Former rebels end 6-day general strike that crippled Nepal, cite hardship to people

KATMANDU, Nepal – KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepal's former communist rebels ended their general strike late Friday after six days because of the hardship it caused in the Himalayan country.

Transportation, schools and businesses were closed in Katmandu and other cities during the strike aimed at pushing out the present coalition government. Opposition to the strike had been increasing, and police fired warning shots at a rally Friday to control clashes between Maoist supporters and opponents.

The top leaders of the Maoist party decided to end the strike since it was making life difficult, Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal told reporters.

"Considering the difficulty faced by the general people due to the strike, the party has decided to end the strike but will continue with other protests," Dahal said.

The Maoists traditionally back strike calls with the threat of violence against those who defy them, and their supporters have tried to forcibly shut shops that owners opened for business. Thousands of police in riot gear have guarded the streets to prevent violence.

Police reported at least two clashes in Katmandu on Friday, and officers shot weapons into the air and fired tear gas canisters to restore control. No information on casualties was immediately available.

An estimated crowd of 20,000 — including doctors, lawyers, business executives, singers, teachers and laborers — demanded a halt to the six-day strike during a rally in the capital that was the largest since Sunday.

In the western town of Lekhnath, about 125 miles (200 kilometers) west of Katmandu, shots were fired in clashes that wounded at least five people. Police are investigating the volleys' origins.

The Maoists — who ended their bloody insurgency in 2006 and joined the political process — won the country's most recent elections, but a dispute split their coalition, forcing their government to disband and ushering in the current leaders. The Maoists now want power back, but the government has refused to step aside.

The crisis had raised fears of renewed bloodshed after the insurgency claimed an estimated 13,000 lives over a decade.

The unrest comes as Nepal's Constituent Assembly, elected to draw up a new constitution, struggles to draft the charter before its term expires May 28.