Nepal's king pledges to return democracy to people
By John Lancaster, Washington Post KATMANDU, Nepal
In an emergency television address, King Gyanendra declared yesterday that he would hand power to Nepal's main political parties, after 16 days of often-violent protests that have brought the Himalayan country to a standstill.
The king broke days of silence in an effort to calm a street movement that has gained momentum in the face of mass arrests and rushes by baton-wielding police, drawing support from diverse sectors of Nepalese society. Many young protesters demand nothing less than the abdication of Gyanendra, who assumed absolute power 14 months ago.
Early reaction from the street suggested his bid for conciliation would fail. Several leaders of the seven-party alliance coordinating the demonstrations said the statement fell short of their demands. The parties later issued a joint pledge that the protests would ''further intensify."
The unrest has raised fears of a humanitarian crisis in Nepal, an impoverished, mostly Hindu country of 28 million people that the outside world knows mostly for its breathtaking Himalayan peaks, including Mount Everest. India, China, and the United States worry about long-term lawlessness and the need for international aid.
US officials have expressed concern that Maoist insurgents, who hold much of the country after a 10-year rebellion, could emerge as the winners if the protests continue.
The United States joined India yesterday in welcoming the king's statement. ''We urge the parties to respond quickly by choosing a prime minister and a Cabinet," Sean McCormack, a State Department spokesman, said. That call could force the parties to choose between capitalizing on the momentum on the street or losing key international backing, especially if the anarchy spreads.
In a 7 p.m. address, a somber-looking Gyanendra, 58, promised that ''executive power of the kingdom of Nepal, which was in our safekeeping, shall from this day be returned to the people."
The king appealed to leaders of the party alliance to recommend a new prime minister who would oversee the naming of a new Cabinet and ''bear the responsibility of governing the country in accordance with the constitution."
Several key party leaders quickly responded that the statement failed to address their demands for the restoration of the last elected parliament, which was dissolved in 2002, and the convening of a national assembly to write a new constitution. Such a document could reduce the king to a ceremonial figure or eliminate the monarchy.
The king's statement also skipped over the parties' demand that any new government be vested with authority to negotiate a settlement with the Maoist rebels, whose fight to topple the monarchy has cost more than 12,000 lives.
In a brief phone interview after the king's speech, Ram Sharan Mahat, a former foreign minister and a leader of the Nepali Congress, the country's largest political party, described the statement as inadequate and short of many people's expectations. ''There are many ambiguities," he added.
Sher Bahadur Deuba, who was dismissed as prime minister by Gyanendra in 2002, told the Nepali-language newspaper Kantipur that the statement left ''no space for the parties to be hopeful."
Gyanendra's announcement was aimed at ending unrest that has claimed 14 lives and idled an economy already devastated by the insurgency. The protests have grown steadily in size and momentum; more than 200,000 people thronged the streets of Katmandu yesterday in defiance of a continuing curfew, according to estimates by UN observers and Nepalese media.
Thousands of protesters remained on the streets after the king's speech, and many dismissed it as a ploy. ''Democracy has been attacked by the royal palace so many times in the past," said Brijesh Sharma, 30, an engineer with the national telecommunications company. ''The protest goes on like this until we get what we are looking for."
The government's harsh crackdown on protesters and activists has sparked sharp condemnation from the United Nations and foreign governments, including the United States. Yesterday, before the king's statement, US Ambassador James Moriarty told reporters here that Gyanendra's hard-line stand placed his throne at risk.
''Time is running out," he said. ''Ultimately the king will have to leave if he doesn't compromise. And by 'ultimately' I mean sooner rather than later."
The king broke days of silence in an effort to calm a street movement that has gained momentum in the face of mass arrests and rushes by baton-wielding police, drawing support from diverse sectors of Nepalese society. Many young protesters demand nothing less than the abdication of Gyanendra, who assumed absolute power 14 months ago.
Early reaction from the street suggested his bid for conciliation would fail. Several leaders of the seven-party alliance coordinating the demonstrations said the statement fell short of their demands. The parties later issued a joint pledge that the protests would ''further intensify."
The unrest has raised fears of a humanitarian crisis in Nepal, an impoverished, mostly Hindu country of 28 million people that the outside world knows mostly for its breathtaking Himalayan peaks, including Mount Everest. India, China, and the United States worry about long-term lawlessness and the need for international aid.
US officials have expressed concern that Maoist insurgents, who hold much of the country after a 10-year rebellion, could emerge as the winners if the protests continue.
The United States joined India yesterday in welcoming the king's statement. ''We urge the parties to respond quickly by choosing a prime minister and a Cabinet," Sean McCormack, a State Department spokesman, said. That call could force the parties to choose between capitalizing on the momentum on the street or losing key international backing, especially if the anarchy spreads.
In a 7 p.m. address, a somber-looking Gyanendra, 58, promised that ''executive power of the kingdom of Nepal, which was in our safekeeping, shall from this day be returned to the people."
The king appealed to leaders of the party alliance to recommend a new prime minister who would oversee the naming of a new Cabinet and ''bear the responsibility of governing the country in accordance with the constitution."
Several key party leaders quickly responded that the statement failed to address their demands for the restoration of the last elected parliament, which was dissolved in 2002, and the convening of a national assembly to write a new constitution. Such a document could reduce the king to a ceremonial figure or eliminate the monarchy.
The king's statement also skipped over the parties' demand that any new government be vested with authority to negotiate a settlement with the Maoist rebels, whose fight to topple the monarchy has cost more than 12,000 lives.
In a brief phone interview after the king's speech, Ram Sharan Mahat, a former foreign minister and a leader of the Nepali Congress, the country's largest political party, described the statement as inadequate and short of many people's expectations. ''There are many ambiguities," he added.
Sher Bahadur Deuba, who was dismissed as prime minister by Gyanendra in 2002, told the Nepali-language newspaper Kantipur that the statement left ''no space for the parties to be hopeful."
Gyanendra's announcement was aimed at ending unrest that has claimed 14 lives and idled an economy already devastated by the insurgency. The protests have grown steadily in size and momentum; more than 200,000 people thronged the streets of Katmandu yesterday in defiance of a continuing curfew, according to estimates by UN observers and Nepalese media.
Thousands of protesters remained on the streets after the king's speech, and many dismissed it as a ploy. ''Democracy has been attacked by the royal palace so many times in the past," said Brijesh Sharma, 30, an engineer with the national telecommunications company. ''The protest goes on like this until we get what we are looking for."
The government's harsh crackdown on protesters and activists has sparked sharp condemnation from the United Nations and foreign governments, including the United States. Yesterday, before the king's statement, US Ambassador James Moriarty told reporters here that Gyanendra's hard-line stand placed his throne at risk.
''Time is running out," he said. ''Ultimately the king will have to leave if he doesn't compromise. And by 'ultimately' I mean sooner rather than later."
posted by worldnews at 11:52 PM
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