Kathmandu, May 13

Federal Alliance today announced that it would take out a rally from Ratnapark tomorrow and stage demonstrations around Singha Durbar on Sunday.

Issuing a press release here today, the alliance said its struggle would be completely peaceful, but it would remain vigilant against government’s attempt to repress their movement.

“If the government represses people’s movement and uses force, it could create a situation of long-term conflict and civil war. We want to warn that if such a situation arose, the government would be responsible for it,” the alliance said.

Meanwhile, National Human Rights Commission issued a press release today saying it would monitor the activities of both sides the agitators and the security forces. It also cautioned both the alliance and the security forces not to violate laws during the protest.

The alliance said the major parties that had pledged to ensure federalism on the basis of identity and economic capability in their election manifestos, but rejected the principle after the second Constituent Assembly elections.

The alliance said the nominations of new ambassadors made by the government exposed government’s claim that the issue of proportional inclusion was resolved after the first amendments were made to the constitution.

It also said that the government’s announcement of local elections under the existing structure was reflective of its anti-federal stance.

The alliance blamed the current government for the current political deadlock. It said that unless the constitution was rewritten, the alliance would continue its struggle against the discriminatory provisions.

Kirati expresses solidarity with alliance

KATHMANDU: Standing Committee member of the Unified CPN-Maoist Gopal Kirati has expressed his solidarity with the Federal Alliance’s movement.

At the press conference organised by the alliance in the capital on Friday, Kirati, who heads Kirat Struggle Committee formed four years ago, said the committee, which functioned as a community front, would take part in the movement launched by Federal Alliance.

Kirati said Kirat Struggle Committee was formed to create autonomous provinces on the basis of identity.

Asked if his party members would join the movement along with him, Kirati said those who endorsed the agenda would come to express solidarity.

In response to another question, Kirati said if the party took punitive action against him for expressing solidarity with the Federal Alliance, he would take that as the party abandoning the agenda of identity.