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NC leaders speak their mind on army integration

Continuing with his verbal tirade against army integration, Nepali Congress (NC) acting-president Sushil Koirala has said that Maoist combatants can in no circumstances be integrated into the Nepal Army (NA). He also said that NC will continue to obstruct the legislative- parliament session until the Maoists don't implement past agreements.

Koirala claimed that there was no such clause in the agreements done with the Maoists in the past.

Speaking at a press conference organised by Press Union in Birtamod of Jhapa Thursday, he clarified the agreement did mention that Maoist combatants will be merged with the government security forces but it didn't specifically mention that it will be NA.

He also said that there cannot be any cooperation with the Maoists until the former rebels start behaving.

Meanwhile, speaking at another program in Chitwan district, NC spokesman Arjun Narsingh KC blamed Maoists tendency of not implementing past agreements as the main reason behind government finding itself in a tight spot. He said NC will not allow politicization of Nepal Army under any circumstances, adding that due to this reason the party didn't become a part of the Army Integration Special Committee.

KC also clarified that NC is not hatching conspiracies to topple the government, as is claimed by top Maoist leadership, and said that it is just applying pressure [on the Maoist led government] to implement past agreements.

He also said that Maoist perception of only taking army integration as being integral to the peace process is "erroneous" and bemoaned at journalists being increasingly targeted by the Maoists. nepalnews.com ag Jan 01 09