Translated material
The king did not fall
Despite the fact that the government has made concessions, the anti-monarchical protest in Nepal is gaining momentum yesterday on the outskirts of the Nepal capital of Kathmandu, the next clashes of the antimonarchist demonstrators with the police were held. For almost three weeks of daily protest, 14 people have already died (according to official figures). Despite the fact that on Friday, King Gyendra promised to hold democratic elections, antimonarchic protests were only gaining momentum.The vast majority of protesters requires the overthrow of the Giangrandra and the abolition of the Institute of the Monarchy as such, others want only the democratically elected parliament and the Prime Minister, who would limit the king’s absolute power de facto.
The country in the Himalayas, located between India and China.
Population: 28 287 147 people.
State system: parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy (de jure).
Nepal is included in the list of 50 poorest countries in the UN classification planet.
The average daily earnings of its inhabitants are 72 American centers.
Language: 47.8% of the population speaks Nepali.
Religion: Hinduists are 80.6%.
GDP (purchasing power parity): 42.26 billion dollars (for 2005).
The basis of the economy and exports: agricultural products.
The Russian Embassy in Nepal did not confirm and did not refute information about the breakthrough to the palace. The duty commandant of the diplomatic representative office Igor Ryabinin told Gazeta: "We do not have such information, because the city has a commandant hour and employees do not leave the embassy."
Nevertheless, according to the American television company SIN-EN, the protesters surround the city whose population exceeds 1.5 million people. It is also known that as a result of the latest clashes with the police, more than 120 people suffered from tear gas, bamboo batons and even bullets (there are no Russian citizens among them). Law enforcement officers received an order to shoot without warning at everyone who crosses the city line during the commandant’s hour, which operates almost around the clock.
A way out of the crisis
On Friday, King Giangentra made an appeal to the nation. He promised to "return the executive power to the people" and hold elections. But they did not believe the king: the camp of demonstrators did not even leave the wing that the monarchy really really constitutional did not leave.
The ruler himself seems to be not going to renounce the throne (information in foreign and domestic media that the monarch will take this step next week until it is confirmed). "Gyendra will still remain the keeper of the Constitution and a symbol of national unity," said the Minister of Information Shirish Ran.
What was guilty of Gianenra
Back in 1990, King Birendra, the elder brother of Giandra, turned the absolute monarchy of Nepal into constitutional, which gained very popularity among compatriots.
However, on June 1, 2001, a tragedy broke out in a royal family: the son of BiRDRARS, DIPENRA, in a drunken zaus killed his own father, mother - Queen of Aishvariy - still six members of the family and himself. Giangentra ascended the throne.
As in the case of most of the Nepal kings of the Shah dynasty in the 20th century, the main threat to the head of state proceeded from the Maoist cells, which had lost in the partisan detachments and requiring the overthrow of the monarchy. Since 1996, when their bloody activity began, more than 13,000 people died at the hands of the leftist. The main task of the entire reign of Giandra was the victory over the left radicals.
A year after the accession to the throne, Giangentra realized that the parliament could not effectively fight the Maoists. In addition, the monarch suspected many deputies in sympathy for the partisans. As a result, on May 22, 2002, the king dismissed the parliament.
In February 2005, now accusing the government of the inability to resist the left threat, Gyendra took control of him. Then he gave the army an order on the beginning of large -scale military operations against the partisans. The actions did not lead to anything. And on April 6 this year, the Maoists, the negligent left opposition and various democratic currents consolidated their strength and organized mass protests that are still held.
Insulating monarchy
On Saturday, a ban on the use of mobile phones entered into force - already the second in April. According to Sugat Ratna Kansakar, the managing director of the Nepal Telecom telecommunications company, the government is especially concerned about SMS messages that are most often used to communicate with demonstrators.
However, few people believe that the ban on mobile communications or pouring rain will be able to disrupt the plans of the protesters. They managed to make the main thing - to paralyze the life of the capital. Kathmandu has already begun to experience the lack of essential goods. As soon as the commandant hour is removed for a short time, the inhabitants literally rush into the stores and buy all the goods. If demonstrators manage to block roads leading to the city, the situation will only worsen.
With a request to urgently restore democratic institutions to the king last week, the government of India, the main trading partner of Nepal.
However, this is not enough protesters. They are ready to besiege the capital until the moment when Giangentra refuses the throne.
04/23/2006 / Anton Ivanitsky material published in the newspaper No. 71 dated 04.24.2006.