Despite the objection by the Nepali Congress (NC) to the very idea of army integration, the Maoist-led government today has at least formed a special committee for looking after the issues of army integration, management and rehabilitation as a vital component of the ongoing peace process that formally commenced in November 2006.
According to Media Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Home Minister (also a senior leader of the Unified Marxist-Leninist, abbr. UML) Bamdev Gautam will head the Army Integration Special Committee.
The committee consists of Defense Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal, Peace and Reconstruction Minister Janardan Prabhakar Sharma, and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum leader Mohammad Habibullah while one member’s position is still vacant for the NC to fill up.
Minister for Commerce and Supplies Rajendra Mahato said that the participation of the NC in the committee would make the integration, management and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants less controversial.
However, if the NC is positive towards this finalized committee is yet unknown.
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