Nepal army should not be politicised: Koirala

Kathmandu, Sep 26 (UNI) At a time the Maoists have said their former rebel fighters will be integrated into Nepal Army within six months, former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala has said the Nepal Army should not be politicised.

He said the national army is an independent army of the country and Communist political indoctrinated former fighters cannot be integrated into the Nepal Army, local media reported.

Kantipur quoted Mr Koirala as saying the Maoists of executing their activities openly with the weapons tagged by the United Nations, which is monitoring Maoist combatants and the peace process.

Defence Minister and Maoist leader Ram Bahadur Thapa alias Badal had said recently that the ''Maoists army'' would be integrated into Nepal Army within six months.

Sharad Singh Bhandari, a senior leader of the Madhes Janadhikar Forum, which is a coalition partner of the Communist led government of the Himalayan nation, had opposed yesterday the idea of the integration of Maoists cadres into the Nepal Army.

Chief of the army Rookmangud Katuwa has time and again said the politically indoctrinated party cadres cannot be integrated into the Nepal Army.

However, the Maoists is determined to integrate its about 20,000 former rebels currently living in various camps under the UN monitor, in the national army.

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