Saturday, April 16, 2011

Congress unveils six-lane path to peace


PRAKASH ACHARYA
KATHMANDU: Stating that there is no possibility of promulgating the new constitution without completing the integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants, main opposition Nepali Congress today brought a six-point action plan for the peace process.

A panel led by senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba today presented the five-page document, which dealt with NC’s bottom-line for completing the peace process, at the party’s Central Working Committee meeting at the party headquarters in Sanepa. Following the discussion on the document, the party will approve it making it the party’s authentic version tomorrow, according to party sources.

The document, however, does not mention the time limit to complete the peace process. Without specifying the number, it has suggested to fix the number of combatants as per the past agreement made at the leadership level. However, the combatants will have to fulfil the basic requirements of the concerned security bodies for integration and they will remain under the command and control of the bodies. All UNMIN verified weapons will be brought under government control.

It adds that those who want voluntary retirement should be allowed to leave the camps and for those who want to be rehabilitated package should be prepared to provide them with seed money.

The government will provide security to the camps to be integrated and to rehabilitated combatants, states the document.

NC has been claiming that late NC leader Girija Prasad Koirala and Unified CPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had made a verbal agreement to integrate 3,000-5,000 combatants in different security bodies, before signing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2006. The UCPN-M, however, says that although the number was discussed, it was not agreed upon.

The plan seeks to ensure justice for the conflict victims by declaring the people killed by Maoists as martyrs and providing relief and compensation to their families and the families of those who sustained disability during the conflict, providing their children free education, giving priority to their children for employment and arranging treatment for injured people.

It adds that all property seized during the conflict should be returned to the rightful owners and all interest and principal up to Rs 1 million of bank loan be waived of for victims.

The displaced people should be rehabilitated by providing them relief and keeping

their proper record, adds

the document.

Meanwhile, another panel led by Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Paudel is holding consultation with experts about the issues of state restructuring. Paudel told today’s CWC meeting that he would submit his report in a week.

Action plan

• Ensure justice for conflict victims

• Pass a Bill to form a commission on disappeared people

• Pass a Bill to form a Commission on Truth and Reconciliation Commission — probe the violent incidents during the conflict and make arrangements for reconciliation of conflicting parties

• Activate all-party peace committees at central (Peace and Reconstruction Ministry) and local levels

• Manage combatants

• Put an end to dual security for Maoist leaders — from government and combatants — and scrap paramilitary forces of the party. In addition, the government should impound all illegal vehicles used by Maoists and take legal action

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/rssReference.php?headline=Congress+unveils+six-lane+path+to+peace&NewsID=284188

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