The return of the Maoist army personnel will mark the end of the dual security system of Maoist leaders, something informally agreed among parties ahead of the five-point deal on May 28.[break]
“Those registered in Kathmandu will be sent to Shaktikhor cantonment while others will return to their respective cantonments in 2-3 days,” said Maoist representative on the Special Committee Barshaman Pun after the meeting.
In a gentlemen´s agreement among parties prior to the five-point deal, the Maoists had committed to end the dual security system by Friday. Under the system, Maoists have been enjoying security from Armed Police Force/Nepal Police and Maoist army personnel. Altogether 107 Maoist army personnel have been deputed for the security of Maoist leaders.
“The decision is in line with the gentlemen´s agreement,” said Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, a Nepali Congress member on the committee.
The Special Committee´s decision came a day after the office bearers´ of the UCPN (Maoist) decided to end the dual security system, something hailed by other political parties as a positive development.
Mahat said the arms of the Maoist army personnel deputed for the Maoists leaders´ security will be stored in Shaktikhor cantonment by Sunday.
The Special Committee has also decided to recruit human resources to be deployed at cantonments for profiling and survey of the Maoist combatants. Profiling and survey of the combatants will prepare basis for the much-awaited categorization of the former Maoist fighters into two groups for rehabilitation and integration.
“We expect that the profiling and survey of the Maoist combatants will be completed in 60 -63 days,” said Chief Secretary Madhav Prasad Ghimire, who is also the spokesperson for the Special Committee.
The Special Committee has planned to deploy 120 experts in four groups at cantonments for profiling and survey. “Conflict experts and those who have already served the United Nations will be recruited for survey and profiling,” said Bala Nanda Sharma, convener of the secretariat under the Special Committee.
Under the profiling and survey process, the combatants will be allowed to choose between rehabilitation and integration.
Thursday´s meeting of the Special Committee was the first since the parties committed in the five-point deal to complete the main tasks of the peace process in the next three months.
In yet another decision, the Special Committee has made it mandatory for commanders of the Maoist army to report to the situation center which came into operation recently, said Pun.
The Special Committee is meeting on Sunday to discuss a plan of action for integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants. From now on, the Special Committee will meet every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday to expedite the peace process, said Pun.
Differences among parties
Before the extension of the Constituent Assembly (CA) term on May 29, the Maoists had floated a proposal on peace process and forwarded it to the Nepali Congress (NC) and the UML, while the latter two had jointly prepared their own and forwarded it to the Maoists. Despite hectic negotiations, the parties failed to strike a deal. The key points of differences in the proposals exchanged between NC/UML and Maoists are as follows:
NC/UML proposal
- Immediate return of seized properties, and in case of defiance, asking local authorities to take legal action
- Formation of various commissions agreed upon in peace agreements, and beginning their tasks immediately
- Handover the keys of arms containers to the Special Committee
- Integration of 5,000 PLA personnel into the national development and security directorate under the Nepal Army on individual basis
- Categorization of combatants from June 4
Maoist proposal
- Finalization of modality, integration standards by June 3
- Categorization of Maoist combatants within month
- Control and use of registered arms of the PLA as per the decisions of the Special Committee. PLA arms under the control of the government when the categorization process is completed
- Immediate implementation of past agreements on YCL and seized properties
- Integration of 8,000 to 10,000 PLA personnel
- Formation of an internal technical team of Nepal Army and ex-combatants to study rank harmonization process
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