Janardan Sharma is a former Peace and Reconstruction Minister and a politburo member of the ruling UCPN (Maoist). Sharma, who is also former deputy commander of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), spoke to Rajendra Pokhrel of Nepalnews on the integration and rehabilitation process of the PLA combatants and various other contemporary political issues. Excerpts:

Major parties have agreed to integrate up to 6,500 Maoist combatants whereas more than the double this number have opted for integration. Don’t you think this will create problem in the implementation of the agreement?

Yes, this problem has arisen in the regrouping process. The problem was not created by our party alone. Army Integration Special Committee and (AISC) and the political parties will be responsible for any problem in the future due to this gap. The idea of fixing the number and distributing forms to know about their interests simultaneously is itself erroneous. The AISC should look into this problem.

What might be the reason of the combatants not showing any interest in the rehabilitation package?

It’s very simple. They didn’t opt for the rehabilitation package because they dislike it. The forms were distributed to assess their interest. May be they didn’t see any real benefit in the package. The package aims to give them 6-month training or to offer free higher education but it does not address their need of employment. So, the package is essentially meant to encourage unemployment. There is no advantage in choosing this package. This is the result of short-sightedness. If the package had been designed in effective way, the combatants would have certainly chosen the package.

Don’t you think the result of the regrouping demands another agreement to integrate and manage the combatants?

Of course, I already told you that it is the consequence of lack of the vision. Leaders have failed to assess the possible problem while regrouping. To solve the possible problem, agreement will be needed. But while forging the agreement, combatants’ choices should not be neglected. According to the agreement, the combatants to be integrated should fulfill the criteria of the existing security mechanism.

You said the leaders could not take a right decision. Do you mean the agreement signed by your chairman was erroneous?

I didn’t say I am against it. You got my point wrong.

Going by the informal understanding during the meeting of the parties while signing the 7-point agreement, it seems the combatants will have to be satisfied with the post of Major of the Nepal Army as the highest rank for them. What is your interpretation on this?

I don’t know who provided you such information. We have agreed on two kinds of procedure regarding the determination of the rank. First, all the combatants who were recruited in 2052 BS deserve rights to the promotion as in the Nepal Army based on their individual performance. They can be promoted up to the rank of the colonel. The second is the political decision or the political agreement.

But the 7-point agreement has clearly mentioned that the integration will be based on the criteria determined by the Nepal Army. What do you say?

In the agreement, the criteria refer to three physical qualities like- height and weight. All the combatants will fulfill these requirements. This will not make any difference on the adjustment process. There are no criteria other than this.

Your party’s internal dispute seems every growing. In the latest example of its defiance of party’s official decisions, the Mohan Baidya faction has re-sized the returned land in Bardiya district. What are the implications of such activities?

I have no idea about the return and recapturing of the land. I have clear view that land should not be returned to the rightful owners by seizing from the landless people and farmers without reforming the existing system regarding the ownership and use of land. But, it does not mean that seized land should not be returned.

Coming back to the internal row, what makes the Maoist factions look poles apart?

It is true that there have been disputes in our party. The disputes are not based on the particular issue but on the strategic line of the party. The ideological dispute will be resolved by the central committee meeting. We will keep our party unity intact.

Opposition parties- Nepali Congress and CPN-UML - have been stressing on a consensus government. Do you see any possibility of the formation of the consensus government?

We have never been opposing the idea of a consensus government but we want to give existing government a shape of consensus government.

Does your party will give up government leadership if such condition is created for the formation of the consensus government?

No, our party will not accept such a condition. There is no need to change the current government.

What is the position of your party on the recent verdict of the Supreme Court that said the CA's term can be extended only one more time and that the Assembly will be defunct if the constitution is not promulgated within the extended period?

The Supreme Court does not have right to undermine the supremacy of the parliament.  The verdict is unacceptable to our party. Even Nepali Congress and UML have similar view on this.