Maoists rally threaten Nepal's peace process

(May 1, 2010) Tens of thousands of Nepal’s former communist rebels and their supporters rallied in the capital Kathmandu on Saturday demanding the coalition government be disbanded and replaced by a Maoist-led government. The mass rally and a general strike planned by the protesters for Sunday if their demands aren't met have raised concern of renewed violence in Nepal, where the Maoists ended their decade-old insurgency and joined a peace process in 2006. The protesters chanted slogans against the government and waved their party's red flags. No violence or clashes between police and protesters were reported. Baburam Bhattarai, deputy leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), said Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal should resign and disband the present government. The former guerrillas headed a coalition government in 2008 after a surprise win in the election for a constituent assembly, a body tasked to prepare a new constitution, part of a peace deal to end a decade-long civil war and do away with the monarchy. But they walked out after the president refused to endorse their dismissal of Nepal's army chief, a move that set back attempts at constitutional change. Earlier on Friday, Karin Landgren, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Representative in Nepal expressed concern that the planned Maoist demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday could result in violence and warned that the situation may seriously endanger the peace process in the country.