DADELDHURA, JUL 13 - Khem Joshi, a former Maoist combatant, has rehabilitated himself as a successful farmer in the district. A resident of Bagarkot VDC, Joshi earns up to Rs 400,000 from vegetable farming in a season.
“During the insurgency, we carried gun round the clock and went to war. But, as the war is long over, we have to work to survive,” said Joshi, who also served as chief of the Maoists' people's government during the decade-long civil war.
Joshi is just an example among dozens of former Maoist combatants who are now engaged in agriculture and leading a quiet life.
Another former combatant, Raj Mehata, is also engaged in farming with a loan from the Poverty Alleviation Fund. Mehata said their battle role had ended and they had no alternative but to rehabilitate in the society.
Dan Bahadur Chand, also a former fighter, said he did not find it difficult to rehabilitate himself back into society as the government and various organisations supported him. “Everyone has the capacity to survive as a farmer,” Chand said.
Bhuban Bhatta, principal of local Kalika Lower Secondary School, said most of the former combatants are engaged in modern vegetable farming and earn an average of Rs 200,000 to Rs 500,000 each season.
“They are ahead of other farmers in vegetable farming, which has become a reliable source of income for their livelihood,” said Tek Bahadur Bista, technician at the District Agriculture Office.
Bista said the former soldiers have also stepped up their presence in social works. “All former Maoist combatants who have been rehabilitated are associated with various social organisations,” said Tirtha Madai, Nepali Congress president in the VDC.
Madai said people trusted these former combatants by giving them social responsibilities. He, however, said the former fighters have yet to prove that they can handle such responsibilities.
Source: http://www.ekantipur.com/2012/07/13/top-story/former-combatants-find-new-life-in-agriculture/357030/
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