Nepal lifts ban on demonstrations

The ban on assemblies has been largely ignored by protesters

Nepal's government has announced it will lift a ban on public assemblies in Kathmandu from midnight on Monday.

Home Minister Kamal Thapa called on protesters to end their long campaign for King Gyanendra to restore a democratic government.

The ban was imposed on 8 April but was largely ignored and there have been thousands of arrests since.

Several key opposition leaders who were detained by police on Monday have now been released.

Tear gas

The leaders, including communist head Madhav Kumar Nepal and Nepali Congress party chief Girija Prasad Koirala, were planning protests in the capital, Kathmandu, on Monday to mark the first anniversary of demonstrations against the king.

All people should now stop street protests so we can move ahead as we work towards elections by April next year Kamal Thapa, home minister

The protests went ahead and at least 100 demonstrators and police were injured in clashes.

More than 1,000 demonstrators were arrested as police used batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd, who responded by throwing stones.

Mr Thapa said the ban on assemblies of more than five people in the capital would be lifted and urged political parties organising protests to end their feud with the palace.

"All people should now stop street protests so we can move ahead as we work towards elections by April next year," he said.

The BBC's Charles Haviland in Kathmandu says the protests are likely to continue with increased strength.

Kamal Thapa says he hopes the king can meet political leaders

However, he says the government's move may also pave the way for Mr Koirala to hold talks with the king.

Lifting the ban was a condition the opposition had set before any dialogue on ending Nepal's political crisis.

"If the move facilitates a meeting between His Majesty the King and the political parties, the government will be happy," Mr Thapa said.

The arrested leaders said their detentions were a cowardly and criminal act by a government afraid of protests.

Opposition parties say King Gyanendra acted unconstitutionally when he sacked the elected government in 2002 and assumed executive powers.

They have refused to recognise the prime ministers the king has appointed since then. The parties have been insisting on the reinstatement of parliament.

They maintain this will also pave the way for resolving the eight-year Maoist rebellion that has left about 9,000 people dead.