The plan presented by UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal during the talks at Hattiban Resort and Gokarna Resort, also proposes to form a coalition government after completion of the time-bound plan. [break]
Maoist leader Janardan Sharma, who is a member of the Special Committe, told Republica the plan has a specific timeline for integration and rehabilitation of Maoist ex-combatants, doing away with YCL barracks if any, and returning seized property.
The plan, circulated among certain Maoist leaders, proposes to designate a coordinator for the secretariat proposed for overseeing integration and rehabilitation of over 19,000 combatants within a week of an agreement among the parties in this regard.
The 12-member secretariat, supposed to materialize much earlier, is yet to be formed because the Maoists have not sent a name to represent the People´s Liberation Army (PLA) on it. A meeting of the Special Committee on September 17 had decided to form the secretariat immediately. The Maoists had also agreed then to speedily dissociate their ex-combatants from the party.
Similarly, the UCPN (Maoist) has proposed to hand over the cantonments to the Special Committee formed by the government for supervision, integration and rehabilitation of ex-Maoist fighters. This will take place in the second week after the process begins.
“The government and our party will organize a function to hand over the cantonments to the Special Committee in the presence of the international community,” Sharma, a PLA deputy commander, said, elaborating on the party´s plan.
Those combatants who opt for voluntary retirement will leave their respective cantonments and the remaining combatants will be regrouped for integration and rehabilitation, in the third week of the process.
Meanwhile, modalities for integration will be hammered out so that the whole process is completed within a month, according to the plan.
The Maoists also proposed to NC and CPN-UML leaders at the talks to disband YCL barracks if any within 10 days after an agreement is reached on the proposed plan.
Maoist Plan
- 1st week: Coordinator of secretariat to be named
- 2nd week: Cantonments to be handed over to Special Committee
- 3rd week: Regrouping of combatants for integration and rehabilitation
- 4th week: Formation of a coalition govt after implementation of the plan
In addition, Dahal presented a plan to the NC and UML to address the problem of property seized by Maoists during the conflict.
Sharma said the party has proposed three alternative mechanisms to handle the problem.
The mechanisms include: a) reactivating the parliamentary committee formed in 2008, b) formation of a high-level committee and c) return of property by the local administrations through consultations with parties at local level.
Any of the mechanisms can be used to return seized property, Sharma added.
Sharma said the Nepali Congress rejected the plan.
Asked why the NC opposed the Maoist plan, NC leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said all the leaders had a gentlemen´s agreement during the Gokarna talks not to divulge details of the talks in public.
According to a UML leader who participated in both meetings, Dahal´s plan was a verbal one.
At the Gokarna meeting, NC and the UML also proposed a separate plan to complete the peace process before the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) exits on January 15, 2011.
According to a source, the NC-UML proposal, like the Maoist plan, has set out a time-bound plan of action for each remaining task of the peace process that the parties plan to conclude by mid-January, 2011.
kiran@myrepublica.com
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