Nepali Maoists threaten to quit government

Nepal's Maoist chief Prachanda warned Sunday that his party would quit the government and launch nationwide protests unless its demands were met ahead of key November polls, a party official said.
The key demand from the former rebels, who fought a decade-long civil war before reaching a peace deal late last year with Nepal's mainstream political parties and entering government, is that the country be declared a republic.
Prachanda said the party was "ready to start nationwide protests from September 18 if our demands are not met by that time," Ananta, a deputy commander in the Maoist People's Liberation Army, told AFP.
"We will also look into withdrawing from the government once our protest programme starts," said Ananta.
Last month, the Maoists gave a list of 22 demands they want to see met before the November polls to elect a body that will rewrite Nepal's constitution and decide the fate of the embattled monarchy.
"The country should be declared a republic before the constituent assembly elections," said Ananta, who is also a Maoist central committee member.
The Maoists also want a proportional electoral system, detailed reports on those who "disappeared" during the civil war and compensation paid to families of those killed by Nepal's security services during the conflict.