Update: Nepal Army has expressed its commitment to work under the direction of an elected government, whoever comes to power, reports Nepalnews. The army representative in Joint Monitoring Coordination Committee (JMCC) Shiva Pradhan is learnt to have said so during the meeting of the JMCC held Tuesday in the capital.
“It is entirely up to the political leadership. All we are saying is that the army has special characteristics. It must not be politicized.”- A Nepali Army spokesman
By Jay Shankar
Nepali Army said it will refuse to accept former communist rebels into its ranks while they remain “politically motivated and indoctrinated,”‘ a move that may delay the Himalayan nation’s peace process. “They cannot be integrated into the army as of now,” Ramindra Chhetri, director of army public relations, said in an interview in the capital, Kathmandu. “They need to be disarmed, de-mobilized, rehabilitated and reintegrated.”
The rebels sent 23,500 fighters into 28 camps and stored 3,428 weapons under the supervision of the United Nations as part of the peace accord that ended their 10-year insurgency. The agreement said rebel fighters will be rehabilitated and may join the ranks of the army.
Nepal returned to multiparty democracy last week, holding its first general election since 1991 under the terms of the November 2006 peace agreement. The former rebel Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) will probably win most seats in the new parliament that will draft a constitution to abolish the monarchy after almost 240 years.
Delaying Tactics
Puspa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda), the leader of CPN (Maoist), on Jan. 9 accused the government of delaying the integration of his fighters into the army, saying the holdup may harm the accord that ended the civil war in which 13,000 people died. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala said in the same month he opposes former guerrillas joining the army because he doesn’t want the institution to be politicized. He suggested former rebels be recruited into a security force for industries. “There is a lot of posturing by the army,” said military and political analyst C.K. Lal. “Between the army and Maoist demands there are a lot of gray areas. All that the Maoists need is rehabilitation with honor.”
Confined to Bases
Under the 2006 peace accord, both the army and the Maoists were confined to bases and the army didn’t participate in the elections, Chhetri said. “It is entirely up to the political leadership. All we are saying is that the army has special characteristics,” he said. “It must be respected by all stakeholders. It must not be politicized. The army lost 1,012 soldiers during the insurgency.”
Nepal faced a similar problem in 1951 when fighters of the Nepali Congress were to be integrated, Lal said. The Nepal Police was formed as a result and Nepali Congress members recruited. “There was only the army until then,” he said.
The Maoist fighters, who follow the ideology of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, may become part of a security force or used to protect national parks and resources or to guard television and telephone towers and radio stations, Lal said.
“They have abandoned the war,” he said. “They are asking for uniforms, barracks to live in, a hierarchy which clones the way they lived earlier. The higher commanders can be absorbed by an inter-forces commission. It is possible to work this out.”
Jay Shankar is a journalist with Bloomberg where this article originally appeared .
United We Blog 
Comments
24 responses to “As Maoist Is Set To Lead the Govt, Nepal Army Says NO To PLA Integration”
Threats and intimidation won. I’ll tell you what the response should be – how can a so called party with a standing army be allowed ro contest elections – its happened due to SPA fools.
Now the maoists will want their PLA into RNA. The response by the army is correct as they are political, and if they insist then the further reponse should be – after general elections where the King will fight elections as the supreme commander of the RNA along with other people who the maoists have seen as enemies like the RNA. Why should the maoists be the only ones fighting elections with their army in tow including their PLA commanders, when RNA people cannot fight elections? So the message is as maoists have done vote for us or else … — the RNA should do the same in general elections then let us see who wins?
Best case scenario caught between the two everyone will vote for the real political parties and not the RNA or the terrorists.
And for people who say its the NA not the RNA, well according Ptachanda no – so let him with the PLA fight elections against the King and the RNA.
In Nepalese Army, there are many commanders who are politically doctinated and their political doctrine is royal coup again and absolute dictatorship of King. What about those commanders? Should not be they sacked from their post if Nepal Army does not want any political ideology inside the army?
Second thing, they fought with state earlier does not mean that they are politically indoctrinated forever. They can be in the ranks of Nepal Army and can serve the nation.
Only I have a problem here is what happens if tomorrow the so called Army of Jwala Singh and Goit demand for inclusion in the army??? It’s beyond our imagination that these terrorists will be included in the army.
So, the best approach can be why should not we create multiple forces like India? Let’s create Border Security Force and post present Maoists’ guriellas on Border to check smuggle and border incursion. There is a dire need of security to Industry. we can appoint these people in industrial security creating Industrial Security forces.
So, creating another ranks of security forces is a wise decision rather than confronting with Nepal army on this issue But Nepal Army should understand that it is not its business to suggest what Maoists’ fighters should be.
There is a need of purging in Nepal army as well. All royalists and those who wanted King be there as autocratic monarch and those who actively assisted King earlier must be punished under the law.
Mr. Nepalilaw
PLA providing security to industry !!!!!!!!!!!!!
against whome????????????????
Industry needs security only because of PLA, isn’t it?
Bitter truth, The truth may sound bitter to you but the fact is that Industry needs protection from Royal goons, feudal forces, defeated royalists. PLA , as a member of Industrial Security Force protects industry.
Why every one talking of integration? Why can’t we think of abandoning or dismantling the whole of the army itself? You talk of peace, land of buddha, mutual coexistence and neutrality and you need army for protection. If we are heading for New Nepal, let us talk of dismantling the army and send a message to the world.
Nepaleselaw ,
All those who wanted King should be punished. Going by this
theory all those who did not want Maoists should also be punished.
That means all those non maoists mps from NC, UML etc should
be punished.
Nepalese Law,
so the obvious way is to let them fight elections. If the generals are politically indoctrinated as ypu say let them fight elections – why only generals say the entire RNA is politically indoctrinated like PLA. So if PLA can fight elections why not RNA?
Also Nepalese Law, it shows clearly where your loyalties lie and with whome you have been politically indoctrinated – its okeydokey for the PLA to be in the RNA as you say but ohhhh you have a problem with Goit’s army being included. Everyone can see right through you comrade.
Don’t forget terrorists or not they can be in govt. tomorrow – eg. Maoist.
Further,
Is the law to only punish royalists how about your friends the maoists. Where does your law begin and end buddy boy? When will the people if MAgdi bombings get justice?
Nepalese Law – Call yourself Jungle Law. The law in a democracy is mot for victors only. That’s in jungle law.
God help this country if you are the new face of law for the terrorist party.
This is the one of the most intresting issue we have to see. If Commies got succeed , then forget about other basic freedom, Wagle jee, you even don’t have freedon to browse your favourite site! _
“Thermal – soon be a proud citizen of terrorist government”
Yes, I have a problem with Goit’s army but not with Maoists’ Army. Unless you belong to feudal forces who made his pockets thick by stealing from government’s revenue, U should not have problem with PLA.
I have talked about practical problem of integrating PLA in NA. So, I say create alternative Forces like Industrial security force or BSF.
scoop-whoever you are…..you are so funny! you made me laugh like a mad.
its crazy ha…..?
Wagle jee, anything that doesn’t float their political or moral boats will be banned ya’ll see!
because of foolish leaders now maiost terroist come to the power.which majority of people don’t want that.how can u obey their order whokilled thousand of incent people force childern to join pla.and giving them drug to fight against nepal army.who destroy own property telecommunitation pools .now they are talking they are for people .shame on u maiost
Who do these military commanders think they are to dictate army policy in the face of the people?
The army was established as a monarchist institution. The king is out, the people have spoken. Any attempt to restrict the scope and range of the constituent assembly by retrograde, unelected or accountable monarchist element of the military should be dealt with resolutely and immediately.
I am amazed that the military spokesperson making these statements isn’t sacked immediately. They don’t seem to understand what has just happened. This spokesperson has no authority to speak, but must submit to the will of the people.
Lets say some other party also creates it’s own army. Do we have to integrate them too to our national army?
Gosh.. we are soon going to have an army population that we can’t feed by our tax..
stick to the early aganda proposed by maoists – bring the armed forces number down to 40000 – what happened tot his idea?
Make them the border security force and kill those indian SSB b@$t@rds!!!
only that way can we recover the 50000 hectares of land being occupied by big brother.
The Nepalese masses have spoken with the ballot and have made their voices clear and loud for all royalists and feudal lackeys still loyal to the limp and unjust king to hear: CHANGE IS COMING, your time is through!
The revolution isn’t over, it’s just getting started. The masses have spoken and they demand equality for all and progress forward to a new socialist Nepal!
PLA into RNA is the worst thing that could ever happen in Nepal. People are talking about non educated – trained by Indian terrorist group- so called zonal commander to be at higher position than at least 10+2 with 12 years experience on International Military Group, United Nation standard.
This must be a joke. If not it’s disaster.
I urge King, Nepali Army,Nepali Congress,CPN(UML) to forge an alliance and form an opposition against the Maoists. I hope that by now the NC and CPN(UML) must have realised that Maoists are a bigger threat to them than His Majesty King Gyanendra.
I dont care whoever comes to power other than the MAoists