The government has offered retirement package to 15,885 former combatants to help them earn a living. Of them, 1,685 ex-combatants had left the cantonments after accepting the retirement package whereas 1,460 former rebels have opted for jobs in the national army. [break]
The 1,269 combatants of the first division cantonment in Ilam, 934 combatants from Sindhuli and 2,722 from the Chitwan cantonment are among those receiving the final tranche of the retirement package. Similarly, 2,141 former combatants in Nawalparasi, 1658 in Rolpa, 2386 in Surkhet and 2812 in Kailali will also receive the remaining amount of the retirement package, according to the Special Committee Secretariat.
The secretariat also informed that the final tranche of the retirement package would be paid though bank checks and the nearest district administration offices have been entrusted with distributing the checks. Ex-combatants can collect their checks from DAOs from October 30 to November 10.
Balananda Sharma, the coordinator of the secretariat of the Special Committee, asked the former rebels how they were going to spend the money.
Former combatant from Rolpa Santwana Shahi said she has already bought a piece of land with the first installment of retirement package she received. She said further said that she would start up a business with the second installment she is due to receive. “The peace process would conclude after distribution of the retirement package to the former combatants,” Sharma told media persons.
Another former combatant Bhaktikaji Gopali of Makawanpur said Rs 500,000 is not a big amount and hence would not be of great help to them.
Other former combatants have also been planning to invest the money for starting up a small business. “I am planning to start up a business,” said Basanta Pariyar of Nuwakot.
Disqualified combatants reject govt´s package
(REPUBLICA)
KATHMANDU: Expressing disagreement with the government´s decision to provide Rs 200,000 each to 3,000 former combatants disqualified by UNMIN, Discharged People´s Liberation Army (DPLA) said on Wednesday that they would not accept the package. Issuing a press statement, DPLA Chairman Sagar Limbu also warned that they would continue their protest against the government.
The government had decided to distribute Rs 200,000 each to the 3,000 disqualified combatants before Dashain. “We will not accept the money until the government addresses our five-point demand,” read the press statement. The statement claims that the government had expressed commitment to provide Rs 600,000 each to all the 4,008 combatants disqualified during UNMIN verification.
Related story
Dashain aayo (again)
