The Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has announced that it will start a nationwide general strike on May 2, 2010. The aim is to take down the current government, led by Madhav Kumar Nepal.
The Maoists said they will hold a mass rally in Kathmandu on May 1st, and they will begin an indefinite general strike if MK Nepal doesn't step down as prime minister.
The UCPN has threatened to shut down roads, businesses, and schools with their strike starting on May 2.
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, a.k.a Prachanda, said in a press conference recently that his party is taking such actions in order to ensure a new constitution is written and that the peace process is taken to a logical conclusion.
“If we did not take this step, the peace process would be unraveled by the government and the constitution will never be written. However, we are keeping all doors for dialogue open,” Dahal said, insisting that the current government was uncommitted to the peace process and the drafting of a new constitution.
The Maoists demand that MK Nepal resign immediately so they can form a national unity government under the leadership of their party, UCPN (Maoist). This will bring the political deadlock to an end.
The Maoists will bring thousands of party cadre to a rally to protest the 22-party ruling coalition on May Day.
Maoist Chairman Dahal warned that the government will be held responsible if the protests and strikes turn violent.
This comes at a time when the Nepali state has put all security agencies, including the army, on high alert by claiming that the Maoists are trying to capture state power. Analysts fear that the widening political differences could start new rounds of violence.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
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