TMCnet News
Revolution in Nepal(The Irish Times Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)A democratic revolution is under way at the roof of the world. Under immense popular pressure Nepal's King Gyanendra yesterday conceded an end to the martial law introduced last year, the return of executive power to the people and called on the seven-party alliance opposing him to nominate a prime minister. Up to now he has steadfastly resisted such concessions - and now may well have left it too late to save the constitutional monarchy. More and more Nepalese are heartily tired of autocratic rule and demand a republic. The party alliance has demanded that the parliament be restored in full and a constituent assembly elected to decide on the country's future. The protest movement built up over the last three weeks included a general strike and a series of mass demonstrations defying a curfew. On Thursday, four people were shot dead and many wounded when troops opened fire on protesters in the capital Kathmandu. While the troops have remained loyal to the monarchy they are neither numerous enough nor determined enough to withstand this broad-based popular pressure for change. The picturesque Himalayan state of 28 million people has had a very chequered experience of parliamentary rule over the last 50 years. After years of power wrangling between the king and the government, the partial democratic experiment was dissolved in 1959, and a "party-less" absolute monarchy governed Nepal until 1989, when a popular movement forced the monarchy to accept constitutional reforms. King Gyanendra's predecessor, King Birendra, agreed to create a parliamentary monarchy with the king as head of state and a prime minister as head of government. This system was rudely disrupted by a growing Maoist rebellion which started in 1996 and has continued since, claiming some 14,000 victims. The failure to suppress it prompted King Gyanendra to seize absolute power in February last year, insisting he could succeed. He has completely failed to do so and was outflanked last November by an agreement between the Maoists and other parties to demand democratic change. Revolutionary change in Nepal could destabilise north-eastern India, where many states and districts are also controlled by Maoist parties. Yesterday, the US ambassador openly warned about this danger. Such basic interests are likely to override international support for a continuing constitutional monarchy. Their major effort will be to ensure the other Nepalese parties are strong enough to withstand the Maoist challenge. |