PLA integration plan gets govt approval

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: The Cabinet today approved the integration plan that was agreed upon at the Special Committee (for supervision, integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants) meeting yesterday.

Yesterday’s Special Committee meeting decided to form a general directorate and four other directorates – National Development Directorate, Industrial Security Directorate, Forest and Environment Security Directorate and Disaster Management Directorate – where the integrated Maoist combatants would be accommodated along with the Nepali Army personnel.

Finance Minister and a member of the Special Committee, Barshaman Pun, said that the cabinet meeting also adopted a Terms of Reference for Integration, 2069.

Minister Pun said that the Terms of Reference, 2069 has outlined in details about the formation process of general directorate and directorates, expenses, salaries and allowances for the chairman and members of general directorate and directorates and their norms. He said that the ToR for Integration was in line with Saturday’s Special Committee decision and November 1 seven-point agreement.

He also said that the political parties should concentrate on the constitution-drafting process as the major tasks of the peace process – integration, voluntary retirement and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants – had been completed on consensus basis.

Other issues – formation of Truth and Reconciliation and Commission of Inquiry on Disappearances – related to the peace process are yet to be settled. Major political parties are still discussing nitty-gritty of these commissions, which will be formed once the Legislature-Parliament endorses them.

Upbeat over the smooth sailing of the integration process, the government also appealed to all the political stakeholders, media and civil society to extend cooperation for constitution-drafting process, which needs to be completed by May 27, the deadline set by the Constituent Assembly in line with the November 25 Supreme Court ruling, which stated that the CA term could be extended only for one last chance.

Minister Pun also informed the media that the government has also called upon all to not call any bandh or general strike till May 27, saying that such move would be detrimental to the constitution-making process.

In today’s cabinet meeting, Prime Minister and most of the ministers criticised Minister for Labour and Transport Management Malvar Singh Thapa and his party for calling three-day bandh despite being the part of the government.

Bishwodip Pandey, press advisor to the PM, said the Bhattarai had warned of stern action if the minister did not call off the bandh.