KATHMANDU // The Nepalese prime minister, Madhav Kumar Nepal, said yesterday the country's peace process was wavering after the Maoists left the government last month.
Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the Maoist leader known by his nom de guerre, Prachanda, quit his post as prime minister and withdrew the Maoists from government last month after the president, Ram Baran Yadav, overturned his decision to sack the army chief over his alleged failure to integrate the former rebels into the country's regular armed forces.
"The peace process is stalled and it is not moving forward smoothly," Mr Nepal, 56, told Reuters in an interview at his red brick house.
"The Maoists want to show that they are honest about peace. But their behaviour is not so," Mr Nepal said, sitting under the photographs of people killed three years ago during protests against the now deposed monarchy.
"They need to transform and change their behaviour. Otherwise they will be isolated."
Since leaving government, the Maoists have regularly obstructed parliament sittings, organised general strikes and burnt the new leader's effigy in protests.
On a recent morning, a narrow street near a government building in Kathmandu was clogged with cars and pedestrians as protesters blocked the street, waving red flags, flinging empty plastic bottles in the air, and chanting revolutionary slogans.
A helmeted battalion of policemen in riot gear, wielding batons, shields, and tear gas canisters looked on.
Nepal's Maoists laid a similar siege to government offices across the country this week, blocking the entry of officials and paralysing business for two hours.
The protests recalled the days of the decade-long civil war, which the Maoists ended in 2006.
Even though they have catapulted themselves from an underground army of guerrilla fighters to a part of the political mainstream, they still hold an uncanny power to paralyse the state.
Last year, the Maoists formed a government after winning parliamentary elections with a thumping majority, but they quit just eight months later after an acrimonious power struggle with President Ram Baran Yadav over the decision to sack the army chief, Rukmangad Katuwal.
The Maoists, still hankering for power, now find themselves relegated to the opposition benches of the Nepalese parliament.
This tiny Himalayan kingdom has had 18 governments in the last two decades. And the new government, a loose coalition of 22 political parties, faces a major test of stability amid the growing political violence.
The Maoists, led by Prachanda, meaning "the fierce one", have threatened to set up parallel governments in some districts of Nepal. "We are planning to launch an urban uprising to safeguard a democracy in peril," Prachanda told the Nepali press this week.
He also ominously warned Mr Nepal's government not to provoke the former Maoist guerrillas to move out of UN-monitored cantonments, where 23,000 of them are currently sequestered, and reignite a war against the state. Some hardliners still espouse the old Maoist view that the state "should be captured through rebellion".
At the heart of the dispute lies the integration of the country's two armies - the conventional army and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of the Maoists, which was to happen as part of a 2006 peace accord that put an end to a bloody, decade-long insurgency.
The Maoists accused the army chief of failing to integrate former rebel fighters and sacked him, a decision that was reversed by the country's president, angering the former rebels.
The army, backed by other mainstream political parties - and tacitly supported by India, with whom Nepal shares a long border - is vehemently opposed to integrating all PLA cadres into the army.
And Mr Nepal said only up to 5,000 combatants who fulfil the criteria could be absorbed in the army - the rest will have to be given alternative jobs.
But, the prime minister said, the future of the Maoist fighters must be settled before the new constitution was written.
"Otherwise, it will hamper the work in the constituent assembly", he said of the body dominated by the Maoists and tasked to prepare the new constitution.
The government has tried to cajole the Maoists to come to the negotiating table - Mr Nepal invited Prachanda to join his government - but the Maoists' decision depends entirely on the future of the two armies.
"This country needs civilian supremacy, not military supremacy," said Dev Gurung, the former Maoist minister of law and justice who led one of the protests.
"We had the people's mandate to govern. This government doesn't."
Even though Mr Nepal has the numerical strength in parliament to form a stable government, the Maoists remain a force to reckon with.
CK Lal, a Kathmandu-based political commentator holds the Maoists "unfit to govern, and unfit to stay in the opposition".
"But if an election were to be held today," he added, "they would win hands down. And not just that - they would significantly improve their tally."
While a majority of other political parties appeal to the urban middle class, which make up only 17 per cent of the population, the Maoists hold mass appeal among the millions of rural poor and urban working class.
"The Maoists are increasingly blurring the line between the state and party," said Aditya Adhikari, the op-ed editor of the daily Kathmandu Post. "They may be a nuisance to the urban middle class, but they have a broad support among the rest."
achopra@thenational.ae
* With additional reporting by Reuters
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
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Shower or bath after being outside.
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Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
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Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp
Torque: 240Nm
Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
THE CARD
2pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
2.30pm: Handicap Dh 76,000 (D) 1,400m
3pm: Handicap Dh 64,000 (D) 1,200m
3.30pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh 100,000 (D) 1,000m
4pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (D) 1,000m
4.30pm: Handicap 64,000 (D) 1,950m
Results
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Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
Company%20Profile
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Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
Fresh faces in UAE side
Khalifa Mubarak (24) An accomplished centre-back, the Al Nasr defender’s progress has been hampered in the past by injury. With not many options in central defence, he would bolster what can be a problem area.
Ali Salmeen (22) Has been superb at the heart of Al Wasl’s midfield these past two seasons, with the Dubai club flourishing under manager Rodolfo Arrubarrena. Would add workrate and composure to the centre of the park.
Mohammed Jamal (23) Enjoyed a stellar 2016/17 Arabian Gulf League campaign, proving integral to Al Jazira as the capital club sealed the championship for only a second time. A tenacious and disciplined central midfielder.
Khalfan Mubarak (22) One of the most exciting players in the UAE, the Al Jazira playmaker has been likened in style to Omar Abdulrahman. Has minimal international experience already, but there should be much more to come.
Jassim Yaqoub (20) Another incredibly exciting prospect, the Al Nasr winger is becoming a regular contributor at club level. Pacey, direct and with an eye for goal, he would provide the team’s attack an extra dimension.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz