JayT Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 NEPAL ENDS MONARCHY Governing body votes to make Himalayan nation a republic - Matthew Rosenberg, Associated Press The world's last Hindu kingdom became its newest secular republic Wednesday as Nepal's lawmakers, led by former communist insurgents, abolished the monarchy that had reigned over this Himalayan land for 239 years. Throughout the day, thousands of people marched, danced and sang in the streets of Kathmandu in anticipation of the vote, waving red hammer-and-sickle flags as dour King Gyanendra awaited his fate in the pink concrete palace that dominates the city's center. He finally found out the fate of his throne late in the day when, as expected, the newly elected Constituent Assembly declared the country a republic and abolished the monarchy by a vote of 560-4. The assembly's 37 other members were not present. "We have entered a new era today," said Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, calling Nepal's rebirth as a republic "the dream of the whole nation." Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 The Nepalese monarchy saga has to one of Asia's strangest stories. Nepalese Royal Massacre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Interesting to see how their relationship with China develops. Will these so called Maoists be less supportive of the Tibetan cause for example? I'm not aware of any material support from China, who possibly see it as a bit of an embarassment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I think the Chinese will give them a wide berth. It's a comfortable little buffer state between them and India which China has never had any ancestral claim to. Both India and China are pre-occupied with picking up as much of the World's money as they can and don't have time for squabbling over Nepal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Central Scrutinizer Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 The Nepalese monarchy saga has to one of Asia's strangest stories. Nepalese Royal Massacre Julian, Ah, I have just the book you may like on my shelf. 'Kublai Khan' by John Mann. 'The Mongol King Who Remade China'. Great book. ISBN 978-0-553-81718-1. I liked his 'Ghenghis Khan: Life, Death and Resurrection' as well. If you haven't read it I'll send it along with some other books you can choose as we spoke about earlier. Cent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 << In the six years of Maoist uprising in Nepal more than 1600 people have died. Human rights - to life, freedom of assembly, stable residence, freedom from torture, peace and freedom of belief - have been seriously violated by both the government and Maoists. Many civilians have been arrested, abducted and killed by police and Maoist guerrillas. To understand and deal with this situation it is necessary to establish the root causes of the Maoist movement. It is necessary to analyze them with a view to a possible solution of the Maoist problem in Nepal. This study is based on Internet research. It uses primary and secondary resources from inside and outside the country. >> Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I live not far from the Nepali embassy in London.. I noticed recently that the word "Royal" had beed crudely wrenched off of the metal plate on the wall outside. I think it's good the monarchy have been deposed if that's what the people want, but I can see this flareing up again if the Maoists don't get their way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 As I understand it, this last king was not popular and made a bodge of things. The rejection of the monarchy was basically a rejection of him personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YimSiam Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Flash, that's a far outdated report! In the end (or rather, to date) the conflict has cost about 14,000 lives - the CPNM taking many, and doing so in often horrible ways, but the government is responsible for a much higher body count. I was in Nepal quite a bit over the last few years, including for the People's Movement that led to the end of the war, the peace agreement, etc -- I swear, we would have thought you were joking if you said that within a couple years the Maoists would win a free and fair election by a wide margin, and the monarchy would be abolished. Amazing. My hope was always that Prachanda and Baburam (the Maoist leaders) might just settle for becoming corrupt bastards like the rest of Nepal's politicians, but now that they have the power i'm sure it'll be tempting for them to aim a little higher... Anyway, as long as Nepalis are no longer killing Nepalis, it's a good outcome - the nicest people in the world, yet somehow they just love to fuck each other over... India and China are definitely interested - Nepal's basically an Indian project so far, much more closely aligned in every way, but China's making moves thanks to their newfound wealth. China did in fact disown the Maoists - who they called fake Maoists not deserving of the name; I wonder whether Mao would agree - and actually were the last remaining source of arms for the Nepali government after the West and India cut off the Kings supply when he seized absolute power, threw everyone in prison and began ruling by decree... Tibetans in Nepal are screwed, as no one is going to risk the relationship with China over a bunch of whiny rich monks, shopkeepers, and hotel owners (as the Nepalis see Tibetans, generally, and not entirely wrongly from their perspective). Nepalis like to say that they are like a sweet potato wedged between two boulders - the slightest movement by either and they get squished, so they'd better take care not to rock the boat. Let's see what the Maoists can do, other than threaten, extort and intimidate their way into power... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogueyam Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 ...the nicest people in the world, yet somehow they just love to fuck each other over... It is darkly humorous how often this is said about various non-Western peoples. Let's see what the Maoists can do, other than threaten, extort and intimidate their way into power... "Four legs good. Two legs better!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.