Nepal begins Categorisation of Maoist combatants

Ending years of uncertainty, Nepal’s political leaders agreed earlier this month to conclude the stalled peace process by integrating 19,000 Maoist combatants into security forces or rehabilitating them.

Updated on: Nov 20, 2011, 02:30:52 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Ending years of uncertainty, Nepal’s political leaders agreed earlier this month to conclude the stalled peace process by integrating 19,000 Maoist combatants into security forces or rehabilitating them.

Now it’s turn of the combatants to spell out what they want.

“Starting Saturday morning, surveyors began categorising them as per their choice,” informed Madhab Ghimire spokesperson for the special committee meant to oversee the integration and rehabilitation process.

The combatants who have been living in seven cantonments spread across Nepal since the 2006 peace deal have the options of joining the security forces, voluntary retirement or rehabilitation.

As per the deal signed on November 1, 6,500 combatants are to be integrated into security forces and the rest given a compensation package between NRs 600,000 to NRs 900,000 spread over three years.

The categorisation process is not expected to be entirely smooth as some combatants of hardliner faction of Maoists are unhappy with the deal and are opposing it. Surveyors are expected to complete the task by November 28.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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