200,000 attend rally in Nepalese capital

TENS of thousands of communist rebels and their supporters held their first big rally in the Nepalese capital in recent years yesterday, waving red flags and yelling slogans against King Gyanendra.

An estimated 200,000 people packed the Martyrs grounds in the centre of Kathmandu and surrounding streets, chanting: “Get rid of the royal regime. We want a republic state.”

They had marched from six different points on the outskirts of the capital and merged at the grounds.

Although the rebels helped oust the king’s authoritarian government in April, they are calling for a special assembly to rewrite the constitution.

“We will continue our struggle, but we will achieve all our goals through peaceful means,” said Prasanta, a senior rebel leader whose actual name is Janardan Sharma.

The police banned big vehicles, including buses and trucks, from entering the city limits and all vehicles around the venue.

A line of police in riot gear protected the royal palace and Singhadurabar — the walled complex housing the prime minister’s office and most ministries.

Rebel volunteers in red T-shirts were posted at major intersections, directing traffic and pedestrians.

Although yesterday was a religious holiday in Kathmandu, the extra flow of traffic and people from outside the capital made the situation chaotic. News reports said the rebels seized hundreds of buses in other cities to bring their supporters to Kathmandu.

After joining forces to topple the authoritarian government in April, the ruling alliance and the Maoist rebels appeared close to a solution to the decade-long civil war that has killed more than 13,000 people.

Rebel spokesman Krishna Mahara said on Thursday that the government’s recent deployment of soldiers to major cities across Nepal violated a pledge with the rebels and could lead to a return to war.

“The government is trying to push the country back to conflict,” Mr Mahara said.

He said the government was trying to reinstate old village councils in areas where the rebels had previously disbanded them.

Government troops were also back on the streets, manning checkpoints on highways and even beating up some rebels, he said.

Nepal’s army said soldiers have been deployed in recent days in Kathmandu and other major cities to help combat rising crime.

Since rebels and the government announced a ceasefire, they have held one round of peace talks, last month in Kathmandu. They have agreed to a second round but no date has been set.