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Controversy Over Extending Terms of Army Generals
By Kathmandu Metro Reporter in Kathmandu
The controversy over the government not extending the terms of eight brigadier generals continued. On March 19, 2009, the Radio Nepal said that leaders of six political parties including the CPN-UML sat together at the residence of President of Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala at Maharajgunj in Kathmandu to discuss what to do next about the government taking decision on not extending the terms of eight brigadier generals.
According to the Radio Nepal news some retired generals said that it was not unprecedented in the history of the Nepal Army that the government did not extend the terms of retiring generals; in the past, former kings and their sycophants used to extend the terms of their favorite generals only; so the government not extending the terms of eight brigadier generals did not go against any rules and regulations and against any tradition of the Nepal Army; they also said that 99% of the Nepal Army people were happy that the government did not extend the terms of eight brigadier generals; some political parties have been making voices against the government’s decision on not extending the terms of eight brigadier generals, as they were sympathetic to those political parties.
Minister for Law Dev Gurung told the Radio Nepal that the government took decision on not extending the terms of eight generals following the laws; so political leaders have been attempting to put pressure on the government to deviate from the rule of law.
Former General Secretary of the CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal said that the government not extending the terms of eight brigadier generals had hit on the morale of the Nepal Army.
On March 19, 2009, Prime Minister Prachanda met with President of Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala at the Koirala’s residence at Maharajgunj in Kathmandu and made it clear to him that the decision on not extending the terms of retiring eight brigadier generals of the Nepal Army was done following the laws; so his government was not backing off from the decision.
