The crisis in Nepal

The crisis in Nepal seems to be getting out of hand every minute. Already many lives have been lost, and the towns and cities, including the capital, Kathmandu, are wearing the looks of a ghost town.

I have two questions for myself, how did this come about, and what is or what should be India's role in this whole situation?

For one, India and Nepal are fellow sufferers of the Maoist insurgancy, and the enemies seem to be making progress in both states due to some incompetent leadership and plain old lack of guts. Well, India is a democracy, very flawed, but thats the way it has always been, so we probably won't be seeing anybody overthrow that set-up in a long while. Nepal, on the other hand, is a democratic monarchy, or something like that, means they have a king with powers, but their government is run by a democratically elected Prime Minister and his/her cabinet.

Remember when the royal tragedy occured a few years ago when the entire royal family was wiped out by the crown prince? That was a tragic royal saga which wiped out the entire royal household, and Prince Gyanendra, the brother to the dead king, was crowned the new King. From what I have been seeing, it seems the King has always endeavoured to strengthen his role in the democratic set-up. It could mean weilding more power over the cabinet, to enacting extra-constitutional power for oneself.

When the Maoist insurgancy began growing and threatened the security of the entire state, the king blamed the ruling government of being unable to act, and thus dissolved the government. Since then has been a story of protests, international diplomatic parlays and diplospeak. But all this is getting bigger and bigger and could possibly blow in the face of the king. Like i said, people have been killed and the country seems to be under police rule. Oh, and if i remember correctly, the King has always disliked freedom of the press.

India needs to be involved simply because Nepal is an important ally, and a significant economic partner. There are millions of Nepalis working in India and Nepal is a favored tourist destination among millions of Indians. Of course things havent really been fine and dandy, with China courting the king with arms and money while the US and India pressing on bringing back democracy. Then remember the incident many years ago when somebody started the rumor that Hrithik Roshan talked smack about the country and they went about hating India and breaking things. The Indian National Security Advisor has warned that Nepal could turn into a failed state if things went out of hand.

Yes, so apart from the fact that Nepal is an ally that is fast turning into a failed state, India needs to ensure this does not happen in our neighborhood, because I am certain the king will waste no time in running to the Chinese camp on promises of power. Already Nepal is a transit point for drugs into India, and terrorists and fake money and lot of other things. It sucks that it has a border with an even weaker Indian state, Uttar Pradesh, which has been ruled by opportunistic, divisive traitors for as far as I can remember.

Again, I dont want no Chinese hopping onto the bandwagon, and this is for the press: If we can't ensure democracy in our own neighbourhood, we have no right to boast about being the world's largest democracy. India is on the case already, by the way. The king was rude and threatening before to Indian advise and requests, but now that his own people are rising up against him, he needs help. India has sent two politicians to personally deliver a message from the Prime Minister, and it seems the king is willing to listen to anyone who has a plan to get him out of the mess. Actually, the Indian envoy is another king, the erswhile king of J&K, Dr. Karan Singh. He is accompanied by the Foreign Secretary, Shyam Saran.

Shoot-at-sight ordered in Kathmandu, India tells King to start dialogue

Anti-monarchy protesters gathered outside the city limits of the Nepali capital Kathmandu on Thursday where a strict curfew has been imposed to block a pro-democracy rally.

The gates of Narayanhity Palace, the king's city residence, were closed and an armoured car with a machine gun on top was on patrol. All shops on the usually busy Durbar Street leading to the palace were shuttered and guests were barred from leaving hotel premises.

Unlike previous times when curfews were imposed, journalists too have been told to stay indoors. The ban came into effect at 2 am (2015 GMT Wednesday) and will last until 8 pm (1415 GMT).

Diplomats, including ambassadors, and even government ministers were also not allowed outdoors. Police were carrying out emergency services.

At least eight people have been killed and hundreds wounded in police action against demonstrators since a seven-party alliance launched crippling protests against King Gyanendra 15 days ago to demand the restoration of multi-party democracy.

Tens of thousands have attended protests every day in Kathmandu, but many more have demonstrated in district towns. A general strike, part of the campaign, has prevented the movement of goods and people across the impoverished landlocked nation.

The latest deaths came in the town of Chandragadi, 600 km east of Kathmandu, where security forces opened fire on protesters on Wednesday, killing two people. Witnesses said dozens of others were wounded and more might have died.

On Thursday, several hundred people took out a procession in the town of Bhaktapur, near Kathmandu, where a curfew had also been imposed, witnesses said. There was no violence. The government freed the two top political prisoners in the country on Wednesday, but there was no other sign the king was considering meeting any of the demands of the alliance.

Gyanendra sacked the government and assumed full power in February 2005, vowing to crush a decade-old Maoist revolt in which more than 13,000 people have died.

He has offered to hold elections by April next year, but activists say he cannot be trusted and should immediately hand over power to an all-party government.

India, which shares a long, porous border with Nepal, is leading international pressure on the king to restore democracy.

A special envoy sent by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called on the King on Thursday to impress upon him the urgent need to initiate dialogue with political parties aimed at reconciliation. Singh also held talks with former Prime Ministers Girija Prasad Koirala and Sher Bahadur Deuba on Wednesday.
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King will speak soon: Karan Singh

King Gyanendra of Nepal will soon make an announcement to defuse the crisis in the country, said Indian Prime Minister's special representative Karan Singh on Thursday.

The ball is in the king's court now, Singh said in Delhi after returning from Kathmandu. Singh conveyed to the king India's deep concern over the situation and gave him a letter from the Indian PM.

"My meeting with the king was positive," he said, adding people in Nepal are facing economic and political difficulties.

Amid mounting civic unrest and protestors defying curfew, King Gyanendra offered the post of Prime Minister to Nepali Congress leader K P Bhattarai.

However, Bhattarai, a former prime minister of Nepal, turned the offer down.
Meanwhile, thousands of protestors defied the shoot-at-sight order and marched towards the Narayanhiti palace, state broadcaster Radio Nepal reported.

There were also reports of clashes in Kathmandu's twin city Keertipur and neighbouring districts of Bhaktapur and Kalanki.

Soldiers and police patrolled the streets of Nepal's capital Thursday to enforce an 18-hour curfew imposed to keep anti-king protesters off the streets, a day after security forces shot dead four pro-democracy demonstrators in the country's east.

The royal government has responded harshly, claiming Maoist insurgents - who are now allied with the opposition - have infiltrated rallies to instigate violence. Police have beaten, tear gassed and arrested thousands of protesters.