Educating the discharged

NIRANJAN UPRETY


There are 4,008 disqualified Maoist combatants in seven cantonments and 21 satellites: Minors born after May 25, 1988, and recruits who joined the Maoist army after the ceasefire agreement of May 25, 2006. The number of minors stand at 2,973 (1,988 males and 985 females) while late recruits number 1,035 (804 males and 231 females). In total, the proportion of female is 30 percent. To date, there are still more than 400 (10 percent) combatants under the age of 18. Though there is controversy in the verification process carried out by UNMIN, it has already been established that the disqualified combatants who are discharged should be very prudently rehabilitated in the respective community in order to ensure sustainable peace in Nepal. This article mainly discusses the recent government efforts to discharge and rehabilitate disqualified Maoist combatants and the modality of education and training package proposed to them.

The Government of Nepal, with technical support of UN and allied organizations, recently prepared a rehabilitation package targeted at all disqualified combatants. It consists of six steps: Information and consultation, survey and collection of personal details, discharge and farewell, transition centre and orientation, training package and rehabilitation and monitoring. In order to effectively implement the entire discharge and rehabilitation process, a three-tier structure was formed: i) Steering Committee on Disqualified Discharge and Rehabilitation led by Honorable Minister, MOPR (Ministry of Peace & Reconstruction) followed by two central-level representatives from UCPN (Maoist) and Secretary, MOPR as Member Secretary and UNDP Resident Representative, Head of UNMIN and UNICEF as invitees. The first meeting of the Committee was formally held on Oct 8. It discussed meticulously on each and every step of the rehabilitation process to be initiated in all cantonments and satellites. ii) Under the auspices of Steering Committee, Technical Committee was formed comprising Coordinator, Joint Secretary, MOPR, two Brigade Commander-level representatives from UCPN (M) and senior officials from UNDP, UNMIN, UNICEF and UNFPA. iii) Likewise, a Field Committee was formed under the leadership of Under Secretary, MOPR and commanders from UCPN (M) and members from UNDP, UNMIN, UNICEF and UNFPA, which resumed the first step (information & consultation) of rehabilitation process from Sindhuli (Cantonment II) on Oct 11 and was finalized last month.

The performed consultation step attracted the attention of both local and international community, which called for the negation of provision of direct cash scheme in the package to every disqualified individual. Even after five meetings of the Steering Committee (latest on Nov 29) and 12 meetings of the Technical Committee, it could not resolve the demand of cash scheme to the disqualified combatants. Alternatively, the UN, et al. presented a sustainable human resource development (training & education) package and thus the claim for a cash scheme was finally dropped. The filling up of questionnaire (step II) was also sidelined and thereby way for discharge has been cleared.

The discharge of disqualified combatants should be designed in such a way that it also meets the conditions for “delisting” of UCPN (M) as mentioned in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1612 (accusation against the party which uses minor soldiers). Most importantly, the provision of fund to enhance the academic level of the 4,008 combatants, once discharged, made by the Government of Norway is praiseworthy.

Why do we need to educate and train the discharged? Education and training can enhance economic growth, individual income, reduce fertility and alleviate poverty. According to UIS/OECD Report 2005, overall, for every single year that the average level of schooling of the adult population is raised, there is a corresponding increase of 3.7 percent in long-term economic growth. Westphal (2005) referred to the US Census Bureau Report that a Maine resident with a four–year college degree earns $10,000 more per year than a Maine resident with a high school degree. Moreover, UNESCO, 2003 explored that in Indonesia, a man with tertiary education earns an average 82 percent more than a man with only secondary level of education. In Paraguay, the difference is as high as 300 percent. Likewise, education and training is also helpful to reduce fertility: According to Moghadam (2005), on average, women desired 4 children in Egypt, the mean jumped to 4.4 among illiterate mothers and dropped to 2.1 for women with secondary school education. The mean number of children born to university-educated women was only 1.8.

In order to equip the discharged with education and training and to ensure their fate and future, MOPR has been taking initiatives consulting massively with the development partners including UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA; and with other local agencies such as CTEVT, NCED, LDTA, DOE etc. After rigorous consultation, the education and training package proposed to the discharged shall consist of general education disciplines such as science, humanities, education and management available in the respective communities, and varieties of trades ranging from one month to one year depending upon its nature. The discharged may opt for any one of them to be provided preferably in a public sector institution close to their location with limited financial support in the form of tuition fee, stipend and tool kit (if applicable). Overall, it could enhance their skills and thereby could open them to job opportunities in local market and also employment abroad.

Though the combatants have been upgrading their level of education and training with the help of formal/informal agencies including GTZ, it tends to be perhaps very feeble than their level of competency and potency. One can also be skeptical about whether the imparted vocational training and skill development course is need-based and market-friendly.
Let us ponder upon a fictitious case of training as proposed: A trade of training out of 67 items can be “mobile repairing”. The discharged combatant with a certain academic background and belonging to a village in Sindhuli may opt for it. Once s/he forwards her/his interest of joining the course of mobile repairing, the government with the aid of UNDP will explore the possible nearest (Janakpur or in the vicinity) public/private training institution. The interest of the discharged leads to a contract with the standard and quality institution (implementing partner), and opens room for payment of tuition fee, and providing stipend that includes hostel (accommodation) costs and stationeries. The process completes by imparting theoretical knowledge and practical exam, pass out and conferring of certificate (diploma). Finally, mobile repairing tool kit would be provided so that s/he can launch and conduct comparatively profitable business in her/his community.

Such proactive initiation of the discharged towards an academic package will definitely change their plight giving a long due momentum to the integration and rehabilitation process of Maoist armies and thereby making the environment conducive for writing and promulgating the new constitution.

Writer is Under Secretary, Conflict Management Division, Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction and can be reached at niranjan_uprety@yahoo.com

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