Nepal’s political parties have agreed to integrate one-third of 19,600 Maoist former fighters into the national army, a move that could boost a flagging peace process after a decade of civil war. The future of the Maoist fighters is key to the stability for a country that is courted by neighbours India and China as a geopolitical ally. How to treat those fighters was a major sticking point in the peace process, which ended the civil war that killed more than 16,000 people.
The deal, signed by Maoist chief Prachanda and leaders from main parties late on Tuesday, answers a long-standing demand by the Maoists. The military and main political parties had strongly resisted the idea. “We have concluded yet another chapter of the peace process. The main task now is to implement this,” Prachanda told reporters after signing the agreement.
