Foreign Minister Yadav spills the beans on army integration
A day after coming from his foreign visit, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Upendra Yadav appeared to be leaking a secret that will bust what looks
like Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's 'doublespeak' on the issue of
army integration.
Minister Yadav said today that PM Dahal clearly stands against integration
of Maoist People's Liberation Army (PLA) combatants into Nepal Army, a
major issue of contention in the political sphere of the country that has
Nepali Congress and various other political parties really worked up.
Since PM Dahal said that the government views the Maoist PLA-NA merger
with priority and Maoist ministers and leaders following up with positive
remarks on army integration, leaders of Nepali Congress and other parties
have raised a strong voice against it. Their apprehension grew when
Defense Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa said that the army integration will
take place within six months.
Yadav, who returned from the United States, Tuesday, after attending the
63rd session of the UN general assembly said that Prime Minister Dahal has
already made it clear to the international community [during his trip to
US to attend the UN general assembly] that there would be no Maoist PLA-NA
merger, though he has been saying quite the opposite thing in the country.
Yadav made this revelation during an interactoin organised by the
Reporters Club.
The Madhesi minister whose party - Madhesi Janadhikar Forum - had a
hostile relationship with CPN (Maoist) during the Madhesi movement two
years ago before the two parties forged alliance with UML to form a
Maoist-led government.
Yadav criticised the statements made by Maoist leaders on the army
integration and said it was "unfortunate".
"There will be another conflict if Maoist combatants are inducted into the
Nepal Army," Yadav warned.
On Tuesday, the chief of the Nepal Army (NA) General Rookmangud Katawal
said that the political parties have already reached agreement on army
integration.
"The parties have already reached agreement. Debates and discussions are a
part of democratic exercise," he told reporters when asked to comment on
the army integration. General Katawal, however, said that NA will abide by
the law formulated by representatives elected by Nepalese people.
Though the army chief didn't say what agreement the political parties have
reached on army integration, it was clear from his tone that it was as per
his liking.
Army chief has been regularly voicing his concern against Maoist
combatants merger into the Nepal Army, albeit in a subtle manner -
sometimes saying "politically indoctrinated" personnel cannot be inducted
into the army and sometime saying that NA can't accept "those unfit for
military service".
As per the peace pact and other understandings among the parties, the army
integration will be carried out through a special cabinet committee, which
has not yet been formed.
Different party leaders have differently interpreted the understandings.
Parties other than the Maoists have ruled out the "wholesale" integration
of Maoist combatants into the national army.
They have said that only those combatants meeting the army standards
should be integrated into NA.
However, defense experts argue that army integration is a complicated
process given the hostile past of Maoist PLA and Nepal Army. nepalnews.com ag Oct 15 08
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- Parties have already reached agreement on army integration: NA chief
