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Giving up guns for motherhoodHundreds of Nepali women who were part of the Maoist armed resistance and itsdecade-long war for justice and equality are now returning to civilian life. SudeshnaSarkar highlights their dilemma and the difficult choices facing them.SONIKUMARI Jha puts onher green camouflage fatigues,deftly laces up herboots and is ready to step outand announce her decision toembrace a new life. Her fouryear-oldson, who has beenwatching the same rote foryears, is puzzled by an importantomission. ‘Mama, youhave forgotten your gun,’ hecalls out.‘No darling, mama won’thave to carry a gun any morefrom today,’ the 26-year-oldsays with a smile.Eight years ago,Sonikumari joined the Maoistguerrillas who were waging anunderground war to abolish monarchyin Nepal and promulgate a constitutionof, by and for the people.Today, the section commander inthe 2nd Division of the People’s LiberationArmy (PLA) has decided tosay farewell to arms five years afterthe insurgency ended.Hundreds of Maoist women warriors,who had joined the PLA attractedby its promise of equality andjustice during the 10-year war foughtfrom 1996, are now bidding adieu towarfare for the sake of their children,like Sonikumari.Voluntary retirement‘After our People’s War ended in2006, the combatants lived in cantonmentshoping they would be inductedinto the national army,’ says YamBahadur Adhikari, commander of the1st Division of the PLA.‘It took almost five years forthings to move. During that long interval,it was natural that many ofthem would marry and have kids.Now that the government has finallystarted addressing the lot of the PLA,most of the mothers, who have youngW O M E Nchildren, are opting for voluntary retirementinstead of joining the army.’When the Maoists signed thepeace accord in 2006, it was decidedthat the PLA, comprising over 19,500combatants, would be merged withthe Nepal Army. However, after oppositionfrom both the army and majorpolitical parties, it was decided thatonly up to 6,500 guerrilla fighterswould be recruited.The rest have two options: voluntaryretirement with cash compensationor rehabilitation, which includeseducation since many droppedout of school to join the guerrillas,vocational training and assistance insetting up micro business.In November, a Special Committeefanned out across the seven majorcantonments to ask the PLA fighterswhat they would like to do.According to Lt-Gen BalanandaSharma, coordinator of the committee,over 60% of the combatants wantto join the army. The rest are seekingvoluntary retirement, with only sixplumping for rehabilitation.But of the 3,526 women combatants,most of the married ones, especiallythose with young children, areseeking voluntary retirement.Gopal Gartoula/IPSMany of the women soldiers in Nepal’s Maoist People’sLiberation Army, like Rama Thakuri (seen here with herfive-month-old daughter), are seeking voluntaryretirement to look after their young children.Besides the necessity oflooking after the children aswell as fears that they mightfail the physical fitness test,many of the women, marriedto fellow PLA combatants, areopting to return to civilian lifeso that their husbands stand abetter chance of joining thearmy.Unfulfilled dreamsMuna Limbu, the daughterof a poor farmer in Ilam,eastern Nepal’s tea garden district,joined the PLA as a ninthgrader. Three years ago, the26-year-old married fellow PLA soldierBimal Limbu and the couple nowhave an 11-month-old daughter.As Bimal wants to be in the army,Muna has decided to take voluntaryretirement though the decision leavesher unhappy.‘My dream was not fulfilled,’ shesays and her face darkens. ‘I joinedthe Maoists to see the birth of a people’srepublic where there would beno oppression and injustice. I sacrificedthe best years of my life andnow, have been told by the party tomake a sacrifice once more for peaceand the new constitution.’Though the Maoists agreed todisband the PLA within six monthsof the peace accord and help to writea new constitution by 2010, neithermaterialised.Now, with the Supreme Courtordering the government to completethe new constitution by May 2012 orface fresh elections, the Maoists, whonow head the government, have finallystarted the process of dischargingthe PLA.The combatants are not happywith the options offered; still theyhave to make a choice under pressurefrom the party.THIRD WORLD RESURGENCE No 255/25666