PLA to recommend up to 30 for NA majors, 60 for captains

KIRAN PUN
KATHMANDU, April 25: The People´s Liberation Army (PLA) has decided to recommend brigade commanders and division vice-commanders for the post of major in the Nepal Army during the integration process.

As per the decision taken on Tuesday, the PLA has also decided to recommend brigade vice-commanders for the rank of captain in NA.

A general staff meeting of the PLA on Tuesday took a decision to this effect.

"We decided to recommend the commanders for higher ranks like majors and captains. Our commanders will be recommended for higher posts depending on their seniority in the PLA," said Suk Bahadur Roka Magar, commander at the second division.

As per the code of conduct endorsed by the Special Committee recently, the combatants opting for integration will have to meet standard norms of the army on an individual basis.

PLA sources informed Republica that the Maoist army hopes to get 25-30 posts of major for brigade commanders and 50-60 posts of captain for brigade vice-commanders in the Nepal Army.

PLA was supposed to get 72 majors, 126 captains and 82 lieutenants had 6,500 combatants opted for integration. But with only 3,129 combatants opting for integration, it is not clear how many senior posts the PLA will be awarded.

In the recently concluded categorization process, six out of seven division commanders and seven out of 16 division vice-commanders had opted for integration.

According to party sources, Division Vice-commanders Birendra Budha Magar, Ram Jee Thapa and Dal Jeet Shreepali have expressed their willingness to join the army even if they are awarded the post of major. Budha Magar, who is secretary at the PLA headquarters, has worked for a long time as the security chief of party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Shreepali, on the other hand, is the secretary of PLA Sports Club.

However, Division Vice-commanders Basudev Ghimire, Hari Bahadur Shrestha and Padam Bahadur Tamang have told the PLA leadership that they will choose integration only if they get the post of lieutenant colonel.

Sources said Ghimire is the the only senior PLA combatant from the Baidya faction opting for integration. Similarly, Tamang is the seniormost commander from the eastern region. Likewise, Shrestha is only the senior combatant from the Baburam Bhattarai-led faction.