Nepal steps up security for Maoist protest

Kathmandu, May 1, 2010 (SANS Correspondent): 

Thousands of police in riot gear guarded the streets of Nepal's capital Saturday where former communist rebels plan to bring in half a million supporters to protest against the government. Katmandu police chief Ramesh Kharel said some 15,000 police are patrolling to stop any violence during the planned protest rally.

Baburam Bhattarai, deputy leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), said they expect 500,000 supporters to rally in Katmandu on Saturday to call for the prime minister's resignation. "Our demonstrations will be peaceful, and we will all we can to make sure there is no trouble," Bhattarai said. "But if there are any cases of violence it is the government that will be responsible." Bhattarai said Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal should resign by the end of Saturday and disband the present government. "If there is no agreement reached by Saturday, then we will be forced to impose an indefinite general strike from Sunday," he said.

The planned mass protest rally and general strike has raised concern of renewed violence in Nepal. The Maoists fought government troops until 2006 when they gave up their decade-old bloody insurgency and joined a peace process. Since then they have confined their fighters in UN-monitored camps and contested general elections in 2008. They briefly led a coalition government but their leader resigned as the prime minister following differences with the president over the firing of the army chief.

Karin Landgren, chief of United Nation's peace mission in Nepal, said she met Maoists leaders to appeal for peaceful resolution and have been assured the demonstrations would be peaceful. "I am deeply concerned that despite these peaceful intentions, potential spoilers of the peace process could provoke a clash," Landgren said Friday. 

A press statement issued by the Unites States embassy in Katmandu has also appealed the political parties in Nepal to exercise restraint during the demonstrations, work toward consensus and find a way through the current political impasse. "Such a consensus would avoid a constitutional crisis and ensure that the hard work already invested in the peace process is brought to a fruitful conclusion," the statement said. "Nepal has come a long way since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed in 2006 and these gains should not be lost."