Friday, April 21, 2006
King's Address: Old Wine, Old Bottle
अपडेट (साँझ ६१५) ०४६ सालको आन्दोलनभन्दा निकै ठूलो मास अहिले रिङरोडमा घुमिरहेको छ। चक्रपथको १२ किलोमिटर भाग आन्दोलनकारीहरुले भरेका छन्। एक किलोमिटरमा १ लाख २५ हजार अटने तथ्याङ्कलाई विचार गर्ने हो भने १६ लाखभन्दा बढीको भीड यहाँ देखिन्छ। कर्फ्युलाई बेवास्ता गर्दै यो जनसागर अगाडि बढेको हो। बालाजुबाट निस्केको जुलुस ठाउँठाउँमा प्रहरी घेरा तोड्दै अहिले कोटेश्वरतर्फ पुगेको छ। जुलुसको अग्रभाग बानेश्वरतर्फ पुगिसकेको छ। विशाल जनसमूह देखेपछि सुरक्षाकर्मीहरु पनि छेउ लागेका थिए। अझ कतिपयले त ताली समेत बजाएर स्वागत गरेका थिए। उता, चाबहिलमा लाठिचार्ज भएको बुझिएको छ। सातदोबाटोमा चलेको गोली लागेर एक जना घाइते भएका छन्। उनको टाउकोमा गोली लागेको छ। यता, ग्वार्कोबाट प्रहरीको घेरा तोडेर मंगलबजार पुगिसकेको छ। (Mero Sansar)The king is nowhere close to seeing the light. He is nowhere close to seeing that a political decision has to be taken to take the country to a constituent assembly. All he is trying to do is diffuse the situation. He wants to trick the people into going back into their homes, off the streets. He tried tear gas, he tried imprisonment, he tried killing people. None of that worked. All of that backfired. Now he has used his ultimate weapon: a speech. I expect it to backfire even more.
The revolution has to continue on.
In my last blog entry I responded to the rumor that the House may be revived: House Revival Through Supreme Court Decision. I said I did not believe it. I was right.
The least the king could have done was immediately dismiss the current government, and then called for an interim government. He might have skipped House revival, and gone straight for an interim government.
But this is a man who thinks he can fool all the people all the time. This is a man who actually believes his own lies.
11:00 AM US Eastern
Nepal king says handing power to the people Reuters.uk, UK -
India welcomes King's announcement Outlook (subscription), India
Apostolic Prefect: People celebrate king’s decision on streets ... AsiaNews.it, Italy
Nepal political party says king's offer not enough Reuters India, India
Nepali Congress calls King Zee News, India
The king has not fired the likes of Kamal Thapa and Tulsi Giri. He is saying he will appoint a Prime Minister from the seven party alliance. That will still be under Article 127. Or what? This is like reviving the 1990 constitution.
He should have fired the current administration first. And then invited the seven party alliance for unconditional talks.
But now his idea is to get the people off the streets, and diffuse the situation. His roadmap still is to organize elections under the 1990 constitution. Article 127 will lock the seven party alliance. They will not be able to go to the constituent assembly from there. This will not be an interim government.
This is a mousetrap. We are back to square one.
This revolution has not been about giving the seven party alliance leaders cabinet berths.
Nothing has changed. All the political prisoners are still in jail. Bamdev Gautam and Jhalanath Khanal (audio) got arrested as soon as they landed at the airport from Delhi. The king should have released all political prisoners and fired the current cabinet with immediate effect. And gone for an interim government at the least.
Beloved Countrymen,This is hogwash. This is still his much derided roadmap. He is sticking to the 1990 constitution, that is what he is saying. He is nowhere close to seeing a constituent assembly as the only meeting point.
You are all aware that, given the situation prevailing in the country then, we were compelled to take the decision of 1 February 2005 to set in motion a meaningful exercise in multiparty democracy by activating all elected bodies, ensuring peace and security and a corruption-free good governance through the collective wisdom, understanding and the united efforts of all the Nepalese. By supporting our decision, the Nepalese people made amply clear their desire for peace and democracy and the civil servants demonstrated sincerity towards their duties. We are appreciative of this. We also have high regard for the dutifulness, valour and discipline displayed by the security personnel, upholding their glorious traditions.
By visiting different parts of the country, we made honest endeavours to acquaint ourselves with the hopes and aspirations of our people, mitigate their hardships and boost their morale. We also called on the political parties to enter into a dialogue in the interest of the nation and people afflicted by violence and terrorism. However, this did not materialise. The ideals of democracy can be realised only through the active participation of political parties. In keeping with the traditions of the Shah Dynasty to reign in accordance with the popular will in the greater interest of the nation and people and our unflinching commitment towards Constitutional Monarchy and multiparty democracy, we, through this Proclamation, affirm that the Executive Power of the Kingdom of Nepal, which was in our safekeeping, shall, from this day, be returned to the people and be exercised in accordance with Article 35 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal - 1990. As the source of Sovereign Authority is inherent in the people, harmony and understanding must be preserved in the interest of the nation and people in an environment of peace and security. While safeguarding multiparty democracy, the nation must be taken ahead along the road of peace and prosperity by bringing into the democratic mainstream those who have deviated from the constitutional path. Similarly, a meaningful exercise in democracy must be ensured with the activation of representative bodies through elections as soon as possible. We, therefore, call upon the Seven Party Alliance to recommend a name, for the post of Prime Minister, at the earliest for the constitution of the Council of Ministers which will bear the responsibility of governing the country in accordance with the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal - 1990. The present Council of Ministers will continue to function until the appointment of the Prime Minister.
May Lord Pashupatinath bless us all!
Jaya Nepal!
When Will The Parties Realize, The King Is The Problem, Not The Solution?
Why were there expectations before the scheduled speech? Why is there disappointment after the speech?
The revolution is complete onto itself. Let's move towards the formation of a revolutionary parliament.
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21st April, 2006 Press ReleaseNew York
Alliance for Democracy and Human rights in Nepal (ADHRN) has studied the royal address of April 21, 2006. While we consider the proclamation by King Gyanendra an indication of the Nepali people prevailing against the autocratic monarch, it is far from being significant towards authentic recognition of Nepali people’s true aspiration. At a time when Nepalis are looking for progressive changes in the governance, King has made a veiled attempt to revert to the status quo pre February 1, 2005. The lives lost and the blood shed that has soaked Nepali land in the past few weeks, we believe, were meant to assert the freedom, peace and sovereign rights of the people to decide for themselves, including the fate of the monarchy.
At this juncture we appeal to the people of Nepal to keep their movement intact and be resolute in moving forward. It is imperative that the leaders of the Severn Party Alliance (SPA) understand and honor people's commitment towards full democracy and rule of law. They should understand the need of a new constitution to be formulated and promulgated through Constituent Assembly that addresses the diverse interests of pluralistic society like ours. Thus, today's call by the monarch to the SPA to come to a consensus for a candidate for Prime Minister is a humiliation for the people of Nepal, and we urge the SPA to categorically reject such a deceitful offer.
Any people-oriented move forward would be to demand that the monarch relinquish all powers of governance; formation of the interim government; putting Royal Nepali Army under the commandership of such an interim government; inclusion of Maoists, with a clear and indisputable commitment on the latter’s part to disarm; and, ultimately, election of Constituent Assembly to ensure the legitimization of the outcome. The role of monarchy should not be a factor in the initial political process, whose fate can be decided upon the outcome of the Constituent Assembly. The outcome of Constituent Assembly, as per the aspiration and the mandate of the people, should be honored by all sides unconditionally.
We also request the international community to honor the truest desires of the Nepali people to free themselves from inequality, suppression and injustice, perpetuated by over two centuries of direct rule by the monarchy.
ADHRN would like to reiterate our stance that the CPN-Maoist of Nepal must disarm and pursue their political ambitions peacefully. As demonstrated by the recent events in Nepal, peaceful dissent is far stronger and meaningful than to violent movements.
We have unflinching support for the people of Nepal who are braving to establish, through peaceful means, people's supremacy and rule of law. This should be a lesson to political parties, Maoists, and royalists that only those who acquiesce to the people’s desire will prevail.
In solidarity,
Sanjaya Parajuli
President, Alliance for Democracy & Human Rights in Nepal, USA