Employers in India have laid off hundreds of Nepali employees suspected of being Maoists. The only way to get back their jobs is to produce papers verifying their innocence. Even those employed for decades in India have been targeted. Since the breakdown of peace talks on 27 August, fear of Maoist attacks has forced many Nepalis to emigrate in search of jobs. Now even that avenue seems to be closed to them. "If we stay at home, we live in fear of a Maoist attack. If we don't go abroad, there is no way to earn a livelihood," says Ramji Sigdel from Tanahu who just returned from Allahabad. Deepak Thapa from Gulmi says that Nepalis working in various companies were asked to bring documents from police authorities confirming their status. Those employed as factory workers and household servants bear the brunt of this new directive from the Indian government that authorises the investigation of "suspicious" Nepalis.

Meanwhile, young Nepalis at home are being told by Maoist workers not to attempt to leave for foreign employment. This is the first time that the Maoists have made such threats. At Bodhe in Dharan they threatened a young villager on his way to Malaysia that they would kill his family if he left. "There are not many young men left in the village and the Maoists have been forcing the remaining few to join the People's Army," says the villager.