For eleven years, Nepal has been facing a complex political crisis. Politically, there are three powers: the king, the political parties and the Maoists. These three powers continually vie for political power. In 1990, people moment brought about democracy from an absolute monarchy system and created “The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990”. The new constitution guaranteed the constitutional monarchy and multi-party parliamentary system. But that system failed when the Prime Minister tried to dissolve the parliament, and the King took this opportunity to sack the Prime Minister and take over the sovereign power of people. Currently, King Gyanendra rules Nepal as a dictator.
When the mysterious Narayanhithi Royal palace massacre happened in 2001, King Birendra and his all of family members were killed in a brutal event. Following that, Gyanendra became the King of Nepal in June 2001. As a King, he has sought to exercise active control over the elected Prime Minister to appoint government of his own choosing. Gyanendra took control on February 1, 2005, accusing Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s government of failing to make arrangements for parliamentary elections and of being unable to restore peace in the country, which is currently in the midst of a widespread rebellion by the Maoists who are waging a “Jana Yudda” (or people’s war).
The King promised peace, security and that democratic institution would be restored within three years. But the insurgents created a massive bloodbath opposing election. Their opposition will likely continue. The government is under Gyanendra’s rule. At this time, the King does not want to restore democracy. He has all the powers of legislative, executive and judiciary. Being the government of the parliamentary system, according to Wikipedia, The Maoist rebel and the government of Nepal, was launched by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on February 13, 1996. The communist rebels, who call the conflict “Nepalese People’s War”, and aim to establish a “People Republic of Nepal”, control several parts of the country. In 2001, The King of Nepal began deploying the armed forces against the Maoist forces. More than 11,500 people have been killed in the conflict, and an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 people have been internally displaced. The conflict has disrupted most rural development activities, and has led to a deep and complex transformation of Nepalese society. (1)
The King is not able to solve the political crises of Nepal. His ruling period shows that it cannot bring any positive and satisfying results. He must understand the demand of the people. Without the support of people and recognition of international communities, his government cannot be valid. If he defies the opinion of people, Nepalese monarchy will cease to exist very soon.
Nepalese rulers, historically, have established an aristocratic ruling system that never granted rights to the common people. The king is a symbol and this leads and preserves the aristocratic system; they do not want to give up their status quo. They believe that they deserve these privileges as a birth right. In this way, Gyanendra cannot be the symbol of unity for the nation and people because he represents an old legacy.
It worked in the past as Nepal was kept in isolation. Until the1950s, more than 85 percent Nepalese people were illiterate and lived in abject poverty. The autocrat rulers did not provide the opportunities to the people to be educated. Generations of common people spent centuries without modern evolution, exploitation and creation of knowledge. By keeping the people ignorant, the rulers conserved their submissive ruling systems. The rulers only feared and concentrated to save their regimes through minimizing the access of knowledge. Nepalese rulers are still indulging in their self-interest and taking advantage of the common people; it is still one of the main causes of illiteracy and poverty. According to one source of C. B. S. statistics present that in 1952/54, 5.3 percent Nepalese were educated, in 1961 were 8.9 percent, in 1971 were 14 percent, 1981 were 23.3 percent, 1991 were 39.6 percent, and 2001 were 53.7 percent. (Literacy1) As well other sources show that, Nepalese poverty in 1976/77 were 33 percent, and in 1995/96 were 42 percent. (“Changes in Poverty Incidence”) Furthermore, The World Factbook’s statistics render Nepal’s poverty population below poverty line is 31 percent. (11)
In practice, old ideas always prevent entry of the new ideas into a society. The traditionalists cannot convert easily with new ideas, or change their personal beliefs, as these new concepts eliminate their political, social, economical and cultural superiority. In retrospect, it is true that they have established the heritage and identity of a nation. It introduced real and distinct features existing in the current Nepalese social and cultural systems. But these impede new concepts and ideas from being adopted into the society as a whole.
So it just becomes a good slogan for their propaganda. They want to isolate the society from the scientific age and continue on in an archaic path where masters can be the masters and slaves would be always slave. Therefore, this is an unacceptable system in a modern world. Because of the nature of globalization, no society can exist in isolation anymore. As a result, people of Nepal do not want to return to the “primitive” age; instead they are searching for a new identity.
In1990, when people moment brought democracy formally in Nepal they got unlimited rights and duties, but these provisions have not been implemented in practice. According to the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 article 3, “The sovereignty of Nepal is vested in the Nepalese people and shall be exercise in accordance with the provisions of this constitution.” (2) But people have not fully realized sovereignty as the promise held because the administration and judiciary bodies have not served in the favor of the common people. Leadership and bureaucracy have been corrupt; so general public still have not received proper administration and justice in their lives. Even though the provisions of the constitution provided them right to equality, right to freedom, press and publication right, right to information, cultural and educational right, right to religion, right against exile, the people have not fully received all these of provisions.
Nepalese political scene is changing rapidly. More than a million people demonstrated against the King and his government in Kathmandu the capital of Nepal recently for the restoration of democracy. The choices and demands of Nepalese people have changed; they want to decide their future themselves. At this current situation, their main choice is to choose a political system that represent the people and which can lead to the betterment all sectors of the nation. A country without a good political and cultural system cannot be prosperous. Nepalese people have many choices about the political system and are exercising them to get the best system for their country. Some of the people want active monarchy, some want constitutional monarchy and others want the multi-party parliamentary system. But increasingly today people’s demands are moving towards democratic republic without a monarch.
Although King Gyanendra tries to install his autocratic government, Nepalese people and international communities do not support and accept his steps. He has not gotten any recognition from the international authoritative governments and institutions. It is as though Gyanendra wants to preserve his power, palace and regime through any means including massacre of family members, bloodshed, and the power of cruelty. If we study and analyze about Nepalese regime approaches, historically, Nepalese dictatorial and aristocratic rulers have always established an unjust social cultural practices which still remain unchangeable and these have held back the Nepalese people from their progress.
The king must hand over democracy to the people because they do not want to rule by a dictator where the King is leading a feudal system. The King wants to protect and preserve an aristocrat community, whom praise and pray to the King. The demand of age and time has changed, and the people do not want to live in a slavish society; they want to live in an equitable society. If people want to get these kinds of societies, it can be achieved through democracy where fundamental rights of people are more guaranteed. Democracy creates rule and supremacy of law where people can live equally. But an active monarchy can not provide freedom to the civil society.
* This essay was written in 2006.
Work Cited
When the mysterious Narayanhithi Royal palace massacre happened in 2001, King Birendra and his all of family members were killed in a brutal event. Following that, Gyanendra became the King of Nepal in June 2001. As a King, he has sought to exercise active control over the elected Prime Minister to appoint government of his own choosing. Gyanendra took control on February 1, 2005, accusing Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s government of failing to make arrangements for parliamentary elections and of being unable to restore peace in the country, which is currently in the midst of a widespread rebellion by the Maoists who are waging a “Jana Yudda” (or people’s war).
The King promised peace, security and that democratic institution would be restored within three years. But the insurgents created a massive bloodbath opposing election. Their opposition will likely continue. The government is under Gyanendra’s rule. At this time, the King does not want to restore democracy. He has all the powers of legislative, executive and judiciary. Being the government of the parliamentary system, according to Wikipedia, The Maoist rebel and the government of Nepal, was launched by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on February 13, 1996. The communist rebels, who call the conflict “Nepalese People’s War”, and aim to establish a “People Republic of Nepal”, control several parts of the country. In 2001, The King of Nepal began deploying the armed forces against the Maoist forces. More than 11,500 people have been killed in the conflict, and an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 people have been internally displaced. The conflict has disrupted most rural development activities, and has led to a deep and complex transformation of Nepalese society. (1)
The King is not able to solve the political crises of Nepal. His ruling period shows that it cannot bring any positive and satisfying results. He must understand the demand of the people. Without the support of people and recognition of international communities, his government cannot be valid. If he defies the opinion of people, Nepalese monarchy will cease to exist very soon.
Nepalese rulers, historically, have established an aristocratic ruling system that never granted rights to the common people. The king is a symbol and this leads and preserves the aristocratic system; they do not want to give up their status quo. They believe that they deserve these privileges as a birth right. In this way, Gyanendra cannot be the symbol of unity for the nation and people because he represents an old legacy.
It worked in the past as Nepal was kept in isolation. Until the1950s, more than 85 percent Nepalese people were illiterate and lived in abject poverty. The autocrat rulers did not provide the opportunities to the people to be educated. Generations of common people spent centuries without modern evolution, exploitation and creation of knowledge. By keeping the people ignorant, the rulers conserved their submissive ruling systems. The rulers only feared and concentrated to save their regimes through minimizing the access of knowledge. Nepalese rulers are still indulging in their self-interest and taking advantage of the common people; it is still one of the main causes of illiteracy and poverty. According to one source of C. B. S. statistics present that in 1952/54, 5.3 percent Nepalese were educated, in 1961 were 8.9 percent, in 1971 were 14 percent, 1981 were 23.3 percent, 1991 were 39.6 percent, and 2001 were 53.7 percent. (Literacy1) As well other sources show that, Nepalese poverty in 1976/77 were 33 percent, and in 1995/96 were 42 percent. (“Changes in Poverty Incidence”) Furthermore, The World Factbook’s statistics render Nepal’s poverty population below poverty line is 31 percent. (11)
In practice, old ideas always prevent entry of the new ideas into a society. The traditionalists cannot convert easily with new ideas, or change their personal beliefs, as these new concepts eliminate their political, social, economical and cultural superiority. In retrospect, it is true that they have established the heritage and identity of a nation. It introduced real and distinct features existing in the current Nepalese social and cultural systems. But these impede new concepts and ideas from being adopted into the society as a whole.
So it just becomes a good slogan for their propaganda. They want to isolate the society from the scientific age and continue on in an archaic path where masters can be the masters and slaves would be always slave. Therefore, this is an unacceptable system in a modern world. Because of the nature of globalization, no society can exist in isolation anymore. As a result, people of Nepal do not want to return to the “primitive” age; instead they are searching for a new identity.
In1990, when people moment brought democracy formally in Nepal they got unlimited rights and duties, but these provisions have not been implemented in practice. According to the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 article 3, “The sovereignty of Nepal is vested in the Nepalese people and shall be exercise in accordance with the provisions of this constitution.” (2) But people have not fully realized sovereignty as the promise held because the administration and judiciary bodies have not served in the favor of the common people. Leadership and bureaucracy have been corrupt; so general public still have not received proper administration and justice in their lives. Even though the provisions of the constitution provided them right to equality, right to freedom, press and publication right, right to information, cultural and educational right, right to religion, right against exile, the people have not fully received all these of provisions.
Nepalese political scene is changing rapidly. More than a million people demonstrated against the King and his government in Kathmandu the capital of Nepal recently for the restoration of democracy. The choices and demands of Nepalese people have changed; they want to decide their future themselves. At this current situation, their main choice is to choose a political system that represent the people and which can lead to the betterment all sectors of the nation. A country without a good political and cultural system cannot be prosperous. Nepalese people have many choices about the political system and are exercising them to get the best system for their country. Some of the people want active monarchy, some want constitutional monarchy and others want the multi-party parliamentary system. But increasingly today people’s demands are moving towards democratic republic without a monarch.
Although King Gyanendra tries to install his autocratic government, Nepalese people and international communities do not support and accept his steps. He has not gotten any recognition from the international authoritative governments and institutions. It is as though Gyanendra wants to preserve his power, palace and regime through any means including massacre of family members, bloodshed, and the power of cruelty. If we study and analyze about Nepalese regime approaches, historically, Nepalese dictatorial and aristocratic rulers have always established an unjust social cultural practices which still remain unchangeable and these have held back the Nepalese people from their progress.
The king must hand over democracy to the people because they do not want to rule by a dictator where the King is leading a feudal system. The King wants to protect and preserve an aristocrat community, whom praise and pray to the King. The demand of age and time has changed, and the people do not want to live in a slavish society; they want to live in an equitable society. If people want to get these kinds of societies, it can be achieved through democracy where fundamental rights of people are more guaranteed. Democracy creates rule and supremacy of law where people can live equally. But an active monarchy can not provide freedom to the civil society.
* This essay was written in 2006.
Work Cited
Literacy, “Education, Language, Religion and Ethnicity”, CBS, 1995; MOE 2000, CBS 2002.
http://mope.gov.np/population/chapter5.php, 1
The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal-1990, “The sovereignty”, Article 3, 2
The World Factbook – Nepal, “Population below Poverty line and Unemployment Rate”,
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publication/factbook/geos/hp.html. 2003-2004, 11
Wikipedia, “Nepal Civil War”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepal_People’s_War, 1
World Bank, “Change in Poverty Incidence”, Poverty in Nepal at the Turn of Twenty-First Century, Vols. I and II. Washington, D.C. 1999.
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