BIG THREE MEET TO DISCUSS FORMING STATE REORGANIZATION COMMISSION
Kathmandu, 20 Nov.: A summit of the Big Three starts Sunday morning to discuss formation of a state reorganization commission to recommend a federal state structure.
Maoists and two main opposition parties NC and UML agreed Saturday morning to launch a commission instead of an expert panel to recommend a federal structure.
The commission work has to be completed in two months after start of work.
The three parties that have major and decisive roles in conducting state affairs will also discuss extending the tenure of the constituent assembly/parliament whose tenure ends 30 Nov.
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has sought a six-month extension after 30 November.
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REGISTRATION OF PREFRENCES OF FORMER MAOIST FIGHTERS BEING RECORDED IN KAILALI
Kathmandu, 20 Nov.: Surveyors will start work at the 7th division in Kailali Sunday on the second day as 210 surveyors record preferences of 19,000 plus former Maoist PLA fighters.
The fighters are being asked whether they want to join Nepal Army under a directorate, resettle in society or go on voluntary retirement.
Work will continue at six other camps as well for the second day.
Most opted for integration Sunday.
The survey is now expected to be completed in another nine days.
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UML STANDING COMMITTEE MEETS SUNDAY
Kathmandu, 20 Nov. UML standing committee meets Sunday to set a agenda for its central committee.
The second largest opposition was badly divided before Maoists toppled the government led by senior party leader Madhav Kumar Nepal between the establishment camp and the Nepal/KP Sharma Oli group on support for Maoists.
Chairman Jhalanath Khanal lobbied to bring Maoists in government to complete the peace process and constitution drafting.
Khanal said Maoists were being isolated in national politics; Nepali/OLi group disagreed and party differences peaked.
The establishment and Nepal/Oli factions are now united in criticizing the Baburam Bhattarai government government led by Maoists.
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MOST PLA FORMER FIGHTERS PREFER INTEGRATION
Kathmandu, 20 Nov.: An initial survey at the seven Maoist cantonments shows that a majority of combatants want integration into the proposed Nepal Army (NA) directorate for industrial security and relief-and-rescue operations -- not rehabilitation or voluntary retirement, Republica reports.
Of the 564 combatants surveyed on the first day of the categorization process at four cantonments - First Division in Ilam, Second Division in Sindhuli, Third Division in Chitwan and Fourth Division in Nawalparasi -- altogether 416 combatants opted for integration, while the rest have shown interest in voluntary retirement. Interestingly, none of the combatants have so far chosen the rehabilitation package.
Altogether 75 combatants in the Fifth Division and 86 in Sixth Division have been surveyed, but data on how many of them chose voluntary retirement, how many chose rehabilitation and how many, integration is yet to be known. Sources say a majority have opted for integration. Survey work could not be carried out at the Seventh Division in Kailali due to disputes.
On the first day, the surveyors recorded the choices of 725 combatants, which is said to be a far lower number than expected. The process was either halted or delayed at some cantonments due to mismatch between UNMIN identity cards and the citizenship cards or educational certificates of the combatants.
“We have just begun the task today. We will speed it up from tomorrow,” said Special Committee Secretariat Member Dipak Prakash Bhatta.
The 210 surveyors led by members of the Special Committee Secretariat have begun the task of surveying and categorizing the combatants from Saturday and they are expected to complete the work in around 10 days.
Our correspondent Chadani Hamal reported that the survey work began in an amicable environment at Shaktikor in Chitwan.
CHITWAN
Coordinator of the Special Committee Secretariat Balananda Sharma, who is leading the surveyors here, welcomed the first group of combatants at 9 a.m.
“The categorization process began in an excited mood except in a few places,” said Sharma.
The commanders stated that the combatants were not comfortable with some provisions in the integration and voluntary retirement packages, but added that their subordinates would fully cooperate with the process. “They will easily go through with this process,” said PLA Commander Dhan Bahadur Maskey at Shakrikhor.
Our correspondent Raju Adhikari reported from Ilam that categorization work at the First Division began quite normally. The combatants are both happy and sad. Happy because their days of hardship at the cantonment have finally come to an end and sad because they are separating from one another, and are not quite sure they have achieved their mission.
“I quit my studies and devoted myself to the war with great expectations. I am returning home in sadness,” said Chhiring Sherpa, 23, who joined the PLA in 2004. He is opting for voluntary retirement.
Meanwhile, our correspondent Mithilesh Yadav reported from Sindhuli that the categorization process has been halted due to disputes over identity cards. Division Commander Suk Bahadur Rokaya Magar said that the process was halted after the ranks of the combatants were not specifed in the identity cards. They have demanded that ranks should be disclosed in the IDs.
According to Secretariat Member Ramnanda Sharma, only 158 combatants could be surveyed. Magar said that only two percent of the combatants would go for voluntary retirement.
According to our reporter Sher Bahadur KC, all 150 combatants surveyed at the Fourth Division in Nawalparasi have opted for integration. Shanti Bhattarai, a combatant, stated that she is now happy as she would get a salary and facilities at par with Nepal Army (NA) soldiers.
Our correspondent Gajendra Bohora reported that the process was disrupted at the Fifth Division in Dahaban after some combatants found that details in the UNMIN identity cards did not match those in their birth and education certificates.
The combatants have demanded that their new identity cards also state the rank and education level of PLA personnel.
Similarly, our correspondent Kalendra Sejuwal also reported that the process was disrupted at the Sixth division in Surkhet due to mismatch between birth dates in the citizenship and education certificates and the identity cards issued by UNMIN. Division Commander Mahendra Sahi stated that the problem arose as many combatants failed to give exact dates during the verification process carried out by UNMIN. “The process has been delayed not because of disputes, but for technical reasons,” said Secertarit Member Dipak Prakash Bhatta.
Our correspondent Dil Bahadur Chhatyal reported that the categorization process could not begin at the Seventh Division in Kailali due to protests from injured combatants.
Deputy Commander Nanda Kishor Pun, Peace and Reconstruction Minister Satya Pahadi, and Maoist leader Janardan Sharma reached the cantonment and held talks with the injured combatants who had put forward a seven-point demand including separate arrangements for themselves.
According to sources, Minister Pahadi assured the injured that their demands would be met. They have threatened not to fill in the forms if their demands are not met within a week.
The combatants at the cantonment have also insisted that they would write their current educational level in the forms and not the level at the time of joining the PLA. Most of the combatants have expressed a wish to join the NA.
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50,000 NGOs B BWOAK AB GROWING
Kathmandu, 20 Nov.: Seeking affiliation, more than 20 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) these days reach out to the Social Welfare Council (SWC), Anjali Subedi writes in Republica.
That means, 180 NGOs in a week and 720 in a month go for affiliation! Interestingly, almost all of them are new NGOs, according to officials at the council. The registration process takes two to three days and the NGOs get their certificates.
Thus, the number of NGOs is likely to increase manifold in a very short period. Acting Deputy Director of the SWC, Uma Paudyal, informed that about 34,000 NGOs have been registered with the council to date. Moreover, there are many NGOs which have not yet registered at the SWC. She estimates that the total number of NGOs in the country must be around 50,000 already.
Interestingly, given the population of the country, 34,000 NGOs means one NGO per 872 people! Or if the NGOs are centered on VDCs, eight NGOs can focus on one VDC. Similarly, 202 INGOs are working with the SWC, according to the latter.
That being the case, it would not be wrong to expect far more from these non-profit organizations. A glance at the inflow of funds through the NGOs is enough to cause excitement.
For example, in the month of Jestha (mid-April to mid-May) alone, SWC Member Secretary Dr Chhewamg Uamgel Lama (who has been suspended by the government for irregularities and corruption) signed agreements amounting to Rs 8,358,242,584 with the country director and representatives of several donor agencies.
Information provided in the newsletter for the month states that an amount of Rs 7,538,242,584 in grants was agreed for several social service programs and development activities, while the rest would be received under annual funding to be provided to a few NGOs.
The newsletter also says that Rs 1,564,903,639 was sanctioned to 127 NGOs for programs related to health, education, environment, children, human rights and community development.
According to Prahlad Pant, Assistant Director at the SWC, most of the NGOs work for community development, which means maximum coverage of the social sector.
“The NGOs come up with programs that attract good funding,” he said. Paudyal agrees that NGOs are unlikely to attract funding if their working area is limited. She disclosed that the highest percentage of funding at present has been channelled to marginalized groups such as Dalits, followed by funding for climate change and community development.
Asked whether it was time to check the numbers of NGOs and focus more on quality, Paudyal said that "rising numbers alone need not be a problem, because NGOs bring more or less positive change in society."
Interestingly, Nepal is still far behind close neighbors India and Pakistan when it comes to the ´quantity´ of NGOs. Several studies estimate the number of NGOs in Pakistan to be above 100,000. India is estimated to have more than 3.5 million NGOs.
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