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May 3, 2010

Maoists In Nepal Launch General Strike
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In Nepal former Maoist guerrillas launched a general strike on Sunday
paralyzing the country after talks with the ruling coalition failed and
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal refused to quit.
Transportation, schools and markets across Nepal are now closed. The
Maoists headed a coalition in 2008 after a surprise win in the election
for a constituent assembly, but they walked out after the president
refused to endorse their dismissal of Nepal’s army chief. Senior Maoist
leader Baburam Bhattarai: “If the Prime Minister Madhab Bepal is serious
about to resolve this issue, then he should resign, then it is up to the
Nepalese people and political parties to choose who will lead the next
government. It’s not he, Madhab Bepal, who is going to appoint his
successor. It’s not monarchy, it’s a democracy. So, he should resign
first, then leave it to political parties to decide who should lead the
next government.”



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