http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/PM_assures_support_to_Nepal_/articleshow/3118175.cms
NEW DELHI: As Nepal moves on the path of transition, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured it of continued Indian support for its economic development. Singh conveyed this to Nepalese Ambassador Durgesh Mansingh here when the latter called on him to express gratitude for Indian support. Issues related to the ongoing movement of Nepal towards democracy came up for discussions during the meeting, sources said. The Prime Minister hailed the recent Constituent Assembly elections in Nepal and expressed hope that the leadership of the Himalayan country would continue to display the wisdom in future also. India has appreciated Nepal's movement towards democracy and voiced readiness to extend all possible help in its development and progress. Singh's assurance came at a time when Nepal is set to see its first democratic government after abolition of 240-year-old Monarchy.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Nepal's ex-king to leave palace on Wednesday: official
Jun 10, 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iYVBkgaDz4gF_2IRzxgtpkzwjcJQ
KATHMANDU (AFP) — Nepal's ex-king Gyanendra will leave his palace on Wednesday, a day before the expiry of a deadline set by a constitutional assembly which abolished the monarchy, a palace official said.
He is expected to move to a former hunting lodge on the outskirts of Kathmandu, with his palace in the heart of the city set to be turned into a museum.
"The (former) king will leave the palace on Wednesday, and before leaving he will hold a press conference," Phanindra Raj Pathak, the chief of the palace press secretariat told AFP Tuesday.
Nepal's monarchy was abolished on May 28 by the constitutional assembly, which was set up following a peace deal between Maoist insurgents and mainstream political parties.
The Maoists, who have told the king to bow out gracefully or else be put on trial, welcomed the news.
"It's a very positive step that the king has peacefully accepted the decision to vacate the palace. We are thankful to him," Krishna Bahadur Mahara, spokesman for the former rebels, told AFP.
"It has started a new era for peaceful political transition, and we honour his decision to live as a common citizen."
The precise time of the former king's press conference has yet to be decided the palace official said, adding that it would probably be Wednesday evening.
Earlier this week, officials who were conducting an audit of palace property complained that the ex-monarch had failed to hand over the country's jewel-encrusted crown, but the palace official said the national treasure would be handed over before Gyanendra leaves Wednesday.
"Of course he will hand over the crown before leaving," said Pathak, the palace press official.
"How can he take away the crown and sceptre when he is peacefully exiting the palace and giving up all of his royal privileges?"
The ex-monarch has been granted temporary permission to stay in a palace in Nagarjun, close to the capital, and the government of the newly republican country will continue to provide security, a home ministry spokesman said.
"The former king and queen will have 75 security personnel based in Nagarjun palace for their protection, fifty from the armed police and 25 from the army," Modraj Dottel, home ministry spokesman told AFP.
"We will give him extra security to escort him to his new residence on Wednesday if he requests it," said Dottel.
Gyanendra ascended the throne in June 2001 after a palace massacre in which the then crown prince -- who was drunk and on drugs and furious at being prevented from marrying the woman he loved -- killed most of the family and himself.
Gyanendra went on to sack the government and take direct control of the impoverished Himalayan nation, claiming the move was needed because politicians were inept and corrupt and had failed to tackle a Maoist insurgency.
The move pushed the mainstream parties and rebels into an alliance that led to a peace deal in late 2006 and the abolition of the monarchy last month.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iYVBkgaDz4gF_2IRzxgtpkzwjcJQ
KATHMANDU (AFP) — Nepal's ex-king Gyanendra will leave his palace on Wednesday, a day before the expiry of a deadline set by a constitutional assembly which abolished the monarchy, a palace official said.
He is expected to move to a former hunting lodge on the outskirts of Kathmandu, with his palace in the heart of the city set to be turned into a museum.
"The (former) king will leave the palace on Wednesday, and before leaving he will hold a press conference," Phanindra Raj Pathak, the chief of the palace press secretariat told AFP Tuesday.
Nepal's monarchy was abolished on May 28 by the constitutional assembly, which was set up following a peace deal between Maoist insurgents and mainstream political parties.
The Maoists, who have told the king to bow out gracefully or else be put on trial, welcomed the news.
"It's a very positive step that the king has peacefully accepted the decision to vacate the palace. We are thankful to him," Krishna Bahadur Mahara, spokesman for the former rebels, told AFP.
"It has started a new era for peaceful political transition, and we honour his decision to live as a common citizen."
The precise time of the former king's press conference has yet to be decided the palace official said, adding that it would probably be Wednesday evening.
Earlier this week, officials who were conducting an audit of palace property complained that the ex-monarch had failed to hand over the country's jewel-encrusted crown, but the palace official said the national treasure would be handed over before Gyanendra leaves Wednesday.
"Of course he will hand over the crown before leaving," said Pathak, the palace press official.
"How can he take away the crown and sceptre when he is peacefully exiting the palace and giving up all of his royal privileges?"
The ex-monarch has been granted temporary permission to stay in a palace in Nagarjun, close to the capital, and the government of the newly republican country will continue to provide security, a home ministry spokesman said.
"The former king and queen will have 75 security personnel based in Nagarjun palace for their protection, fifty from the armed police and 25 from the army," Modraj Dottel, home ministry spokesman told AFP.
"We will give him extra security to escort him to his new residence on Wednesday if he requests it," said Dottel.
Gyanendra ascended the throne in June 2001 after a palace massacre in which the then crown prince -- who was drunk and on drugs and furious at being prevented from marrying the woman he loved -- killed most of the family and himself.
Gyanendra went on to sack the government and take direct control of the impoverished Himalayan nation, claiming the move was needed because politicians were inept and corrupt and had failed to tackle a Maoist insurgency.
The move pushed the mainstream parties and rebels into an alliance that led to a peace deal in late 2006 and the abolition of the monarchy last month.
Book Review - Nebulous Newness in Nepal
June 11, 2008 at 06:59:22 Review: Nebulous Newness In Nepal
by Ramesh Prasad Page 1 of 2 page(s) http://www.opednews.com
document.write ('" target=_blank>
The Raj Lives: India In Nepal
By Sanjay Upadhya
Vitasta Publishing Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi
350 Pages; Hardbound Edition: 2008
ISBN: 81-89766-73-2
Price: Indian Rs. 645
The abolition of the 240-year-old monarchy in Nepal has come as a relief to those Indians disenchanted by successive kings’ hostility toward India. Indeed, the dominant theme of the history of India’s relations with its northern neighbor revolves around how Nepali kings took every opportunity to antagonize India.
At bilateral forums, Kathmandu always pressed demands without scant regard for India’s sensitivities. At multilateral forums, Nepal consistently ganged up with governments hostile to New Delhi. Nepal’s voting record in the United Nations was consistently against India’s foreign policy interests.
New Delhi compounded its problems by creating the perception among ordinary Nepalis that it was backing the palace. When King Gyanendra seized power in early 2005, touching off one of the worst crises in bilateral relations, there was a belief in a sizeable constituency in Nepal that he had actually done so at the instigation of India. When New Delhi mediated an alliance the following year between the Maoist rebels and the mainstream parties for the restoration of democracy, Kathmandu seethed with suspicion that this was another Indian ploy to extract concessions from the palace. In essence, India lost both ways in Nepal.
Now New Delhi has wisely sided with the Nepali people. The Maoist victory in the recent elections came as a surprise to Indian policymakers, but they have prudently engaged with the former rebels. An opportunity for a new beginning beckons both nations. Yet India must not underestimate the challenge it faces from across a vast and unregulated border.
A new book, “The Raj Lives: India In Nepal,” provides important pointers to India. Essentially a compendium of longstanding Nepali grievances against India – and the British colonial rulers – the book’s principal strength lies in its portrayal of the depth of “anti-Indianism” in Nepal. The author, Sanjay Upadhya, a Nepali journalist, has shown how political parties, including traditionally India-friendly organizations like the Nepali Congress, have tapped into this psychology for electoral gains. From this book, it seems the political atmosphere has been vitiated to the point where it is immaterial who or what system governs Nepal.
The Maoists present the most conspicuous challenge. They have made a comparatively smooth transition from a bloody armed insurgency to the democratic mainstream. The Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninists), among other parties, continue to voice skepticism over their true intentions. The Maoists, it must not be forgotten, had launched their uprising on a 40-point charter that began with purely anti-Indian demands.
In power, they have now moderated their stance on the controversial 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Indian officials, to their credit, have expressed their readiness to revisit the treaty in line with Nepali grievances. In interviews with Indian media organizations, Maoist chairman Prachanda has made conciliatory statements vis-à-vis India. Back home, he tends to strike a different posture. Some of this may be attributed to the continuing process of the former rebels’ adjustment to democracy. Still, India cannot afford to lower its guard, especially considering our own Naxal insurgency.
One important reason, as Upadhya explains, is that the Maoists have strengthened their relations with the Chinese. During the 10-year-old insurgency, the monarchy, the mainstream parties as well as China accused India of aiding and abetting the uprising. The Nepali rebels undoubtedly used their relations with Naxalites and other Indian insurgent groups to seek safe haven on Indian soil.
New Delhi, in reality, offered the palace and parties political and military support to fight the insurgency. India captured top Maoist leaders and countless lower rank functionaries and deported them to Nepal. Those with cases pending locally were kept under the Indian judicial system. Still, the notion that India actively trained and armed the Nepali rebels, ludicrous as it may have sounded this side of the border, took hold in Nepal and continues to this day.
After the collapse of royal rule, the Chinese moved steadily to improve ties with the Maoists. As Nepali parties squabbled over the kind of government that should replace the monarchy, a senior Maoist minister visited China. Although the minister, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, sought to explain away the visit as routine, the timing clearly indicates it was anything but.
Another source of concern for India is the United States. As Deb Mukherji, a former Indian ambassador in Kathmandu, pointed out at a recent seminar, Washington’s growing influence in Nepal – more than India’s role – could alienate China. This, according to Mukherji, could exacerbate New Delhi’s woes in the long run. The United States has built an ultra-modern embassy in Kathmandu, signaling its long-term interests in Nepal.
In some ways, India and China have created a quiet arrangement whereby Beijing has conceded New Delhi’s predominant role in Nepal, given the common religious, cultural and social heritage. It is when China has felt its interests threatened, such as the growing American military engagement with the palace in the prelude to the royal coup, that Beijing has reacted more aggressively. India must calibrate its Nepal policy independent of other governments, in tandem with Nepali aspirations and in cognizance of its broad range of interests.
The pro-Tibet demonstrations in Kathmandu over the last two months may have shifted the Nepali mindset. The manner in which the Chinese embassy virtually ordered the Nepali government to crack down on the protesters did not go down well with ordinary Nepalis. As a result, a nation committed to building a new democratic structure came under heavy criticism from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other international organizations for its “autocratic” tendencies.
The fact that the Chinese were so aggressive in asserting their interests may allow Nepalis to understand India in a new light. How new, of course, would depend on India.
by Ramesh Prasad Page 1 of 2 page(s) http://www.opednews.com
document.write ('" target=_blank>
The Raj Lives: India In Nepal
By Sanjay Upadhya
Vitasta Publishing Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi
350 Pages; Hardbound Edition: 2008
ISBN: 81-89766-73-2
Price: Indian Rs. 645
The abolition of the 240-year-old monarchy in Nepal has come as a relief to those Indians disenchanted by successive kings’ hostility toward India. Indeed, the dominant theme of the history of India’s relations with its northern neighbor revolves around how Nepali kings took every opportunity to antagonize India.
At bilateral forums, Kathmandu always pressed demands without scant regard for India’s sensitivities. At multilateral forums, Nepal consistently ganged up with governments hostile to New Delhi. Nepal’s voting record in the United Nations was consistently against India’s foreign policy interests.
New Delhi compounded its problems by creating the perception among ordinary Nepalis that it was backing the palace. When King Gyanendra seized power in early 2005, touching off one of the worst crises in bilateral relations, there was a belief in a sizeable constituency in Nepal that he had actually done so at the instigation of India. When New Delhi mediated an alliance the following year between the Maoist rebels and the mainstream parties for the restoration of democracy, Kathmandu seethed with suspicion that this was another Indian ploy to extract concessions from the palace. In essence, India lost both ways in Nepal.
Now New Delhi has wisely sided with the Nepali people. The Maoist victory in the recent elections came as a surprise to Indian policymakers, but they have prudently engaged with the former rebels. An opportunity for a new beginning beckons both nations. Yet India must not underestimate the challenge it faces from across a vast and unregulated border.
A new book, “The Raj Lives: India In Nepal,” provides important pointers to India. Essentially a compendium of longstanding Nepali grievances against India – and the British colonial rulers – the book’s principal strength lies in its portrayal of the depth of “anti-Indianism” in Nepal. The author, Sanjay Upadhya, a Nepali journalist, has shown how political parties, including traditionally India-friendly organizations like the Nepali Congress, have tapped into this psychology for electoral gains. From this book, it seems the political atmosphere has been vitiated to the point where it is immaterial who or what system governs Nepal.
The Maoists present the most conspicuous challenge. They have made a comparatively smooth transition from a bloody armed insurgency to the democratic mainstream. The Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninists), among other parties, continue to voice skepticism over their true intentions. The Maoists, it must not be forgotten, had launched their uprising on a 40-point charter that began with purely anti-Indian demands.
In power, they have now moderated their stance on the controversial 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Indian officials, to their credit, have expressed their readiness to revisit the treaty in line with Nepali grievances. In interviews with Indian media organizations, Maoist chairman Prachanda has made conciliatory statements vis-à-vis India. Back home, he tends to strike a different posture. Some of this may be attributed to the continuing process of the former rebels’ adjustment to democracy. Still, India cannot afford to lower its guard, especially considering our own Naxal insurgency.
One important reason, as Upadhya explains, is that the Maoists have strengthened their relations with the Chinese. During the 10-year-old insurgency, the monarchy, the mainstream parties as well as China accused India of aiding and abetting the uprising. The Nepali rebels undoubtedly used their relations with Naxalites and other Indian insurgent groups to seek safe haven on Indian soil.
New Delhi, in reality, offered the palace and parties political and military support to fight the insurgency. India captured top Maoist leaders and countless lower rank functionaries and deported them to Nepal. Those with cases pending locally were kept under the Indian judicial system. Still, the notion that India actively trained and armed the Nepali rebels, ludicrous as it may have sounded this side of the border, took hold in Nepal and continues to this day.
After the collapse of royal rule, the Chinese moved steadily to improve ties with the Maoists. As Nepali parties squabbled over the kind of government that should replace the monarchy, a senior Maoist minister visited China. Although the minister, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, sought to explain away the visit as routine, the timing clearly indicates it was anything but.
Another source of concern for India is the United States. As Deb Mukherji, a former Indian ambassador in Kathmandu, pointed out at a recent seminar, Washington’s growing influence in Nepal – more than India’s role – could alienate China. This, according to Mukherji, could exacerbate New Delhi’s woes in the long run. The United States has built an ultra-modern embassy in Kathmandu, signaling its long-term interests in Nepal.
In some ways, India and China have created a quiet arrangement whereby Beijing has conceded New Delhi’s predominant role in Nepal, given the common religious, cultural and social heritage. It is when China has felt its interests threatened, such as the growing American military engagement with the palace in the prelude to the royal coup, that Beijing has reacted more aggressively. India must calibrate its Nepal policy independent of other governments, in tandem with Nepali aspirations and in cognizance of its broad range of interests.
The pro-Tibet demonstrations in Kathmandu over the last two months may have shifted the Nepali mindset. The manner in which the Chinese embassy virtually ordered the Nepali government to crack down on the protesters did not go down well with ordinary Nepalis. As a result, a nation committed to building a new democratic structure came under heavy criticism from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other international organizations for its “autocratic” tendencies.
The fact that the Chinese were so aggressive in asserting their interests may allow Nepalis to understand India in a new light. How new, of course, would depend on India.
SC again defers parliamentary decision on writ challenging CA decision
http://www.nepalnews.com:80/archive/2008/jun/jun20/news11.php
The Supreme Court (SC) has again deferred the preliminary decision on the writ challenging the legitimacy of the decision by the Constituent Assembly (CA) to implement republic.
For the second time in a week, the SC has deferred passing a preliminary decision on the writ. It has now stated that the decision on the issue would be taken on Sunday.
The SC division bench comprising of judge Damodar Sharma was to pass a preliminary decision on the writ on last Sunday but it decided to defer the same till today and again today it decided to defer the decision till June 22.
The writ filed by one Ram Kumar Ojha has demanded that the CA decision be annulled stating that the incomplete CA - as the government has not yet nominated 26 members of the 601-member strong CA envisaged by the constitution – could not take the decision.
"Today the bench did not even take up the issue and it simply deferred it till Sunday," said Ojha.
The initial hearing of the case had been completed ten days ago. nepalnews.com sd Jun 20 08
The Supreme Court (SC) has again deferred the preliminary decision on the writ challenging the legitimacy of the decision by the Constituent Assembly (CA) to implement republic.
For the second time in a week, the SC has deferred passing a preliminary decision on the writ. It has now stated that the decision on the issue would be taken on Sunday.
The SC division bench comprising of judge Damodar Sharma was to pass a preliminary decision on the writ on last Sunday but it decided to defer the same till today and again today it decided to defer the decision till June 22.
The writ filed by one Ram Kumar Ojha has demanded that the CA decision be annulled stating that the incomplete CA - as the government has not yet nominated 26 members of the 601-member strong CA envisaged by the constitution – could not take the decision.
"Today the bench did not even take up the issue and it simply deferred it till Sunday," said Ojha.
The initial hearing of the case had been completed ten days ago. nepalnews.com sd Jun 20 08
Indian Mission in Nepal : Interference and Instability
http://telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=3575
TGW India’s Ambassador to Nepal, Rakesh Sood met with Mr. Kamal Thapa-the president of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Mr. Surya Bahadur Thapa- the president of the Rastriya Janashakti Party on June 11, 2008, say reports.
Rakesh Sood met with both the Thapas secretly, writes Road Map weekly-dated June 13, 2008, further.
“Rakesh Sood’s meet with Surya Bahadur Thapa does not bear that much significance because since his hay day in Nepali politics, Surya Bahadur is considered as the real man of the Indian establishment perhaps more trusted partner Thapa is to India than the India born incumbent Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala”, say analyst.
“However, Sood’s secret meet with Kamal Thapa- a staunch royalist, does hint that India possibly is playing double in Nepal in order to provoke the royalists to destabilize the county in the days ahead”, add analysts.
A report published in a vernacular weekly last week had it that RSS (Rastriya Swyam Sevak Sangatha)-India’s Hindu Fundamentalist outfit, had drafted a “Nepal Plan”- that was later submitted to the government of India through the BJP(Bharatiya Janata Party)---which have been already endorsed by the India’s proxy Prime Minister Dr. Man Mohan Singh. The report adds that the RSS Proposal has been forwarded to the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and the Indian ambassador to Nepal will now on make his moves as per the RSS proposal.
“The RSS proposal mainly focuses on downsizing the Maoists by not allowing them to form the next government in Nepal”, the Jan Aastha Weekly wrote this Wednesday 11 June, 08.
Thus, say analysts, India’s ambassador meeting Kamal Thapa who is visibly leading the defeated forces-read the royalists, in Nepal is some how or the other linked to the RSS Proposal of tapping the ex-royalists and the Hindu fundamentalists of Nepal to destabilize the county further.
Be that as it may, the Road Map Weekly making further revelation writes: “after a secret meet between the Maoists’ leadership with India’s former ambassador to Nepal, Mr. Krishna V. Rajan ( concurrently deputy to India’s national security advisor M.K. Narayanan) whose fresh Nepal trip was kept a guarded secret-the Maoists had shown some flexibility-which they did by giving up their demand for the president, awarding for free the Nagarjun Palace for ex-King Gyanendra and Narayanhiti Palace for his Mother Ratna.
On the other hand, reports are also that India’s communist leaders led by none other than Sita Ram Yechuri are trying to pressurize the Indian government to not create hurdles for Comrade Pushpa Kamal Dahal to be elevated as the first president of the republic of Nepal.
This does mean that the Indian tentacles have already spread in Nepal. The Indian mission is to “destabilize” Nepal ad infinitum. It also becomes clear that the Indian establishment will create Himalayan problems when the Maoists come to assume power in Singh Durbar.
TGW India’s Ambassador to Nepal, Rakesh Sood met with Mr. Kamal Thapa-the president of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Mr. Surya Bahadur Thapa- the president of the Rastriya Janashakti Party on June 11, 2008, say reports.
Rakesh Sood met with both the Thapas secretly, writes Road Map weekly-dated June 13, 2008, further.
“Rakesh Sood’s meet with Surya Bahadur Thapa does not bear that much significance because since his hay day in Nepali politics, Surya Bahadur is considered as the real man of the Indian establishment perhaps more trusted partner Thapa is to India than the India born incumbent Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala”, say analyst.
“However, Sood’s secret meet with Kamal Thapa- a staunch royalist, does hint that India possibly is playing double in Nepal in order to provoke the royalists to destabilize the county in the days ahead”, add analysts.
A report published in a vernacular weekly last week had it that RSS (Rastriya Swyam Sevak Sangatha)-India’s Hindu Fundamentalist outfit, had drafted a “Nepal Plan”- that was later submitted to the government of India through the BJP(Bharatiya Janata Party)---which have been already endorsed by the India’s proxy Prime Minister Dr. Man Mohan Singh. The report adds that the RSS Proposal has been forwarded to the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and the Indian ambassador to Nepal will now on make his moves as per the RSS proposal.
“The RSS proposal mainly focuses on downsizing the Maoists by not allowing them to form the next government in Nepal”, the Jan Aastha Weekly wrote this Wednesday 11 June, 08.
Thus, say analysts, India’s ambassador meeting Kamal Thapa who is visibly leading the defeated forces-read the royalists, in Nepal is some how or the other linked to the RSS Proposal of tapping the ex-royalists and the Hindu fundamentalists of Nepal to destabilize the county further.
Be that as it may, the Road Map Weekly making further revelation writes: “after a secret meet between the Maoists’ leadership with India’s former ambassador to Nepal, Mr. Krishna V. Rajan ( concurrently deputy to India’s national security advisor M.K. Narayanan) whose fresh Nepal trip was kept a guarded secret-the Maoists had shown some flexibility-which they did by giving up their demand for the president, awarding for free the Nagarjun Palace for ex-King Gyanendra and Narayanhiti Palace for his Mother Ratna.
On the other hand, reports are also that India’s communist leaders led by none other than Sita Ram Yechuri are trying to pressurize the Indian government to not create hurdles for Comrade Pushpa Kamal Dahal to be elevated as the first president of the republic of Nepal.
This does mean that the Indian tentacles have already spread in Nepal. The Indian mission is to “destabilize” Nepal ad infinitum. It also becomes clear that the Indian establishment will create Himalayan problems when the Maoists come to assume power in Singh Durbar.
Royal Flag comes down at nepal palace
May 29, 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iP4mLXgRxreSbV0C3XfseE42u2JA
KATHMANDU (AFP) — The royal flag was taken down from Nepal's royal palace Thursday as the Himalayan nation celebrated a vote consigning its centuries-old monarchy to the history books and declaring a republic.
The country was marking late Wednesday's decision by a Maoist-dominated constitutional assembly with a two-day public holiday, and King Gyanendra -- facing a two-week deadline to leave -- was said to be packing his bags.
"The royal flag was replaced by Nepal's national flag inside the palace," a palace source said. "The flag has been changed as part of the government decision to implement a republic."
In a landmark vote capping a peace accord between the Maoists and mainstream parties, lawmakers voted just before midnight on Wednesday to abolish the 240-year-old Hindu monarchy and establish a secular republic.
They also ordered that the main palace in Kathmandu be turned into a museum.
Nepal's army, long seen as a bastion of royal support, said it will respect the verdict of the assembly.
According to prominent royal watcher Kishore Shrestha, the editor of the Nepali-language weekly newspaper Jana Aastha, the king was packing up and could move to a royal lodge on the outskirts of Kathmandu on Friday.
Some revellers tried to celebrate near the palace, but were beaten back by police who have kept the area sealed off for several days. At least five people, including one police officer, were injured in the skirmishes.
The Maoists, clear winners of last month's elections to the constitutional assembly, waged a decade of war to overthrow what they view as a backward, caste-ridden structure that kept most of Nepal's 29 million people living in poverty .
They have repeatedly warned Gyanendra he faces "strong punishment" if he refuses to bow out gracefully.
"It's a great day for Nepal," said Damodar Mainali, 20, a Kathmandu resident celebrating the radical change for the impoverished country. "The new Nepal belongs to people like me."
Maoist spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara said Nepal was now free of "feudal tradition," and promised "a radical social and economic transformation."
Many ordinary Nepalese are delighted to see the back of the dour, unpopular king as well as his son and would-be heir, Paras -- notorious for his playboy lifestyle.
Gyanendra ascended the throne amid grief and suspicion in 2001 after most of the royal family was slain in a palace massacre by the then crown prince, Dipendra.
Dipendra, who had been forbidden from marrying the woman he loved, gunned down his parents, the king and queen, and seven other royals before apparently turning the gun on himself.
Gyanendra was at the centre of many conspiracy theories linking him to the killings, and his unpopularity only deepened when he sacked the government and embarked on a period of autocratic rule in early 2005.
"There was no development under the monarchy," said Prakash Karki, 26, a Kathmandu businessman. "There will be now that the people will run the country."
The vote in the 601-member assembly to abolish the monarch was opposed by just four lawmakers.
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon welcomed the vote, saying Nepalese "have clearly spoken for peace and change."
Britain also approved, with Foreign Office Minister Lord Mark Malloch-Brown calling it "another step towards the democratic and stable future that the people of Nepal justly deserve."
Though the United States continues to list the former rebels as a foreign "terrorist" organisation, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Evan Feigenbaum just returned from Kathmandu after meeting Maoist chief Prachanda.
"There has been a policy that we had of not making contact with the Maoists. The fact that (US ambassador to Nepal) Nancy Powell met them and that I met them should suggest to you that we have just revised that policy with respect to this group," Feigenbaum said.
Not all were as welcoming. A leading Hindu group in Nepal threatened protests to prevent what they said would undermine the neutrality and unity of a country wedged between China and India.
"Monarchy and Hinduism are necessary so that the country does not fragment," said Hem Bahadur Karki, head of the World Hindu Federation.
Many remain wary of the Maoists, whose loyalists are regularly accused of using violence and intimidation.
"Whenever I go out there's a bomb blast, a strike or a demonstration. These are the daily worries," said Kathmandu shopkeeper Seema Pradhan, 25. "I hope they will be able to make things better."
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iP4mLXgRxreSbV0C3XfseE42u2JA
KATHMANDU (AFP) — The royal flag was taken down from Nepal's royal palace Thursday as the Himalayan nation celebrated a vote consigning its centuries-old monarchy to the history books and declaring a republic.
The country was marking late Wednesday's decision by a Maoist-dominated constitutional assembly with a two-day public holiday, and King Gyanendra -- facing a two-week deadline to leave -- was said to be packing his bags.
"The royal flag was replaced by Nepal's national flag inside the palace," a palace source said. "The flag has been changed as part of the government decision to implement a republic."
In a landmark vote capping a peace accord between the Maoists and mainstream parties, lawmakers voted just before midnight on Wednesday to abolish the 240-year-old Hindu monarchy and establish a secular republic.
They also ordered that the main palace in Kathmandu be turned into a museum.
Nepal's army, long seen as a bastion of royal support, said it will respect the verdict of the assembly.
According to prominent royal watcher Kishore Shrestha, the editor of the Nepali-language weekly newspaper Jana Aastha, the king was packing up and could move to a royal lodge on the outskirts of Kathmandu on Friday.
Some revellers tried to celebrate near the palace, but were beaten back by police who have kept the area sealed off for several days. At least five people, including one police officer, were injured in the skirmishes.
The Maoists, clear winners of last month's elections to the constitutional assembly, waged a decade of war to overthrow what they view as a backward, caste-ridden structure that kept most of Nepal's 29 million people living in poverty .
They have repeatedly warned Gyanendra he faces "strong punishment" if he refuses to bow out gracefully.
"It's a great day for Nepal," said Damodar Mainali, 20, a Kathmandu resident celebrating the radical change for the impoverished country. "The new Nepal belongs to people like me."
Maoist spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara said Nepal was now free of "feudal tradition," and promised "a radical social and economic transformation."
Many ordinary Nepalese are delighted to see the back of the dour, unpopular king as well as his son and would-be heir, Paras -- notorious for his playboy lifestyle.
Gyanendra ascended the throne amid grief and suspicion in 2001 after most of the royal family was slain in a palace massacre by the then crown prince, Dipendra.
Dipendra, who had been forbidden from marrying the woman he loved, gunned down his parents, the king and queen, and seven other royals before apparently turning the gun on himself.
Gyanendra was at the centre of many conspiracy theories linking him to the killings, and his unpopularity only deepened when he sacked the government and embarked on a period of autocratic rule in early 2005.
"There was no development under the monarchy," said Prakash Karki, 26, a Kathmandu businessman. "There will be now that the people will run the country."
The vote in the 601-member assembly to abolish the monarch was opposed by just four lawmakers.
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon welcomed the vote, saying Nepalese "have clearly spoken for peace and change."
Britain also approved, with Foreign Office Minister Lord Mark Malloch-Brown calling it "another step towards the democratic and stable future that the people of Nepal justly deserve."
Though the United States continues to list the former rebels as a foreign "terrorist" organisation, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Evan Feigenbaum just returned from Kathmandu after meeting Maoist chief Prachanda.
"There has been a policy that we had of not making contact with the Maoists. The fact that (US ambassador to Nepal) Nancy Powell met them and that I met them should suggest to you that we have just revised that policy with respect to this group," Feigenbaum said.
Not all were as welcoming. A leading Hindu group in Nepal threatened protests to prevent what they said would undermine the neutrality and unity of a country wedged between China and India.
"Monarchy and Hinduism are necessary so that the country does not fragment," said Hem Bahadur Karki, head of the World Hindu Federation.
Many remain wary of the Maoists, whose loyalists are regularly accused of using violence and intimidation.
"Whenever I go out there's a bomb blast, a strike or a demonstration. These are the daily worries," said Kathmandu shopkeeper Seema Pradhan, 25. "I hope they will be able to make things better."
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200805221940.htm
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200805221940.htm
Kathmandu (PTI): A global pro-Hindu organisation has threatened to organise a massive protest at the site of the key Constituent Assembly meet on May 28 to step up pressure on the political parties in Nepal to hold a referendum on the abolition of the 240-year-old monarchy.
The World Hindu Federation (WHF) has demanded a referendum before the abolition of the monarchy and asked the political parties to restore Nepal as a Hindu state, failing which it has threatened to stage a sit-in at the Birendra International Convention Centre on May 28, when the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly is expected to declare Nepal a republic by abolishing the centuries old monarchy.
The only Hindu nation in the world, Nepal was declared a secular state two years ago shortly after the restoration of democracy through the 'peoples' movement' in 2006 that sliced the powers of King Gyanendra.
"The political parties of Nepal have committed a blunder by declaring the world's only Hindu kingdom into a secular nation and it has posed a big challenge to all the Hindus of the world," said WHF International President Hem Bahadur Karki at a press meet here.
"We will organise an intensified non-violent movement beginning from May 28 till our demand for restoring Nepal as a Hindu nation is fulfilled," he noted.
Karki also demanded that some role should be alloted to the monarchy instead of completely abolishing the institution.
The WHF chief stressed that "Either ceremonial or cultural monarchy should be retained in order to maintain national unity" in the country. "There should be a referendum on whether monarchy should be abolished and whether Nepal should remain a secular state or restored as a Hindu nation," Karki observed.
Karki said the eighth general council meeting of the WHF held at Devipatan in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on April 27, 2008, "had passed a resolution condemning the unconstitutional and illegitimate decision by the interim Parliament of Nepal to declare the only Hindu kingdom of the world as a secular state".
"The 8th convention also authorised (the body WHF) to go to any extent to accomplish the goal of restoring Nepal into a Hindu kingdom," the chief of the WHF added.
The special assembly was the main demand of Nepal's political parties and the fiercely republican Maoists, who teamed up in April 2006 and orchestrated weeks of protests and unrest that resulted in King Gyanendra giving up dictatorial powers he had seized the year before.
Gyanendra was crowned king seven years ago in June 2001 after the killing of King Birendra and his family members, for which an official probe commission had held crown prince Dipendra, who committed suicide after the tragedy, responsible.
In a week from now, King Gyanendra will most probably be reduced to the status of an ordinary citizen as the special assembly will endorse the parliamentary motion to declare Nepal a republic and abolish the centuries old monarchy.
Kathmandu (PTI): A global pro-Hindu organisation has threatened to organise a massive protest at the site of the key Constituent Assembly meet on May 28 to step up pressure on the political parties in Nepal to hold a referendum on the abolition of the 240-year-old monarchy.
The World Hindu Federation (WHF) has demanded a referendum before the abolition of the monarchy and asked the political parties to restore Nepal as a Hindu state, failing which it has threatened to stage a sit-in at the Birendra International Convention Centre on May 28, when the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly is expected to declare Nepal a republic by abolishing the centuries old monarchy.
The only Hindu nation in the world, Nepal was declared a secular state two years ago shortly after the restoration of democracy through the 'peoples' movement' in 2006 that sliced the powers of King Gyanendra.
"The political parties of Nepal have committed a blunder by declaring the world's only Hindu kingdom into a secular nation and it has posed a big challenge to all the Hindus of the world," said WHF International President Hem Bahadur Karki at a press meet here.
"We will organise an intensified non-violent movement beginning from May 28 till our demand for restoring Nepal as a Hindu nation is fulfilled," he noted.
Karki also demanded that some role should be alloted to the monarchy instead of completely abolishing the institution.
The WHF chief stressed that "Either ceremonial or cultural monarchy should be retained in order to maintain national unity" in the country. "There should be a referendum on whether monarchy should be abolished and whether Nepal should remain a secular state or restored as a Hindu nation," Karki observed.
Karki said the eighth general council meeting of the WHF held at Devipatan in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on April 27, 2008, "had passed a resolution condemning the unconstitutional and illegitimate decision by the interim Parliament of Nepal to declare the only Hindu kingdom of the world as a secular state".
"The 8th convention also authorised (the body WHF) to go to any extent to accomplish the goal of restoring Nepal into a Hindu kingdom," the chief of the WHF added.
The special assembly was the main demand of Nepal's political parties and the fiercely republican Maoists, who teamed up in April 2006 and orchestrated weeks of protests and unrest that resulted in King Gyanendra giving up dictatorial powers he had seized the year before.
Gyanendra was crowned king seven years ago in June 2001 after the killing of King Birendra and his family members, for which an official probe commission had held crown prince Dipendra, who committed suicide after the tragedy, responsible.
In a week from now, King Gyanendra will most probably be reduced to the status of an ordinary citizen as the special assembly will endorse the parliamentary motion to declare Nepal a republic and abolish the centuries old monarchy.
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