Nepal’s king yields a bit to protesters’ demands

Published 9:00 pm Friday, April 21, 2006

KATMANDU, Nepal – In an emergency television address, King Gyanendra declared Friday that he would hand over power to Nepal’s main political parties, following 16 days of often violent protests that have brought the Himalayan country to a standstill.

The king broke days of silence in an effort to calm a street movement that has gained momentum in the face of mass arrests and rushes by baton-wielding police, drawing support from diverse sectors of Nepalese society.

Many young protesters demand nothing less than the abdication of Gyanendra, who assumed absolute power 14 months ago.

Early reaction from protesters suggested that his bid for conciliation would fail. Several leaders of the seven-party alliance coordinating the demonstrations said the statement fell short of their demands. The parties later issued a joint pledge that the protests would “further intensify.”

The unrest has raised fears of a humanitarian crisis in Nepal, an impoverished, mostly Hindu country of 28 million people that the outside world knows mostly for its breathtaking Himalayan peaks, including Mount Everest. India, China and the United States worry about long-term lawlessness and the need for international aid.

U.S. officials have expressed concern that Maoist insurgents, who hold much of the country after a 10-year rebellion, could emerge as the winners if the protests continue.

The United States joined India on Friday in welcoming the king’s statement. “We urge the parties to respond quickly by choosing a prime minister and a cabinet,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. That call could force the parties to choose between capitalizing on the momentum on the street or losing key international backing.

In a 7 p.m. address, a somber-looking Gyanendra, 58, promised that “executive power of the kingdom of Nepal, which was in our safekeeping, shall from this day be returned to the people.”

The king appealed to leaders of the party alliance to recommend a new prime minister who would oversee the naming of a new Cabinet and “bear the responsibility of governing the country in accordance with the constitution.”

Several key party leaders quickly responded that the statement failed to address their demands for the restoration of the last elected parliament, which was dissolved in 2002, and the convening of a national assembly to write a new constitution. Such a document could reduce the king to a ceremonial figure or eliminate the monarchy.