Maoists rebels rally in Nepal’s capital By Binod Bhattarai inKathmandu Published: June 2 2006 16:58 | Last updated: June 2 2006 16:58 Nepal’s Maoists rebels staged a mass rally in the heart of the capital on Friday, their first in three years. Crowds of 200,000 gathered just 500 metres from the Royal Palace, chanting slogans denouncing the monarchy and demanding “unconditional” elections for an assembly that would write a new constitution. Banners, hammer and sickle communist flags, and teenage volunteer ushers in identical T-shirts coloured the city centre red. “We are here with a proposal for peace, the people’s army will not be an obstacle to the peace process,” said Pravakar, deputy commander of the Maoist People’s Liberation Army. “We will achieve our goals through peaceful means.” Armed soldiers guarded the palace and patrolled the city in armoured vehicles. Riot police stood by. Contd.... Source - http://news.ft.com/cms/s/9fee6b6a-f24f-11da-b78e-0000779e2340.html