“The survey teams will start leaving for the cantonments from November 26 and will reach the cantonments by November 27,” said Balananda Sharma, the convener of the secretariat, shortly after the Special Committee directed the secretariat to start the categorization process by November 16. [break]
Under the categorization process, the combatants will be segregated into three groups - those opting for rehabilitation, integration and voluntary retirement, respectively. They will be then given new identity cards.
The secretariat is dispatching seven groups of surveyors comprising 35-40 persons who will be trained for three days before being sent to the cantonments to update the number of the ex-Maoist fighters and categorize them. The secretariat is currently in the process of selecting surveyors who have worked with the UN in conflict areas and those who have studied conflict and peace.
The secretariat, according to Sharma, expects the categorization to complete in 10 days, with around 2,100 combatants categorized every day in all seven main cantonments. Though the there are 28 cantonments, the categorization will be carried out only in the seven main cantonments, which means combatants living in satellite cantonments will join the main cantonments.
As per the November-1 agreement among major political parties, the categorization should complete by November 23.
Meanwhile, the Special Committee and its secretariat are jointly working to clarify confusing provisions in the agreement. The secretariat officials maintain that the integration number, ranks to be accorded to Maoist combatants, rehabilitation packages, among other things, should be clarified before the survey teams are dispatched to the cantonments.
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