Former Maoist Combatants Commissioned Army Officers
Seven years after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (2006) between the
government and the Maoist party
Former Maoist Combatants Commissioned Army Officers
Seven years after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (2006) between the
government and the Maoist party, the army integration process has come to a logical
conclusion with the integration of the former Maoist combatants into the Nepal Army. On 26
August 2013, a passing-out
ceremony of 70 former Maoist
fighters brought an end to the sixyear-oldimage1
integration chapter of the
peace process and marked a new
beginning for the ex-combatants
who now are officially commissioned
as Nepali Army officers. The special
programme was held at the Nepali
Army Military Academy in Bhaktapur
near Kathmandu, where the 70
former Maoist fighters participated
in a passing-out parade.
Chairman of the interim government Khil Raj Regmi, who observed the parade, along with Chief
of Army Staff Gen Gaurav Shumsher Rana and other army brass, gave away the insignia to all
those newly drafted ex-fighters into the army.
Unlike the regular two-year basic militaryimage2
course that fresh officer-recruits have to
complete, the 70 former fighters,
including four females, underwent a ninemonth
‘officers-integrated-basic course’
as per an earlier decision taken by the
Special Committee (for supervision,
integration and rehabilitation of former
Maoist combatants). They will go a threemonth
on-the-job training and join the
National Development and Security
Department of Nepal Army. The
Department is newly established for
developing physical infrastructure, security of protected areas (parks and reserves) forests and
Industries, and disaster prevention and relief.
After completion of the on-the-job and special skill training, among the 70 newly inducted
officers, one will serve as colonel, two will be promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, 13 to
the post of major and 30 to the rank of captain, while remaining 24 will continue as lieutenants
in the department.
image3
Ministers, political party leaders, including Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal
who led the then Maoist fighters in capacity of the supreme commander of Maoist’s People’s
Liberation Army, members of the
Special Committee, representatives
from the diplomatic community, and
the families of those participating in
the passing-out parade were present
at Kharipati to observe the
ceremony. UN Resident Coordinator
Jamie McGoldrick described the
event as a milestone in Nepal’s peace
process.
After completing seven-month
training, a total of 1,351 former
combatants had formally entered the
junior ranks of the Nepali Army in July.
• A total 19,602 Maoist fighters were billeted in several camps across the country in 2007
• 15,585 took voluntary retirement, 1,462 opted for the integration, and rest did not turn up
during their re-verification
• Of the 1,462 fighters who had shown interest to join the national army, 1,421 completed their
training
image4Major Ram Bahadur Lama and Captain Bimala Pant – a former Maoist Combatant couple turned to Nepal Army
Official. Captain Bimala says yesterday we were against Nepal Army today we are part of Nepal Army, in both
the cased we were together.
Source: Narik Nepali daily and the Himalayan Times, 27 August 2013.
