|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 6 October 2002 |
 |
|
 |
World |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Sacked Nepal PM rallies politicians to discuss crisis By Gopal Sharma KATHMANDU, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Sacked Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was to call all political parties together on Saturday to discuss the Himalayan kingdom's future after King Gyanendra dismissed him and postponed elections set for November. In a shock announcement on national television on Friday, the king said he had assumed executive power "for the time being" -- the first time since Nepal opted for parliamentary democracy in 1991. The king's move sparked a fresh crisis in the world's only Hindu kingdom, a poverty-stricken country racked by a bloody Maoist revolt and still reeling from last year's massacre of the royal family which brought Gyanendra to the throne. Gyanendra also said he had abolished Deuba's council of ministers and indefinitely postponed elections set for November 13. He called on political parties to suggest people who were not contesting the elections to form an interim government. Deuba, who had sought a year's postponement of the elections because of the mounting rebel violence, said he was astonished by his sacking and told Indian TV channel Zee News late on Friday: "Our decision to seek a postponement of the elections was based on a demand from all political parties. "The people of Nepal want democracy and I feel they won't be happy with this decision," he said. "We will call a meeting of all political parties to discuss our future moves." The Maoists' six-year revolt has killed more than 5,000 people, mostly guerrillas. Deuba dissolved parliament in May and called elections 18 months ahead of schedule after a row over an extension of emergency rule which gives soldiers sweeping powers to crush the rebels. The ruling Nepali Congress party split over the move, expelling Deuba and forcing him to form a new party. DERAIL THE POLLS The king said he was acting under a constitutional provision that allows him to intervene in the event of constitutional difficulties. He said Deuba's bid to postpone elections had created an "uneasy situation and a constitutional problem". It was the first time Nepal's constitutional monarch had sacked a prime minister in the 11 years since the country abandoned absolute monarchy. The Maoists are fighting for one-party communist rule and had vowed to derail the polls, calling a three-day nationwide shutdown during the first round of voting. Gyanendra said the new interim government would be responsible for maintaining order and conducting elections. "We believe that everything will be sorted out," he said. The rebels have stepped up their campaign since emergency rule ended on August 28, setting off a string of small bombs in the capital Kathmandu and launching several big attacks on remote security posts. More than 100,000 government troops are fighting the guerrillas, who draw their inspiration from late Chinese revolutionary communist leader Mao Zedong. More than 3,000 people have died since peace talks broke down last November. Analysts said the conflict was set to drag on. "No specific agenda has been set to resolve the Maoist problem which means the ongoing crackdown against the rebels will continue for the time being," said Yubaraj Ghimire, editor of the English-language daily Kathmandu Post. The Maoist revolt has slowed aid-dependent development projects and hit tourism that accounts for four percent of the economy of the tiny nation wedged between China and India. Last year, Nepal was convulsed by a palace massacre when Crown Prince Dipendra, high on drugs and alcohol, shot dead his popular father King Birendra and eight other royals before killing himself. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
