Det hjemsøgte Himalaya-lands hær overtager – omsider – den maoistiske oprørshærs forlægninger og styrker dermed vejen mod endelig fred i nationen, som har modtaget mange bistandspenge fra Danmark.
Nepalese soldiers have moved into camps where thousands of former Maoist rebels have lived for more than five years, reports BBC online Wednesday.
The former rebels have now come under control of the army in what is seen as a key step to securing peace six years after the end of Nepal’s long civil war.
About 9.000 former fighters have been confined to camps since 2006, awaiting a political settlement. About 6.000 of them are to be integrated into the army. The remainder will get a financial settlement.
Containers holding thousands of Maoist weapons are also being handed over to the army. However, the much-awaited Maoist-army integration process – the last hurdle in the peace process – could take months to complete.
Maoist military chief Nanda Kishor Pun told the BBC that the two forces have been introducing and welcoming each other. “It is final now. The peace process is over. The armies have merged now,” he said.
Officials say that about 3.000 former combatants may opt for voluntary retirement within the next three to four days.
Opposition parties have welcomed the development saying it has transformed the Maoist party from a military force into a civilian one.
