Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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Nepalese Rebels Call for Nationwide Transit Strike Saturday
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B8F3C9:2AB91D3

Maoists, it appears, have been able to defy King's control of
media, by ordering the strike - possibly through word of mouth





Soldiers patrolling streets of KathmanduOne of the main reasons
Nepal's King Gyanendra fired the elected government last week and put
his own people in place was the government's failure to deal with a
long-running communist insurgency. To celebrate the anniversary of the
start of their campaign, Nepal's Maoist rebels called for a nationwide
transit strike on Saturday. VOA's Patricia Nunan traveled out of the
capital to the town of Khanikola, where she found that at least some
traffic was still moving.

In the town of Khanikola, about 30 kilometers outside Kathmandu,
soldiers man a checkpoint and inspect cars heading in and out of the
city.

Military officials say they're also providing mine-proof vehicles to
escort convoys of trucks deeper into the countryside, to counter the
Maoist threat of a nationwide transport strike to coincide with their
anniversary.

The Maoists, it appears, have been able to defy King Gyanendra's
control of the media, by ordering the strike - possibly through word
of mouth.


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