Second, the Special Committee has also decided to deploy a 120-member survey team to the cantonments to complete a survey and profiling of the combatants. This is expected to provide a better picture of how many of the combatants are likely to join the security forces and how many might opt for rehabilitation.
The first decision is a good confidence-building measure. If the dual security system indeed comes to an end by Sunday as promised by the Moaists, it will provide further assurance to the other parties that the Moaists are sincere this time and committed to implementing the formal as well as informal accords reached on May 29. The second decision is important because it marks a concrete beginning in what is going to be a long, complicated process toward categorization and segregation of the Maoist combatants on the basis of those wanting to join the security forces and those opting for a rehabilitation package.
But this is where we have a concern. The survey and profiling has two aspects— one is finding out the educational and other background of the combatants to see whether and where they would fit should they choose the security forces. The second is to establish what they do want — integration or rehabilitation? Though the combatants will make their decision on the basis of several different factors, we wonder if they will be inclined to express their choice unless they know what the rehabilitation package looks like. Unless they have a clear idea what integration and rehabilitation package mean, they can’t make informed choices. We, therefore, encourage the Special Committee to decide the rehabilitation package before the survey and profiling starts on the ground.
There is also another important issue that the parties haven’t discussed yet but must take up sooner rather than later; otherwise, it can potentially hold up implementation of the five-point deal. Though the parties have agreed on the modality of integration— that a National Peace and Development Directorate will be formed with personnel drawn from the Nepal Army, PLA, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police—they don’t see eye to eye when it comes to the work and responsibility of the Directorate, the standard norms for integration of combatants into the Directorate and rank harmonization. If there is no agreement on these issues, the combatants cannot join the Directorate even after the categorization/segregation process is completed.
That means, the issue of arms handover will linger on and may potentially lead to yet another round of conflict among the parties. The Special Committee must, therefore, begin discussions on areas where the parties have differences and bridge those quickly so that the peace process can proceed smoothly and see completion within the next three months, thereby creating a solid basis for constitution writing.
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