At a press meet in the capital on Tuesday, UCPN (Maoist) spokesperson Chandra Prakash Khanal said, “Since Nepal Army has violated the letter and spirit of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, we are also compelled to fill the vacant positions in the PLA in return.” [break]
He informed that the UCPN (Maoist) has called for applications from Nepali youth who are “18 years of age and in good health, literate and possess nationalist feelings.”
NA had announced the vacancies on Monday following a Supreme Court verdict last week, which stated that the recruitment issue as defined by the CPA does not fall under the apex court´s jurisdiction.
In a statement on Monday, the Maoist army said that since the NA has announced recruitment on basis of its necessity, the ´PLA´ too can start the process to fulfill vacant positions unless the NA stops the procedure.
It has also stated that the issue of recruitment must have been taken up and discussed by the Joint Monitoring and Coordination Committee.
UNMIN denounces recruitment call by both sides
Stating that it is deeply concerned at reports that the Nepal Army and the Maoist army plan to undertake fresh recruitment, UNMIN has said any recruitment by either side is a breach of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the Agreement on the Monitoring of the Management of Arms and Armies (AMMAA).
An UNMIN statement on Tuesday said the relevant provisions of the AMMAA reflect the provisions of the original Ceasefire Code of Conduct, which committed both parties “not to recruit new people.” A proposal to permit recruitment to fill vacancies was rejected, leaving no ambiguity, it further said.
UNMIN has written to the government and the UCPN (Maoist), advising them to respect past agreements and to act in this matter with good faith toward the UN, the mandated monitor of the AMMAA.
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