major political parties in the Special Committee have their hands full in the process of government formation for almost three weeks, they seem to have forgotten their foremost task of taking the peace process to a logical end by dealing with the most complex issue — management of the PLA. The slackening peace process had received a new momentum following the handover of Maoist cantonments to the Special Committee on January 21. However, the current political mess indicates that the momentum is fast losing its steam.



As the Special Committee remains nonfunctional since its last meeting on January 24, many crucial issues like enforcing the code of conduct for combatants and giving a final shape to a plan of action on integration and rehabilitation of former Maoist combatants are in limbo. This has mainly delayed the much awaited process of integrating and rehabilitating the Maoist combatants.



Undoubtedly, there are many things to be done to institutionalize the post-UNMIN mechanisms and transfer of cantonments to the Special Committee. The nine member dispute resolution mechanism that was formed ahead of the cantonment handover is yet to come into operation. Similarly, the plan to equip the secretariat under the Special Committee with necessary human and material resources seems to be gathering dust as the Special Committee is yet to emerge from hibernation.

Above all such concerns, it is shocking that monitoring equipment at cantonments have become non-operational as there is little budget to purchase fuel to run diesel generators during power-cuts. More shocking is the fact that the satellite camps have gone unmonitored for a month due to lack of human and financial resources. The impact of not monitoring the camps has already started surfacing: the bodyguard of senior Maoist Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya has been arrested in the capital with a UN registered weapon.



It is now urgent that new Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, who is struggling hard to implement the secret deal with the Maoist leadership and expand his cabinet, take immediate initiatives to bring new synergy to Special Committee and put in new efforts to give a fresh momentum to the peace process. He should understand that constituting the Special Committee is as important as persuading the Maoists to join the government. All the concerned parties should also support and exert pressure on the prime minister in that direction by reiterating their commitment to the peace process. We hope the new PM will take up the matter seriously and take concrete steps to bring all the contentious issues related to PLA integration to the table in the Special Committee.

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