Nepal's main political parties failed to agree on the details of the integration and rehabilitation process of former Maoist combatants on Sunday. With this, they missed an important deadline in the calendar set out to the complete the ‘fundamental tasks' of the peace process before the Constituent Assembly's term ends in August.
Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal convened a meeting of top leaders of major parties at his residence in Baluwatar on Sunday in an attempt to find a compromise on the number of combatants to be integrated, the modality of integration, the norms of entry, rank harmonisation, and rehabilitation packages. But top level political parleys could not bridge the differences on the issues.
Timeline
The Special Committee for Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation had designed a timeline to agree on contentious issues by June 19, and send survey teams out to brief combatants and begin the process of classification among them by June 27. It is unlikely the second deadline will be met either.
Political sources told The Hindu that the internal differences within the Maoists were the major cause for the delay in the decision. Party vice-chairman Mohan Vaidya ‘Kiran' has put pressure on the party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda' not to accept ‘humiliating' terms on integration and ‘obliterate' the presence of the People's Liberation Army. A central committee meeting of the party, scheduled for June 22, will be important in clarifying the party's position.
