No integration unless YCL is dissolved: Koirala

Kathmandu, Nov 30 (UNI) Nepali Congress (NC) president Girija Prasad Koirala today said the party will not let the integration of CPN-Maoist combatants into the Nepal Army take place until the Maoists dissolve its youth wing Young Communist League (YCL).

''Until and unless the YCL is dissolved, forget integration, I won't even let management take place,'' Kantipur quoted Nepali Congress (NC) president Girija Prasad Koirala as saying in Pokhara.

''The party will not let the integration of CPN-Maoist combatants into the Nepal Army take place until the Maoists dissolve its youth wing Young Communist League (YCL),'' he said.

The former Prime Minister, who played a crucial role to bring the former rebel party into mainstream politics, said, ''No one has given the right to the YCL to kill people and bury them.'' He was referring to the alleged killings of two youths by the YCL recently, which the youth wing denies.

He said, ''Don't raise the issue of integration unnecessarily.

If you (Maoists) show one point of agreement, you have to refer to others as well.'' Mr Koirala reiterated that the Maoists are trying to delay the writing of the Constitution by raising the integration issue.

The Maoists-led government has formed a committee to integrate the former rebels into the Nepal army.

However, NC, the main opposition party has opposed the idea of integration, saying the politically indoctrinated Communist rebels could not be integrated.

The Madheshi Janadhikar Forum, a constituent of the government, has also opposed the idea of integration.

There are nearly 20,000 former rebels living in various camps being monitored by the UN.

UNI XC SKB NS1607