KATHMANDU, July 16: The Nepali Congress (NC) has proposed to the UCPN (Maoist) to fully detach itself from its arms and combatants in a three-week timeframe to forge a ´political consensus´. NC made the proposal in a concept paper for political consensus made public on Friday.
NC has proposed that all the combatants currently living in various cantonments be brought fully and forthwith under the control of the Special Committee formed by the cabinet, and that the combatants be supervised, controlled and directed in accordance with an operational manual, work plan, timetable and code of conduct endorsed by that Committee. [break]
The party proposed that the Maoists should arrive at consensus with other political parties to determine the number of Maoist combatants to be integrated into the security agencies within one week after the combatants are brought fully under the control of the Special Committee.
The Special Committee should, in the meantime, decide on a package for the Maoists concerning voluntary retirement from combatant life and rehabilitation.
NC proposed that the current system of cantonments should be brought to an end within three weeks, keeping those opting for integration in security agencies and those opting for rehabilitation in separate camps. The responsibility for management and security of the cantonments will be with the government.
NC has said that the Maoists should surrender to the government all weapons they have kept for the security of their leaders and asked them to cooperate with the government to seize all weapons illegally possessed by Maoist cadres, in the first phase of combatants management.
Under the same phase, the dual security arrangement made for Maoist leaders should be brought to an end, the proposal further states.
NC leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula said the NC proposal on combatants management is based on the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) and other agreements reached among the parties in the past.
“We can enter into the issue of forming a national consensus government once the Maoists help complete the first phase of the management of Maoist combatants,” said Sitaula.
NC maintained that only those Maoist combatants meeting established standards of the respective security agencies can be considered eligible for possible integration.
And in what appears to be a tough proposition for the Maoists, the NC said the state will not bear any liability for combatants failing to go for integration and rehabilitation packages by the set deadline.
NC´s proposal comes in the wake of the Maoists demanding the official position of the party on issues related to management of the cantoned combatants. According to NC General Secretary Bimalendra Nidhi, the concept paper was prepared after holding consultations with the CPN-UML.
NC has demanded that the Maoists return seized properties to their rightful owners without any delay and help resolve complicated issues concerning property seizure through administrative measures and the existing law of the land.
Likewise, the party has asked the Maoists to disband with immediate effect the paramilitary structure of the YCL and end activities parallel to those of the state, for creating an environment for political consensus.
Among other things, NC has demanded that the Maoists register all their vehicles with the government and asked them to cooperate in the formation of a High Level State Restructuring Commission, a Disappearance Commission, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a High Level Land Reform Commission, to help accomplish the remaining tasks of the peace process as agreed in the three-point deal reached among the three big parties on May 28.
Likewise, on the constitution drafting front, NC maintained that the Maoists must commit themselves to ensuring the fundamental values of democracy, such as press freedom, periodic elections, fundamental rights, pluralism, an independent judiciary, separation of powers and rule of law, under the new constitution.