Nepal Maoist combatants come under govt. control

Ending four years of suspense, 19,600 plus Maoist combatants belonging to the Peoples' Liberation Army finally came under government control today.

Updated on: Jan 22, 2011, 16:46:12 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Ending four years of suspense, 19,600 plus Maoist combatants belonging to the Peoples' Liberation Army finally came under government control on Saturday.

A formal ceremony at Shaktikhor PLA cantonment in Chitwan district marked the formal handover of combatants to the Special Committee formed to complete their rehabilitation and integration.

Hoisting of the national flag by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and signing of a declaration by the PM and Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal signaled the change of guard.

"We still have a long way to go and all have to work together to conclude the peace process logically as soon as possible," Nepal told the gathering.

In his speech, Dahal reiterated his party commitment to peace and drafting of the new constitution.

The event marks a significant development in Nepal's peace process as differences between Maoists and other parties over control of the combatants had brought the process to a near standstill.

Since signing of the peace deal in 2006 after 10 years of civil war, the PLA combatants are living in 28 cantonments spread across Nepal.

As part of the deal, they were monitored by the special UN mission in Nepal (UNMIN), while the Maoist leadership and other parties debated on how to rehabilitate and integrate them into security forces.

Both issues, which are crucial to completion of the peace process, had got stuck as Maoists dilly-dallied on losing control of the armed combatants.

Differences on how many PLA members would get accommodated in the country's army and other security forces also complicated matters.

But with UNMIN leaving Nepal and Maoists agreeing to bring PLA under control of the special committee formed to take over the UN body's work—the peace process has started moving forward.

Saturday's ceremony, which comes a week after UNMIN's exit, was attended by top political leaders, senior Nepal Army officials, UN representatives and heads of diplomatic missions.

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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