Nepal's former communist rebels announced Sunday they'll launch an indefinite general strike nationwide next month until their demand for the removal of the country's army chief is met.
A statement issued by the Communist Party of Nepal (Moists) said it would impose a general strike starting Dec. 20, shutting down public transportation, schools, and businesses.
Maoist rebels began fighting government forces in 1996, and a peace agreement was signed 10 years later. Fighting killed about 13,000 people.
The communists entered the political mainstream and won 2008 elections, though fell short of an outright parliamentary majority.
They are demanding that President Ram Baran Yadav sack the army chief, who the Maoist-led government fired. Yadav overruled the decision, eventually leading the communists to quit the government in May. Since then, the Maoists have held near-daily protests.
The former rebels accuse the army chief of opposing the integration of thousands of ex-guerrilla fighters into the national army, a key component of the peace deal.
Maoist protests in parliament have delayed debate and approval of the government's annual budget. Several government offices have stopped paying civil servant salaries.
A leading communist party official, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, said the Maoists will allow parliament to function for a few days in order to approve the budget starting Monday.
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