Nepal King finally addresses the nation!

 Proclamation to the Nation from His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (21 April 2006)

Beloved Countrymen,
You are all aware that, given the situation prevailing in the country then, we were compelled to take the decision of 1 February 2005 to set in motion a meaningful exercise in multiparty democracy by activating all elected bodies, ensuring peace and security and a corruption-free good governance through the collective wisdom, understanding and the united efforts of all the Nepalese. By supporting our decision, the Nepalese people made amply clear their desire for peace and democracy and the civil servants demonstrated sincerity towards their duties. We are appreciative of this. We also have high regard for the dutifulness, valour and discipline displayed by the security personnel, upholding their glorious traditions.
By visiting different parts of the country, we made honest endeavours to acquaint ourselves with the hopes and aspirations of our people, mitigate their hardships and boost their morale. We also called on the political parties to enter into a dialogue in the interest of the nation and people afflicted by violence and terrorism. However, this did not materialise. The ideals of democracy can be realised only through the active participation of political parties. In keeping with the traditions of the Shah Dynasty to reign in accordance with the popular will in the greater interest of the nation and people and our unflinching commitment towards Constitutional Monarchy and multiparty democracy, we, through this Proclamation, affirm that the Executive Power of the Kingdom of Nepal, which was in our safekeeping, shall, from this day, be returned to the people and be exercised in accordance with Article 35 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal - 1990. As the source of Sovereign Authority is inherent in the people, harmony
and understanding must be preserved in the interest of the nation and people in an environment of peace and security. While safeguarding multiparty democracy, the nation must be taken ahead along the road of peace and prosperity by bringing into the democratic mainstream those who have deviated from the constitutional path. Similarly, a meaningful exercise in democracy must be ensured with the activation of representative bodies through elections as soon as possible. We, therefore, call upon the Seven Party Alliance to recommend a name, for the post of Prime Minister, at the earliest for the constitution of the Council of Ministers which will bear the responsibility of governing the country in accordance with the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal - 1990. The present Council of Ministers will continue to function until the appointment of the Prime Minister.
May Lord Pashupatinath bless us all!
Jaya Nepal!
(Unofficial Translation)
Source: Royal Palace Secretariat

 

Hundreds Arrested in Nepal at Rallies Urging Return to Democracy

KATMANDU, Nepal, March 14 -- Security forces arrested hundreds of people calling for the restoration of democracy in the biggest protests since King Gyanendra imposed emergency rule last month, according to Nepali political parties and witnesses.
The Himalayan kingdom's five main political parties had called on their members to defy a ban on protests to register their opposition to Gyanendra's assumption of absolute power, which has been condemned by the governments of India, the United States and Britain.

The biggest protest was in the eastern town of Janakpur. The Communist Party of Nepal said 500 activists were arrested there, while Brij Kumar Yadav, a Janakpur journalist, estimated there had been 300 arrests. A crackdown by security forces muted the response elsewhere.
After Gyanendra declared a state of emergency on Feb. 1, he moved to stifle dissent, saying Nepali leaders had failed to crush a Maoist revolt in which more than 11,000 people have been killed since 1996.
There were at least 100 other arrests around the country, party sources and witnesses said.
In the capital, Katmandu, a planned protest fizzled before it began, with riot police and reporters outnumbering protesters in the city's Asan bazaar, but there were sporadic gestures of defiance, resulting in 15 arrests.
"We are fighting for democracy," said Bir Bahadur Singh, a gray-haired man wearing glasses. "This is just a beginning. We will continue the protests until our demands are met."
Police led him away. Minutes later, two elderly men were also taken away. "Under the emergency, assembly is prohibited," said police official Ramesh Kharel.

MAOIST ATTACK

Kathmandu, April 13: One Brigade Vice commander of Maoist cadre is reported to have died while some others were injured as two mortar bombs accidentally went off near Ghodaghodi lake at a time when a large number of terrorists gathered here from Chaumala to Ghodaghodi lake .
The terrorist group had come together here to prepare for attack on Sukhhad of Kailali district, according to the Division head Quarter of Dipayaal in far western region which quoted locals as saying.

They are said to have cancelled the plan later after the incident, and headed towards the forest in the south.

राजाबाट पूर्व प्रम भट्टराई र थापासंग भेट

राजाको प्रत्यक्ष शासन विरोधी आन्दोलन चर्कीँदै जाँदा श्री ५ ज्ञानेन्द्रबाट सोमवार दुईजना नेताहरुसंग भेट गरीबक्सेको छ।

त्यसरी भेट गर्नेहरुमा भूतपूर्व प्रधानमन्त्रीद्वय कृष्णप्रसाद भट्टराई तथा सुर्यबहादुर थापा हुनुहुन्छ।
मौसुफबाट आइतवार मन्त्री परिषद्का उपाध्यक्षद्वय डाक्टर तुलसी गिरी तथा किर्तिनिधि विष्टसंग संयुक्तरुपमा भेट गरीबक्सको थियो।
आइतवार नै श्री ५ बाट संयुक्त राज्य अमेरीका, भारत तथा चिनका काठमाडौंस्थित राजदूतहरुलाई पनि भेट बक्सेको थियो।
आइतवार भएका भेटघाटहरुका सम्वन्धमा कुनै जानकारी प्रकाशमा आएको छैन।
तर भारतस्थित नेपाली मामिलाका एकजना विज्ञ जनरल अशोक मेहताले बीबीसी नेपाली सेवासंग कुरा गर्दै हालैका दिनहरुमा भारतले पहिले, पहिले झै नेपालका लागि संवैधानिक राजतन्त्र र बहूदलीय प्रजातन्त्र दुबै अपरिहार्य छ भनेर जोड दिन छाडेको बताउनु भयो।
सोमवार राजासंग भेट गर्नुहुने श्री भट्टराईले राजाले आफूलाई सहयोग गर्न अनुरोध गरीबक्सेको तर आफूले २०४७ सालको संविधान अनुरुप प्रजातन्त्र पुर्नस्थापना नभएसम्म सहयोग गर्न नसक्ने स्पष्ट पारेको बताउनुभयो।
श्री थापाले भने भेटपछि पत्रकारहरुसंग भएको संक्षीप्त कुराकानीमा देशको अहिलेको परिस्थितिबारे गम्भिर छलफल भएको मात्र उल्लेख गर्नुभयो।
श्री ५ बाट नयाँ वर्षको अवसरमा बक्स भएको सन्देशमा संवादमाथि दिइएको जोड र त्यसपछि चर्कीएको आन्दोलनको परिप्रेक्ष्यमा वर्तमान भेटहरु भैरहेको ठानिएको छ।
बीबीसीका काठमाडौं संवाददाता सुशील शर्माका अनुसार राजाबाट आउंदा दिनहरुमा अन्य भूतपूर्व प्रधानमन्त्रीहरूसंग पनि भेट गरीबक्सने संभावना छ।
तर नेपाली कांग्रेसका एकजना नेतालाई उद्धृत गर्दै हाम्रा संवाददाता भन्छन्, वर्तमान आन्दोलनको नेतृत्व गरीरहनुभएका दुई प्रमूख नेताहरु भूतपूर्व प्रधानमन्त्रीद्वय गिरीजाप्रसाद कोइराला र शेरबहादुर देउवा भने राजाबाट सार्वजनिकरुपमा राजकीय सत्ता जनतामा हस्तान्तरण भएको घोषणा नभएसम्म राजासंग भेटगर्ने पक्षमा हुनुहुन्न।

MAOIST ATTACK

Kathmandu, April 13: One Brigade Vice commander of Maoist cadre is reported to have died while some others were injured as two mortar bombs accidentally went off near Ghodaghodi lake at a time when a large number of terrorists gathered here from Chaumala to Ghodaghodi lake .
The terrorist group had come together here to prepare for attack on Sukhhad of Kailali district, according to the Division head Quarter of Dipayaal in far western region which quoted locals as saying.

They are said to have cancelled the plan later after the incident, and headed towards the forest in the south.

Further hoopla in Nepal

Even lawyers (link has weird first page) are protesting in the streets in Katmandhu against King Gyanendra; and are being wounded and arrested during the protests. There is much more on this story here, from the International Herald Tribune via the AP. Reuters begins its story with headlines that call the demonstrations "mostly peaceful", but continues on with more information about the lawyers' demonstration. It also includes a bit about a demonstration in Pokhara.
Thousands of people marched in the western tourist resort town of Pokhara in memory of one activist shot dead by troops during a protest last week.
"My son-in-law gave his life for democracy. His sacrifice should not go waste," Uma Devi Poudel, the victim's mother-in-law, told the assembly as she tried to hold back her tears, a witness said.

The Nepalese people want justice and democracy in their country. '"We want a democratic republic where people make policies, people make laws and people are the rulers," said Mukta Shreshta, a woman activist, as nearly 3,000 people cheered her in the Kathmandu suburb of Kirtipur.'(Reuters) King Gyanendra, especially since he shut down the rest of the government last year, seems to be a stumbling block in moving in that direction. Because of the King's actions, "The (pro-Maoist) rebels and the seven political parties formed a loose alliance last November under which the Maoists are backing the latest anti-king campaign." (again, Reuters)

The UN has asked the Nepalese government "to stop its "excessive use of force" against pro-democracy demonstrators, including severe beatings, indiscriminate attacks on bystanders and "seriously unacceptable" detention conditions." (from the Times of India (4/13/06)

In my post of 4/9/06 "Protests in Nepal are significant", I gave my opinion on the situation. I will continue to update this continuing story as it goes on.