Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Ishwor Pokharel assured that the government was committed to securing the welfare of the single women and families of Army personnel killed during the decade long insurgency in the country.
At a national workshop organised by the association for war widows and injured members of the Army’s family at the Nepal Army (NA) Headquarters at Bhadrakali in Kathmandu today, DPM Pokharel reiterated that the Ministry of Defence was ever ready to address any issues related to the Nepal Army provided they were presented to the Ministry officially.
Pokharel further asserted the Ministry’s eagerness to implement the proposal that had offered solutions to the issues facing the war widows and their families.
The Association set up in 2007 has as many as 8,000 single women who lost their spouses serving in the Nepal Army during the armed conflict between the then State side and Maoist insurgents.
Association’s Patron Lily Thapa argued that the end of transactional time in the country could not be felt until conflict victims or its survivors would feel justice delivered to them.
According to her, there were many welcoming changes at policy level lately when it comes to providing compensation and reparation for the war widows and their families. Thapa urged the concerned authority not to consider cutting off the military pensions.
Furthermore, she suggested constructing Army Memorial in Kathmandu valley, depicting the stories of the brave NA personnel who were killed in the line of duty.
Likewise, Association’s Chairperson Shova BC, Secretary Basanta Pokharel and representative from the war widow Gunja Karki demanded the resettlement of the war widows and their injured family members and revision of the amount provided to their children for education.
