KATHMANDU: Deputy commander of the People’s Liberation Army of the Unified CPN-Maoist Chandra Prakash Khanal ‘Baldev’ today said his party would bring its own plan on the integration and rehabilitation of combatants. Speaking at a programme organised by Nepal Institute of Policies Studies on the Nepali model of Army Integration, Baldev said the work plan proposed by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal was not acceptable to the party. “Being a major stakeholder of integration, we are preparing our own model since there are a number of disagreeable provisions in the PM’s proposal,” he clarified. Maoist members of the special committee on integration had agreed in principal to endorse the plan proposed by the PM a few days ago. Baldev added that existing norms and standards of security agencies with regard to integration were not acceptable to them. He suggested that there should be high-level political understanding regarding the size of the PLA to be integrated in national security agencies. “The PM’s plan is more focussed on rehabilitation than integration,” he commented. Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Rakam Chemjong, however, said integration was the issue that deserves more deliberation. “Rehabilitation is more important than integration so a greater number of fighters will be rehabilitated,” he added. The minister said integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants need to be completed before the promulgation of the new constitution on May 28. Chemjong said the number of fighters to be integrated into security agencies should be decided by a high-level political meeting. He estimated that about 4,000 Maoist combatants could be integrated into security forces. Bala Nanda Sharma, a member of the technical committee formed under the Special Committee on integration, said it would be difficult to complete the integration process within 112 days. “The integration and rehabilitation depends on many political factors. If the process is to be completed within four months, the special committee should be fully empowered to take prompt decisions,” he said. Kul Chandra Gautam, former assistant secretary general of the United Nations, presenting a paper, stated that approximately 4,000 combatants could be integrated into the security agencies and priority should be given to women and marginalised groups to make Nepal Army more inclusive. Arjun Narsingh KC, spokesperson for Nepali Congress, said his party was committed to integrating and rehabilitating the PLA fighters on the basis of past agreements. He said trust deficit among political parties was a major hurdle in taking the process ahead. “There are many questions on the Maoist commitment to the peace process and democracy,” he added. Jitendra Dev, spokesperson, Madhesi Janadhaikar Forum Loktantrik, said the integration process should be inclusive.