Govt starts discharging disqualified Maoist combatants

The process of releasing disqualified Maoist combatants from the cantonments and rehabilitate them into the society has started from Friday.

Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction has started the discharge process from the cantonment at Hattikhor in Nawalparasi with the help of United Nations Mission in Nepal and Unified CPN (Maoist).

A 13-member team led by the joint secretary at the peace ministry has reached Pariwartan Smriti Brigade under the Hattikhor cantoment and has started collecting the detailed information about the disqualified combatants.

The team also includes representatives from UNMIN, UNDP, World Food Programme and Unified CPN (Maoist).

It has been learnt that UNMIN chief Karen Landgren has also reached the Hattikhor cantonment today to see the formal start of the discharge process.

UNMIN had disqualified 4,008 combatants during the Maoist army verification process it conducted in various phases. Among them, it identified 2,975 as minors (below 18 years of age as of May 25, 2006).

Although eight months ago the Maoist-led government had expressed commitment to immediately discharge the disqualified combatants from the cantonments and rehabilitate them back in the society, the actual discharge process has started from Friday.

The current UML government has assured that the disqualified combatants who have been staying in the camp since January 2007 will get a freedom to decide about their future and will be provided necessary training so that they can lead normal lives.

Following their release, the disqualified combatants will be kept in transit homes for 45 days during which time they will be provided with training as per their areas of interest.

Peace Minister Rakam Chemjong said in a press conference yesterday that his ministry planned to complete the discharge process by Nov 2, 2009. nepalnews.com