Donors' cash backup unlikely for rehabilitation

KATHMANDU, Nov 4: Though the government is preparing to seek donors´ assistance for the rehabilitation of Maoist combatants, it is unlikely to garner their support for doling out cash as rehabilitation package. 



“The donors have informally told us that they are not enthusiastic about providing assistance for doling out cash as rehabilitation package,” said a source at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction.[break]

 

But the official said the donors, who have been supporting the peace process for the last five years, are keen on financing rehabilitation package that involves education, training and professional opportunities if the government so requests.



“While the UK is unable to fund cash payments for voluntary retirement, we are open to working with the government on the rehabilitation packages focused on training, education and skills,” a spokesperson at the British Embassy told Republica.



The donors, according to government officials at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, have maintained that cash payments are ineffective as rehabilitation packages. In addition, they have also urged the governments in informal meetings to ensure that systems for cash payouts are accountable, efficient and transparent.



Officials at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction held a meeting with Swiss Ambassador Thomas Gass, who is the coordinator of Nepal´s donors, recently on possible funding for the rehabilitation packages. The ambassador conveyed to the ministry officials that the donors are not keen on financing rehabilitation packages involving cash.



Despite this, Finance Minister Barshaman Pun, who also holds the portfolio of the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, is scheduled to meet the Swiss Ambassador, who is from Sri Lanka on Friday, to discuss funding for the rehabilitation packages. Officials said the government will then write to the donors requesting support for the rehabilitation schemes.



Similarly, Nepal´s donors are also making preparations to discuss possible funding early next week, according to a source at an embassy of an Asian country based in Kathmandu. Donors say they are looking forward to a formal request for support.



“We look forward to receiving the government´s full proposal for donor support,” said the British Embassy spokesperson.



According to an estimation of the leaders involved in the negotiations of the recently-signed peace agreement, around 5.15 billion rupees would be required to fund the rehabilitation packages. This amount excludes the fund required for the training of 6,500 combatants after their integration into the Nepal Army.



The leaders have estimated that around 10,000 combatants will have to be rehabilitated if all quotas reserved for integration are filled completely. As per their estimation, around three thousand Maoist combatants have left the cantonments, brining down the Maoist army´s population to 16,000. The United Nations had verified 19,605 Maoist combatants. As of Wednesday, the government record shows that altogether 19,525 combatants have been receiving allowances from the state treasury.



The November-1 agreement has proposed two types of rehabilitation packages -- the first scheme involves vocational training, education and professional opportunities while the second proposes doling out cash to the combatants opting for voluntary retirement.

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