Thousands of Nepalese opposition activists stage demonstration in capital

Thousands of opposition parties' activists staged a mass demonstration in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on Saturday in order to exert pressure on ruling parties for promulgating the new constitution in consensus through the Constituent Assembly.

The 30-party opposition alliance led by the United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) staged the huge demonstration against the ruling parties' attempt to initiate the voting process on key issues to be adopted in the new statute, such as delineation and nomenclature of federal provinces, forms of governance, electoral system and structure of judiciary.

Chanting slogans against the ruling parties including Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist), thousands of opposition parties' cadres assembled at an open place called Khullamanch, located at the heart of Kathmandu on Saturday afternoon. They also performed various cultural programs attiring the traditional dresses.

Waving red flags, the opposition parties' cadres warned the ruling parties not to breach accords made in the past.

They also urged the ruling parties not to forget the spirit of the peace process that started in 2006 following the signing of Comprehensive Peace Accord ending a ten-year-long armed conflict which claimed over 14,000 people's lives.

Talking to Xinhua following the protest, a spokesman of the UCPN (Maoist), Dinanath Sharma claimed at least 150,000 people took part in the mass demonstration on Saturday.

"At least 150,000 people have joined in our protest today. The overwhelming participation of people has more encouraged us to intensify our programs in the days to come," the spokesman said.

Earlier on Saturday, just before the demonstration, a clash erupted between the protesters and security personnel while the protesters entered a prohibited area around Constituent Assembly building at Nayabaneswor area.

Issuing a press statement on Saturday, Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs said that 16 security personnel and some cadres of the opposition alliance were injured in the scuffle when the opposition parties' cadres entered the prohibited area.

The opposition alliance' leaders claimed that over 150 activists were injured in the clash.

Addressing the assembly, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman and Former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that the opposition parties are ready for settling key disputed issues on the new constitution on the basis of consensus.

"The voting process in the Constituent Assembly initiated by the ruling parties for promulgating new statute should be immediately scrapped. We are ready to sit in the dialogue at any time soon. We can draft the consensus-based new statute. Now the ball is in ruling parties' court for resolving contentious issues of the constitution," Dahal said.

He urged ruling parties not to underestimate the spirit of the historical deals related to the peace process.

This is the first round of protest against the ruling parties since the 30-party opposition alliance unveiled its agitation programs on Feb. 19. Talks between the ruling and opposition parties have been stalled following parties missing the self- imposed Jan. 22 deadline for promulgation of the new statute.

The ruling parties are planning to continue the process of promulgation of the new constitution through two-thirds majority while opposition parties are demanding consensus on key disputed issues. Endi