The PLA recruits- What is the future of the Peace Process?

On March the third the People's Liberation Army of Nepal, which fought a ten year war against what was then the Hindu Kingdom of Nepal started recruiting new soldiers to fill vacancies within this force. This has been hailed by the media and political opposition (both inside and outside of the government) as a major hit to the ongoing issue of the integration of the armies and has been said to put the peace process in jeopardy.

However to come to these conclusions one has to disregard the facts and the real issues surrounding this recent controversy. This recruitment has been in response to a recruitment by the (ex Royal) Nepali Army. The recruitment by the army took place against the instructions and orders of the Defense Ministry, the government, the Supreme Court, yet did not receive the same condemnation from the various political parties in opposition.

The political opposition, lead by the Nepali Congress, has called for this recruitment to be stopped, and has demanded the United Communist Party (Maoist) halt the recruitment. However the UCPN (M) is not in a position to do so, as the People's Liberation Army is not longer the military wing of that party. It has been repeatedly been stressed by both the UCPN (M) and the PLA that the PLA now takes its directions from and is loyal to the civilian government.

The PLA and the UCPN (M) both continue to reconfirm their commitment to the ongoing peace process and the process of creating the New Nepal. It is the army, with the political support of the opposition, which is putting the peace process in jeopardy and continues to move against the spirit of the People's Movement of 2006 and the mandate given to the government in the constituent assembly elections last year.

When placed in a position where despite its commitment to the peace process and the government, its opponent in the Nepali Army continued to grow and build its strength, the PLA was left with no option but to follow suit.

The peace process only can be brought to a logical conclusion when the two forces are integrated into a new, democratized national army, loyal only to the New Nepal. Contrary to the opinion of the political opposition, the most pressing need in this matter is not to rehabilitate the PLA into the community, but (as this whole episode shows) firstly to bring the rogue army back under the control of the civilian government, and secondly dissolve both of these forces, and then reintegrate them into a New National Army for the New Nepal.

This however will be a struggle for the Maoist led government as those inside and out of the army will fight tooth and nail to preserve it in its current state as insurance of the status quo. IT is clear to most observers that while the King may be gone and the constitution is still being written, the shape and form of the New Nepal is anything but certain, and is still to be played out in the future.