The Hindu : Front Page : Nepal's King dismisses Government, assumes power

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Wednesday, Feb 02, 2005

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Nepal's King dismisses Government, assumes power

King Gyanendra of Nepal addresses the nation on state television in Kathmandu on Tuesday. -- AP

KATHMANDU, FEB. 1. King Gyanendra today dismissed Nepal's Government and declared a state of Emergency, cutting off his Himalayan nation from the rest of the world as telephone and Internet lines were snapped, flights diverted and civil liberties severely curtailed.

The move was the second time in three years that the King has taken control of the tiny South Asian constitutional monarchy, a throwback to the era of absolute power enjoyed by Nepal's monarchs before King Birendra, King Gyanendra's elder brother, introduced democracy in 1990.

King Gyanendra denied his takeover was a coup, although soldiers surrounded the houses of the Prime Minister, Sher Bahadur Deuba, and other Government leaders.

The King also suspended several provisions of the Constitution, including the freedoms of press, speech and expression, the freedom to assemble peacefully, the right to privacy and the right against preventive detention, according to a statement from the Narayanhiti Palace.

"Violates Constitution"

"We will oppose this step," Mr. Deuba, who was not allowed to leave his house, told reporters. "The move directly violates the Constitution and is against democracy."

The Nepali Congress, the country's largest party, said that the King had "pushed the country toward further complications" and called for a joint protest.

Britain expressed concerns about the political developments. "This action will increase the risk of instability in Nepal, undermining the institutions of democracy and constitutional monarchy in the country, " said the Foreign Office Minister, Douglas Alexander. Armoured military vehicles with mounted machineguns were patrolling the streets of Kathmandu. Many flights into the city were cancelled amid the uncertainty or turned back by the authorities, although the airport remained open.

People worried

Long lines quickly formed at grocery stores and gas stations, as worried residents stocked up on supplies. "We are so confused. We don't know what is going on or what will happen," said Narayan Thapa, a Government worker. "I am worried I can't reach my family on the phone."

In an announcement on State-run television, the King accused the Government of failing to conduct Parliamentary elections and being unable to restore peace in the country, which is beset by rebel violence.

"A new Cabinet will be formed under my leadership," he said, accusing political parties of plunging the country into crisis. "This will restore peace and effective democracy in this country within the next three years."

Later, State-run television reported that a state of Emergency had been declared.

The monarch, who is also the supreme commander of the 78,000-member Royal Nepalese Army, said security forces would be given more power to maintain law and order. But he insisted that human rights would be respected.

The King fired Mr. Deuba as Prime Minister in October 2002, sparking mass street protests demanding the restoration of a democratically elected government. He reinstated Mr. Deuba last year with the task of holding elections by March 2005 and conducting peace talks with the Maoist rebels.

Nepal has been in turmoil since King Gyanendra, 55, suddenly assumed the crown in 2001 after his brother, Birendra, was gunned down in a palace massacre apparently committed by King Birendra's son, the Crown Prince, who also died. Ten members of the royal family were killed.

Riots shook Kathmandu after the killings. Soon after, fighting intensified between Government forces and the rebels, who control large parts of Nepal's countryside.

The rebels, who draw inspiration from the late Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been trying since 1996 to overthrow the Government and establish a socialist state. They have refused the Government's invitation to come into the mainstream of Nepalese politics and end the violence. More than 10,500 people have died since the fighting began.

King Gyanendra's late father, King Mahendra, established a rubber-stamp government and Parliament but retained absolute power and outlawed political parties. The absolute monarchy ended when street demonstrations forced the King to give way to a multiparty government in 1990. — AP

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