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| Nepal PM in pledge to protesters | Nepal PM in pledge to protesters |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Nepalese PM Girija Prasad Koirala has vowed to amend the constitution to meet the key demands of protesters from the southern plains. | Nepalese PM Girija Prasad Koirala has vowed to amend the constitution to meet the key demands of protesters from the southern plains. |
| He has pledged a federal system of governance and more representation of the southern plains in the parliament. | He has pledged a federal system of governance and more representation of the southern plains in the parliament. |
| Nepal's human rights commission says 27 people have died over three weeks of protests in the region. | Nepal's human rights commission says 27 people have died over three weeks of protests in the region. |
| The protesting groups say they have been discriminated against in the existing state structure. | The protesting groups say they have been discriminated against in the existing state structure. |
| In a late-night address to the nation on Wednesday, Mr Koirala urged the groups of the southern Terai region to call off all protest. | In a late-night address to the nation on Wednesday, Mr Koirala urged the groups of the southern Terai region to call off all protest. |
| There have been no official reactions from the protesters. But the BBC's Sushil Sharma in Kathmandu says there are early indications of a positive response. | |
| Autonomy demands | Autonomy demands |
| Mr Koirala's statement - the second in a week - came after two days of hectic consultation among the seven governing parties and the former Maoist rebels who are currently backing the government. | Mr Koirala's statement - the second in a week - came after two days of hectic consultation among the seven governing parties and the former Maoist rebels who are currently backing the government. |
| The earlier statement giving assurances that the constituent assembly due to be held in June would take care of the demands of the groups failed to quell the protest. | The earlier statement giving assurances that the constituent assembly due to be held in June would take care of the demands of the groups failed to quell the protest. |
| The Madheshi community has been demanding autonomous federal regions and greater representation in parliament. | The Madheshi community has been demanding autonomous federal regions and greater representation in parliament. |
| It argued that "ruling elites" dominated by people from the mountains of Nepal have denied it fair political representation, and restricted the number of jobs available to them in the police and army. | It argued that "ruling elites" dominated by people from the mountains of Nepal have denied it fair political representation, and restricted the number of jobs available to them in the police and army. |
| They also want an autonomous region for the southern plains within a federal state. | They also want an autonomous region for the southern plains within a federal state. |
| Madheshis make up 33-45% of Nepal's population of 27 million but are vastly under-represented in government and the army, which tend to be dominated by hill-dwellers. | Madheshis make up 33-45% of Nepal's population of 27 million but are vastly under-represented in government and the army, which tend to be dominated by hill-dwellers. |