NEPAL OPPOSITION STAGES MASSIVE PRO-DEMOCRACY RALLY AGAINST ABSOLUTE MONARCH
25 April 2006

The opposition movement in Nepal has captured the attention of the world press, in part because of the extremes involved in the situation. Many poor people putting their lives at risk to demonstrate against an absolutist monarch. The highest places in the world, extreme weather, and high stakes, as pro-democracy activists seek to forge a way out of authoritarianism, while Maoist rebels seek a communist regime and the king seeks to hold onto power.

King Gyanendra, who outlawed democracy and declared a state of emergency in early 2005, blaming the government for failing to end the Maoist insurgency which still persists, has reacted to weeks of demonstrations with violence, curfews, defiance, and now an offer to share power with a new parliament.

After the government began to crack down on peaceful demonstrations, the United States urged King Gyanendra to negotiate with opposition parties and return power a democratically elected parliament. There was no immediate action of that kind, but international pressure mounted as the demonstrations grew and spread across the country. A general strike was initiated on 6 April and has continued since.

The strike is planned to continue indefinitely as a coalition of opposition groups, including Maoist rebels, call for the unequivocal end to the monarchy. It remains to be seen how Gyanendra will react, as pressures mount and as it seems increasingly clear that the opposition will settle for nothing less than his abdication. [s]

UPDATE:
NEPAL PARLIAMENT SWORN IN UNDER NEW PRIME MINISTER
30 April 2006

After King Gyanendra declared he would reinstate the lower house of parliament, which he disbanded, claiming a state of emergency in his war to put down Maoist insurgents, agreements were reached with the 7-party alliance of mainstream opposition parties which had staged the massive and growing demonstrations. That 7-party alliance reconvened parliament on Friday and today swore in its interim Prime Minister, who will oversee the vote and negotiations to draft a new constitution. [Full Story]