UPDATE: MINOR CADRES Release:201 disqualified combatants sent home

The first batch of 201 disqualified Maoist combatants—155 minors and 46 who were recruited after the cut-off date—left the second division main cantonment site at Dudhauli on Thursday. They boarded shuttles on stand-by that dropped them at a neighboring town from where they would get on passenger buses and head for their homesteads, formally ending ‘military life’ and entering civilian life. The disqualified combtants were among those recruited after the ceasefire code of conduct was signed on May 25, 2006. The Dhudhauli camp was home to 372 disqualified combatants who failed the verification process carried out by the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) in December 2007. The remaining 171 didn’t attend the discharge ceremony as they had already left the cantonments. Upon discharge, each combatant was provided with an identity card by the UN, which would make them eligible to choose from a range of rehabilitation packages, including educational support, micro and small enterprise development skills and vocational training provided by the government with the support of the UN. Each combatant was provided a new pair of clothes and Rs. 22,000 as travelling expense—Rs. 10,000 by the UN and Rs. 12,000 by the Maoist military wing—prior to their departure.

Maoist leaders, officials of the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction and representatives of UN agencies attended the emotion-packed discharge ceremony. Many sobbed as they parted ways with their former comrades-inarms, several young mothers walked out holding their toddlers. The UN has said that disqualified combatants absent during the discharge process can also receive the rehabilitation package upon discharge. The combatants leaving cantonment life expressed mixed feelings while talking to the Post. “The rehabilitation package offered by the government is not worth it. I feel like a child thrown into the street at this moment,” said Lekhnath Chalise of Parsa. He said he would continue to work for the party organisation to “achieve the goal of the revolution”. An underage disqualified female

combatant said she wanted to quit the party after getting home. “I joined the party quitting my studies when I was in class five, but I have ended up this way without anything,” said the combatant from Saptari. “I will give up politics and stay home helping my mother with her daily household chores and farming activites,” she added. Most of the combatants were not interested in the government-offered rehabilitation package. Maoist Deputy Commander Chandra Prasad Khanal said Peace Minister Rakam Chemjong was not invited at the ceremony as the discharge was unilateral and the Maoists have a policy of boycotting public functions attended by Cabinet ministers. Chief of the Maoist PLA Nanda Kishore Pun urged the disqualified to remain alert about the mushrooming armed groups who will try to hire them and NGOs and INGOs who will try to make money in their name. “You should utilise your skills to make people aware of anti-national activities,” he said. Maoist Secretary C.P. Gajurel said the discharge process had proved Maoist commitment to the peace process. He said the verified Maoist combatants would not be integrated until completion of the task of constitution drafting. UN Resident Coordinator Robert Piper said the status of released combatants would be monitored by the UNMIN.