Maoists to wave black flags to PM from Monday

KATHMANDU, Aug 30: As a part of its protest against the “violation of civilian supremacy,” the main opposition UCPN (Maoist) has decided to wave black flags at all the public functions attended by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal from Monday. [break]



A meeting of the Joint Mass Movement, Nepal, (JMMN) -- a political front set up by the Maoists to press for civilian supremacy and formation of national unity government -- took a decision to this effect on Sunday. The JMMN is headed by Maoist vice president Dr Baburam Bhattarai. On Aug 3, the Maoists had announced a two-month nationwide protest demanding formal debate in the legislature parliament on President Dr Ram Baran Yadav´s move to reinstate the then Army Chief Rookmangud Katuwal and formation of a Maoist-led national unity.



“We have decided to intensify our protest for the sake of civilian supremacy,” said Dr Bhattarai. “Mathematically, the government seems legitimate, but it is illegitimate constitutionally and politically,” he added.



According to him, a Maoist Central Committee meeting on Sept 17 will announce extra protest programs to give a momentum to the ongoing agitation. He also said that the JMNN will launch mass meetings throughout the country from Sept 6 to 14.



The party has also appointed Ram Kumari Yadav as coordinator of Maoist Kochila, Limbuwan, Kirat, Bhojpura and Mithila autonomous provinces in the east; Amik Sherchan as coordinator of Tamsaling, Newa, Avadh and Tamuwan in the central; and Tilak Pariyar as coordinator of Magarat, Tharuwan, Seti-Mahakali and Bheri-Karnali province in the west.

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Black is bold