Hundreds of pro-Maoist activists and students joined in a peaceful sit-in organized by the Citizens’ Movement for Peace and Democracy (CMPD) at Ratna Park on Wednesday afternoon demanding dissolution of the reinstated House and announcing date for Constituent Assembly elections, among others.

Hundreds of people including students and Maoist activists join a peaceful sit-in organised by the Citizens’ Movement for Peace and Democracy (CMPD) at Ratnapark, Kathmandu, demanding speedy peace process and announcement of date of the Constituent Assembly elections, Wednesday, July 26 06. nepalnews.com/ANA

Hundreds of people including students and Maoist activists join a peaceful sit-in…
Nearly two hundred students, led by ANNFSU (Revolutionary) president Lekhnath Neupane, joined the sit-in led by civil society leaders Dr. Devendra Raj Panday and Krishna Pahadi. The students chanted slogans against the “old parliament,” and “US imperialism,” among others, and demanded that the government announce dates for “unconditional elections” for the Constituent Assembly elections.

Talking to reporters while staging sit-in, coordinator of the Citizens’ Movement for Peace and Democracy (CMPD), Dr Devendra Raj Panday, said the movement would continue until the government fulfills their demands.

Dissolution of the House of Representatives, effective implementation of the 12-point understanding and eight-point agreement reached between the ruling Seven party Alliance and CPN (Maoist), announcement of date for election to the constituent assembly, action against senior army officers said to be responsible for suppressing people’s movement are some of the demands put forward by the CMPD.

Panday said they were forced to take to the streets because the government seemed to have forgotten the mandate of the ‘People’s Movement-2.’ He said similar protests were organised simultaneously in 30 districts around the country on Wednesday and would expand to other districts in the future.

Noted human rights activist Krishna Pahadi said the sit-in was organized to pressurize the parties and leaders to go for a republic. “There is no place for monarchy in Nepal. The government should declare Nepal a republic by holding election to the constituent assembly at the earliest,” he added.

Some two thousand people inclouding professionals took part in the sit-in.