Dedicated to Daniel Pearl

Will King Gyanendra leave royal palace and shift to his house–Nirmal Niwas after the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly? It is a million dollar question now. The sense that King Gyanendra will turn a common citizen following the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly has filled all Nepalese people with immense wonder. Of course, he will have to leave the royal palace and shift to his own house, where he used to live in the capacity of the Late King Birendra’s brother. But almost everybody in Nepal feels it hard to believe that King Gyanendra will take his belongings in vehicles and he along with his family members will drive to his house at Maharajgunj, some two kilometers from the royal palace. I am personally much anxious to see that day when King Gyanendra will load his belongings in vehicles and few more vehicles will march towards his house. Gyanendra as a common citizen will drive his jaguar to his house. Paras will follow him with his own family members. It will be a historical day, as it is the first time a king leaves his palace and moves to his house with his belongings. Then, will people be allowed to visit the royal palace? I hope people will notice every room and may be they will try to find out the traces of Late King Birendra and his family members. People are anxious to see if there is any sign of the murder of the late king Birendra and his family members found. I am sure, if people are allowed to enter the royal palace, they will visit every small room to find out how King Birendra was killed. People haven’t yet believed that Crown Prince Dipendra killed all the royal members including the king. They hold the current king Gyanendra responsible for the murder. The people will definitely try to link Gyanendra in the murder of his brother King Birendra.

I  haven’t visited the royal palace but I have heard that King Gyanendra has already demolished the buildings where the murder took place. I am sure he has done the best to remove all the proofs of the murder. But people will continue trying to find out the truth.

I also feel much sorry for King Gyanendra, who in fact invited his own doom. Had he not tinkered into the political activities, people would have accepted him as the king. His ambition to become the ruler collapsed the entire monarchy. He is responsible for the collapse of one the oldest monarchies in the world.

I wonder how he will manage to stay as a commoner in Nepal. He will have to accept this hard reality. I remember my visit to far western region some three years ago. During my visit in Dipayal I met a guy, who was drunk and holding a radio in his left. Music was on in the radio, the lean and thin guy was attired in black suit. I was surprised when passersby greeted him as ‘Aru you ok, crown prince?’. I asked the locals why they were calling him as the crown prince. The locals then told him that his ancestors were kings in the region. After Late King Prithvinarayan Shah conquered and annexed all small states into a unified Nepal, his ancestors were no more monarchs. However, people have respect for his ancestors and call him as the Crown Prince.

I wonder King Gyanendra and his successors will remain king and princes only for name. The monarchy will go forever.

ADIEU TO 240-YEAR MONARCHY OF NEPAL.

Nepalese people are anxiously waiting to cast their votes on April 10. The election commission has enforced ‘cooling off’ period from Monday midnight till Thursday evening, the day when the elections will be held. During the period, political parties are not allowed to take out election-related activities–no any demonstrations and no any rallies. This election is taking place for the first time in Nepal. People will choose their representatives, who will through the assembly draft a new constitution for Nepal. Another major feature of this election that one of the oldest monarchies in Nepal will formally given a good bye after the poll. The Constituent Assembly will formalize the already-taken decision that Nepal will become the federal democratic republican country–meaning without monarchy.

I am surprised what King Gyanendra, who has earned name in notoriety, is thinking these days. He knows that he will no more exist immediately after the elections. I think he should have left the palace and thought of some alternatives towards his business. But he has remained silent and is seemingly watching all the activities. It will be an interesting day to notice king Gyanendra leaving the Narayanhiti Royal Palace after the people’s representatives ask the king to leave the palace following the Constituent Assembly meeting, which is expected to take place some three weeks after the polls.
Worse thing is that the Maoists have continued their violence across the country. One thing I have never understood that they are pleading that other political parties don’t possess competence to implement the decisions on federalism, republic and others while all political parties have already decided for federalism and republic. Maoists are now claiming that they must win the elections to implement the agreement. This is ridiculous. People across the country are now much scared of Maoists as the former rebels are intimidating them and forcing them to vote for them. They are also telling the people that they will know whether or not they will vote for the Maoists. This is against democratic principles. Voting is much secret and nobody will have the idea who voted for whom. The Maoists must police their cadres, as they are much wild and indisciplined for the free and fair elections.

All political parties in Nepal, especially Maoists must immediately stop their violence for a free and fair Constituent Assembly (CA) polls, scheduled for April 10. Although major political parties–NC, UML and the Maoists–last week struck an understanding expressing commitment to stop violence and assist each other in conducting the polls in a free and fair manner, the violence has continued unabated. Reports are pouring in from out of Kathmandu valley that Maoists are still intimidating general public and are not letting other political parties to conduct their election programs in the so-called Maoist-controlled areas. It’s a serious violation of election code of conduct and it has raised a question on the Maoists’ commitment to democratic principles. Reports also say the Maoists are coercing people to vote for them. They are threatening people  that they will be punished if they fail to vote for the Maoists.

Maoists must understand that competition is a part of democracy. If violence continues, it will question the legitimacy of Constituency Assembly poll, this is what royalists want. Maoists must seriously take it and behave like a responsible democratic political party.

In a major development, top leaders of three major ruling political parties—Nepali Congress (NC), UML and the Maoist—have struck a 10-point understanding with a commitment to hold the April 10 Constituent Assembly (CA) poll in a free and fair manner.

 In the understanding, NC President and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and Maoist Chairman Prachanda have agreed to discourage inter-party conflict during the polls.

 They have decided to set up a high-level committee comprising leaders from three political parties to resolve all the misunderstanding that emerges between the parties.

 The committee, comprised with NC leader Dr Prakashsharan Mahat, UML leader Amrit Kumar Bohara and Maoist’s Mohan Baidhya ‘Kiran’, will also investigate the past incidents and recommend to concerned political parties for necessary action to those who will be found guilty.

 “It’s a great development on the eve of Constituent Assembly poll,” said UML leader Bohara. He said the agreement is a step forward to ensure general public for a free and fair poll.

 “But we have to see how Maoists will implement the agreement. Otherwise, many agreements were signed in the past also which have never been implemented in practice,” he said.

 The leaders reached the understanding following a two-day meeting at PM’s residence at Baluwatar.

 In the commitment paper, made public today, the leaders have agreed to form an all-party committee in every district to promote inter-party harmony during the poll. “Such committee will also monitor the activities of political parties during the poll,” said Bohara.

 Amidst growing concerns that serious misunderstanding is simmering among parties, the leaders have expressed commitment not to intervene in each other’s election programs but co-operate one another to hold the CA poll in a free and fair manner.

 They have agreed not to make any remarks that will spoil the environment of the poll.

 As cautioned by Election Commission recently, the leaders have also agreed to respect the election code of conduct during the polls.

 As per the understanding, the parties have agreed to set up a monitoring committee of civil society leaders in the central level.

 BOX

Leaders may meet again for poll alliance. A participant of the meeting said the leaders are likely sit for another meeting to discuss the possible alliance during the CA poll.

 “Since there was not much time to discuss the issue today, they have principally agreed to sit for another meeting over this issue,” he said.

 He said an alliance should be forged to support at least top leaders of all seven political parties.

 Meanwhile, CPN-UML in its central office meeting today decided to forge an alliance with republican forces in local level. The meeting assessed that the party is in a better position in the poll. It decided to use all strength to make the CA poll a great success.