Maoist PLA opting for VRS continue to leave cantonments

Hundreds of Maoists combatants confined to various cantonments across Nepal since 2006, continued to leave their camps today in what is being seen as a major initiative of the six-year long peace process.

Combatants with the First Division of the Peoples' Liberation Army personnel left the Chulachuli cantonment, in Ilam District of eastern Nepal.

Member of the Army Integration Special Committee (AISC), Shambhuram Simkhada, said "the process was postponed till Saturday due to lack of some technical preparation though the task was scheduled for Friday."

"Of the three satellite cantonments under the First Division, the task of bidding farewell began from Ratna-Shakuntala Brigade," he added.

Yesterday, combatants from the Third Division Cantonment in Shaktikhor in Chitawan district in central Nepal had started leaving the camp after receiving a golden handshake.

Under the supervision of the secretariat of the Special Committee for Integration and Rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants, those opting for voluntary retirement have been given half of the amount of the package which totals up to NRs. 5 lakh to NRs. 8 lakh.
Out of a total 19,000 Maoist ex-combatants confined in seven cantonments across the country 7,365 fighters have chosen retirement scheme.

Some 721 PLA combatants have opted for voluntary retirement from the camps under the First Division, he said.

Altogether 6,500 former combatants, who meet the criteria set by the Nepal Army, will be integrated into security forces, as per the directives given by the Special Committee.

After getting the incentive package, the former combatants have to leave the cantonments by the end of Nepali Month Magh (February 12).

The PLA members opting for retirement are also being provided NRs. 2,000 to NRs. 8,000 cash as travel allowances.

Nepali Congress central member Ram Sharan Mahat had said that this will expedite the stalled peace process.