Maoist proposal fails to impress NC, UML

KATHMANDU, July 10: The Maoist proposal on the integration and rehabilitation of their combatants has largely failed to impress both the Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML
While the NC termed the Maoist proposal "a step backward", the UML claimed the proposal "cannot fulfill present requirement".

NC leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said the Maoist proposal fails to indicate if the Maoists are serious about the ongoing peace process. “In many cases, the Maoists have stepped further backward as compared to the agreements reached in the past,” he said.

The NC has taken strong exception to the Maoist proposal saying it attempts to give Maoist combatants a status on par with the national army. “It appears that the Maoists want to keep their military force intact,” said Dr Mahat, who is also a member of special committee formed to facilitate integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants.

“It was agreed in the past that the combatants would have to meet standards set by respective security agencies to be eligible for integration,” he said. “But the Maoists are now saying that all combatants should be integrated. The idea of bulk integration is totally unacceptable.”

NC Acting President Sushil Koirala called a meeting of the party´s office bearers Saturday evening shortly after the Maoist unveiled their proposal on issues related to the peace process. The meeting concluded that the Maoist proposal goes against the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) and other agreements reached in the past.

NC has called its Central Working Committee meeting on Sunday to hold further discussions on the Maoist proposal.

Pradip Gyawali, chief of the publicity department of UML, said the proposal largely fails to address the present requirement.

“Though I am yet to study the proposal, my preliminary understanding is that the proposal fails to meet the expectation of other political parties. The Maoists are stuck to their stance against our hope that they would come up with a flexible proposal,” Gyawali told myrepublica.com.

He said that the Maoists have unnecessarily fueled the debate over standards to be adopted while integrating the combatants as the parties have already reached an understanding on the issue. “It seems that the Maoists want to keep their military force intact instead of fostering harmonious relationship with the national army,” he said.

Gyawali said the proposal also attempts to distort the issues of YCL and its paramilitary structure. “Our party will come up with a formal response on this matter after we study the proposal in detail,” he said.

Source: http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=20879