Nepalese Americas Council
Press Release
02/04/05

Protest Letter to the Government in Nepal
We, the concerned members of the North American Nepali Diaspora, strongly disapprove of the King?s dissolution of the civilian Government and his takeover of the power in Nepal on February 1, 2005. We urge the King toimmediately restore democracy and the rule of representative government in Nepal.

We believe that this decision by the King, while it may be intended to restore peace and democracy, in fact poses as the gravest threat to both democracy and peace in Nepal in recent times. Despite the stated aims in the King?s takeover speech, this move is certain to lead the country into a period of greater discord and violence.

Suspension of the constitutional rights to free speech and expression are a gross violation of the most fundamental rights of citizens -- rights Nepalis have fought hard to earn. Nepali citizens must have the assurance of living in a free world and we demand that such basic rights be restored without delay. We condemn the arbitrary arrest and detention of members of the political parties, students and dissidents. The detainees should be released immediately, and the sanctions imposed on the media should be removed urgently.

The imposition of an unaccountable and unrepresentative government upon 25 million Nepalis without their consent has undermined the basic tenets of a liberal democracy ?the process of competitive, participatory elections and the guarantee of liberty. By becoming the full executive head of the Nepali Government, the King has overstepped the boundaries of constitutional monarchy. His executive authority undermines the processes of a parliamentary system of government and removes the checks and balances guaranteed by the separation of powers. This precedent will only invite more controversy about constitutional monarchy in Nepal in the future.

At this darkest hour in Nepali history we are united, and express our deep dismay at the King?s takeover of the government in Nepal. We strongly urge the Royal regime not to harm or unduly detain civilians. We and the concerned world will intently watch the events in Nepal and will do our utmost to defend the lives, rights and freedoms of Nepalis faced with political persecution. No one should expect to be immune from the consequences of their actions.

At the same time, we appeal to the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) not to add to the suffering of the Nepali people by trying to take advantage of the present situation. The CPN (Maoist) must realize that it is largely their actions and atrocities that have paved the ground for the Royal takeover. Two wrongs don't make a right. The King's actions should not be deployed in anyway to justify or vindicate the Maoists? so called ?peoples? war.? Accordingly, we call upon the CPN (Maoist) to forsake the use of violence as a method of political change; to stop extortions, abductions, and destruction of the nation?s infrastructure; and come forward for a negotiated settlement of the conflict. Like the King, the Maoists have an obligation to abide by universally accepted norms of democracy and human rights.

Nepalis who have been witness to Maoist-induced deteriorating law and order and security situation in Nepal in the past decade take note of the stated intensions of King Gyanendra to restore order and peace in our embattled homeland. However, democracy and the restoration of peace are closely linked issues in Nepal as elsewhere in the world. By taking Nepal further away from the mainstream of democracy, the unilateral action of the King and the Royal Nepal Army, we fear, is liable to instigate more violence and further erode the already strained fabric of Nepali society and polity.

We concur with the concerns raised by the United Nations, India, United Kingdom, the United States of America, and many other international watchdog bodies over the assumption of all powers by King Gyanendra in Nepal. We appeal to King Gyanendra to take immediate and genuine corrective steps to restore Nepal?s democracy and the basic rights of its citizenry, starting with the freeing of detainees and the opening up of media and communication channels. These alone can bring about the necessary environment for establishing long-term peace, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in Nepal.

Sincerely,
Nepalese Americas Council (NAC)
http://www.nepalcouncil.org

NAC member and other community organizations:
1. Association of the Nepalis in the Americas (ANA)
2. America Nepal Society (ANS), California
3. Nepalese Association in South East America ( NASeA)
4. Nepalese and Friends Association (NAFA)
5. Kaligandaki Friendship Society (KFC), Washington, D.C.
6. Nepali Youth Organization (NYO), Washington, D.C.
7. Society of Ex-Budhanilkantha Students - North America
8. Nepa Pasha Pucha Amerikaye (NPPA)
9. America Nepal Friendship Society (ANFS), New York
10. Nepal Cultural Society of B.C. (NCSBC)
11. International Nepali Literary Society (INLS)
12. Association of the Nepalese in the Midwest America
13. Nepal Seattle Society
14. Florida Nepalese Association (FNA)
15. Nepal Community Network of Canada (NCNC)
16. Nepali Women?s Network of North America
17. NCNC( North Carolina)
18. NAH ( Houston)
19. Nepalese Society of Texas ( Dallas)
20. Greater Boston Nepali Community ( Boston)
21. Nepali American Public Affairs Council (NAPAC)
22. Nepal Concern Group-Canada

Contact Persons:
Dr. Alok Bohora bohara@unm.edu
Dr. Ambika Adhikari ambika_adhikari@yahoo.com
Dr. Anup Pahari apahari@comcast.net
Mr. Girija Gautam Girijagautam@aol.com
Dr. Gaury Adhikary adhikary@med.umich.edu
Dr. Jeetendra Joshee JeetJoshee@yahoo.com
Mr. Puru Subedi psubedi@gmail.com
Ms. Mallika Shakya mallika_ldn@yahoo.com
Mr. Shambhu Lama shambhu.lama@nepalaffairs.org
Mr. Suman Timsina stimsina@yahoo.com
Mr. Arun Sharma Sharun5@aol.com
Mr. Sharda Thapa sjthapa@speedsite.com
Mr. Aditya Jha aditya@osellus.com
Mr. Naresh Koirala naresh1@shaw.ca
Dr. Shyam Karki nepal1975@yahoo.com
Dr. Shiva Gautam sgautam@bidmc.harvard.edu

Just got this on the email. I guess more people for black list..

==
Dear Nepali compatriots and friends,

We, the Nepalis living in greater Vancouver, BC, is
organizing a protest rally tomorrow: Sunday, 12 noon,
January 6, 2005.

Place: Vancouver Art Gallery at Robson Street,
Vancouver, BC

Let's join our voices with those of all democratic
citizens in Nepal and around the world, who are
demanding an immediate end to the autocractic
"Emergency", and for restoration of democracy in
Nepal.

For more information, please contact:

1. Madhu Acharya
2. Nagesh Baral
3. Khem Dahal
4. Shambhu Lama
5. Abi Sharma

Another email just received...i guess these people are smart enough to not disclose their names...NAC people certainly took risk

===
Nepal Under Military Rule
Urgent Public Appeal from the Nepalese Human Rights Community
February 5, 2005


To: President, Asian Development Bank
Prime Minister, Australia
Prime Minister, Canada
Prime Minister, Denmark
President, European Commission
President, France
Prime Minister, Germany
Prime Minister, Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Prime Minister, Japan
Prime Minister, Netherlands
Prime Minister, Norway
Prime Minister, Republic of India
President, Republic of China
Prime Minister, Sweden
Prime Minister, Switzerland
Prime Minister, United Kingdom
President, United States of America
Secretary-General, United Nations
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
President, World Bank


CC: Asian Human Rights Commission
Diplomatic Missions in Nepal
Hague Appeal for Peace
International NGOs
Secretary General, SAARC
Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killing
Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defender
Special Rapporteur on Torture
Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression
United Nations Offices operating in Nepal
Jimmy Carter, Former President, USA
Patrick Leahy, Senator, USA
Working Group on Involuntary Disappearance


We, the members of the Nepalese human rights community, express our serious concern regarding the King's February 1, 2005 announcement of forming government under his chairmanship and the declaration of "state of emergency" and virtually handing over the country's governance to the Royal Nepal Army. The King's invocation of Article 27 ? C to usurp all state power is a fraud on the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990. We, the Nepalese people now live under an illegal military rule headed by the King.

As you are aware almost all the rights guaranteed by the Nepalese Constitution and those enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other international instruments that Nepal is a party to have been suspended. Complete press censorship has been imposed. All means of communication including telephones, internet, and cable tv access to international news media have been severed. All this has been done to create complete terror and panic among the ordinary people.

The King's actions violate international practices and legal standards for human rights even under the conditions of a legitimate "state of emergency." We are deeply concerned by the growing number of political prisoners and the increasing insecurity of human rights defenders, journalists, and lawyers. The current surveillance, monitoring, and harassment of human rights organizations and activists, including obstacles set in place to interrupt the work of the National Human Rights Commission, as well as the harassment of journalists, is unacceptable.

During this critical time, we, the Nepalese human rights defenders, urge the international community to take the following immediate measures to ensure the protection of the fundamental human rights of the citizens and safety of political activists, human rights defenders, journalists, and lawyers, and stop ongoing atrocities by the security forces.


1. The continuing illegal detention of the leaders of the political parties and students' organizations violates the basic norms of human rights and the exercise of political rights. We urge the international community to put adequate pressure on the new regime to disclose the whereabouts of the illegally detained leaders, to refrain from torture, and initiate measures for their unconditional release.

2. The growing insecurity of human rights defenders, journalists, and lawyers creates further fear and terror among the common people. It also creates obstacles to conduct investigations of human rights abuses. We urge the international community to undertake immediate measures to get guarantees for their safety so they may carry out their legitimate activities without any form of interruption.

3. The King's direct rule is the establishment of a military regime in Nepal. We request all foreign governments to stop all forms of military support, including supplying arms and ammunition to the Nepalese government, which are being used to brutally suppress the rights of the common people.

4. We urge the international community to put pressure on Nepalese authorities to reinstate all fundamental human rights of the citizen that are indispensable, inalienable and indivisible, which are currently suspended.

5. The restriction of free flow of information and media censorship violates the people rights to freedom of information. So, we request the international community to take diplomatic actions to convince the King to lift all forms of media censorship immediately.

6. The shut down of communication services creates severe difficulties for the common people to carry out even daily tasks, as well as restricting democratic practices and civil society activities. We request the international community to put immediate pressure on the King to resume all communication services with immediate effect.


We strongly urge your immediate intervention in order to restore democracy and protect the rights of all Nepalese citizens. We believe that this is a legitimate obligation of the international community under the charter of the United Nations to uphold fundamental human rights and democracy among all member states of UN.


This appeal has been submitted on behalf of 25 leading Human Rights Organizations. Due to the current threat to human rights defenders, the names of the organizations have been kept confidential.

NAC's website lists following two additional organizations who support NAC's petition:

Rocky Mountain Friends of Nepal (Denver)
Books in Every Home (Washington DC)

http://www.nepalcouncil.org/News_detail.php?newsid=25

Yo Chilluns what them you is talks about?

Them your internasional Community is very appreciasion him Majesty.

Them your internasional Community of USA and UK is them already have them knowleje about him Majesty. Them say good job yo Majesty!

Him President Bush just congrajulasion him Majesty last night. Him say Congraz to him Majesty!

Thanks Kalig for the information.

NHRC-USA and ANS-DC invited following organizations for discussion today. I am not sure about the outcome:

==
Dear Community leaders, Media and friends,

Namaste!

Human Rights Committee (HRC) and America Nepal Society Washington DC (ANS) are organizing a gathering to arrive a consensus to make a united voice for the immediate restoration of democracy, peace and human rights in Nepal. Nepal is in trouble and facing a severe setback of democracy by the recent takeover by the king Gyanendra. Now Nepal is back to the 1960s era. At this critical moment, on behalf of HRC and ANS, I would like to invite you for your creative participation to show a solidarity for democracy, peace and human rights in Neapal. Your show up can make a difference in the life of fellow Nepalese. Thank you.

List of requested organizatons:

America Nepal Society
Association of Nepalese in the Americas
Baltimore Nepali Society
Budhnilkantha Alumnai SEBS
Chhimeki Gaun
DC Athletic Club
George Mason Nepali Student Union
Himali Aangan
INLS: Head Office & Washington DC Chapter
Kaligandaki Entertainment Enterprises
Nepa Pasa Pucha Americaya
Nepal Education & Cultural Center (Nepali Mandir)
Nepal Horizons dot come
Nepalipost dot come
Nepali Language Committee
Non Resident Nepalese
Nepalese Council in the Americas
Nepali Youth Organization
Newah Organization
Phoolbari Cultural Club
Radio Dovan
Sagarmatha Television
The Academy of Poets and Writers
Women's Association in DC

DadaGiri,
I like your question? Ke ko list???
Major,
NAC member and other community organizations: What a good way to put all the members name at list??? All the sisters organization called for thier own commitee meeting and passed for this action??? I doubt it.........??? why not this way.........all the Nepali who lives in USA and Canda???

Jai Nepal,
Sagun

Yo Sagun !

All them committeese is just like in them Kingdom. Them have President, Secretary, Cashier etc. etc. That what them wants to bring.

Them just like da kingdom and them ministers, Kings, Sachivs, Lekhandas etc.

We da dishwashing biraders still same same. Let they have fun and do them work.

नेपेजी,

अब यो बल मिचाइको निति सुरु भो, सुरु हैन जारी भो भनम्न एक प्रकारले, तर यो निति आजबाट चलेको हैन हाम्रो नेपालाँ पुर्काकै पालादेखि थियो है, हुन त।
यसो पछि फर्केर हेरम् न।
जननिर्वाचित गिरिजा सरकारले कति बल मिचाइ गरे नि?, के भन्नी भनेर त के गनेर नि साध्य लाग्दैन। चुनाब जितेसी पहिऽला भारत गएर गोप्य सन्धि गर्दिए, "लौ जा! बाममोर्चाहरु बढि कराउने, बेच्दै नबेच्या नदि बेच्यो भन्ने किसुनजीलाई, लौ खा! यसै नदी बेचुवा उसै नदी बेचुवा!" भनेर। मेरो हातमा आऽ बेला मेरै रजाईँ भने। खुस्स बेचेर आए, चुपऽ लागेर बसे।

अझ पछाडि फर्किने कि, पृथ्वी नारायाण शाहका पालातिर। पृथ्वी नारायाण शाहले बेस्मारी दौडेर सप्पैलाई उछिनेर गोर्खा राज्य सप्पै जिते। खास भन्ने हो भने घलेहरुको दौडमा शाह भाग लिनै नपाउने हो नि हुन त, तर गएर जान्ने पल्ट्यो। के भन्नी अब झ्याल्लीका फेला परेसी, के लाग्छ।
यो झ्याल्लीको सन्तान! (रे के!)

तर यहाँ कुरा के भने नि,
तेइ नि यो अमेरिकामा बसेर सप्पैले पहिला पेटभरि म: म: खाएछन्, अनि फर्किने बेलाँ एउटाले लेखेको विज्ञप्ती यसो हेरेर "अनि हुन्छ! हुन्छ!! निकालम्! निकालम्!!" भनेर हिँडेछन्। (श्रोत प्रेम दाइ)

अनि नेपाललाई एड सेड नदेऊ, हाम्रा खलकको हातमा सत्ता नपरेसम्मलाई मरी काटे नदेऊ !भनेर विज्ञप्ती निकाले। पछि फेरि माग्नै पर्छ, अहिले काट्न लगाऽर के गर्न खोज्या हुन्। यो त पानीको मुहानमा विष हाल्न हिँडेजस्तो भो के। दुष्मनीको नि हद हुन्छ नि।
"कि अर्कै कुवा बनाऊ! कि नकाराऊ!!" भन्या के मैले त।


अमेरिकामा प्रजातन्त्र छ। (रे! है म त गाऽ छैन।) नेपालाँ फोन गर्न पाइन्न। लंकामा सुन छ कान मेरो बुच्चै भनेको यही हो। हाम्रा पुर्र्खाले यसै उखान टुक्का राख्या छन्? कति वर्षको अनूभव पछि उखान टुक्का बन्या छ नि। मनासिब हो रे छ।

अनि अर्कोतिर,महाभारतमा त कमसेकम संख फुकेसी युद्दबिराम हुन्थ्यो, यहाँ त संख फुके नि, सरकार बदले नि मतलब नहुने भो।

अस्तु!

.

.

Zalimsingh wrote:

----And by the way, since many of these organizations accept donations (for what i still consider to be worthwhile causes) that are tax-deductable, IRS section 501(c)3 actually limits this kind of political activity.---

Protesting a dictatorship is NOT a political activity, these organizations are doing just the right thing.

These office beares had a lot to gain by supporting the dictator but they supported the justice and the truth. My kudos to "America Nepal Society (ANS), California" I am proud to be a member this Society.

Nepe Ji!

Thanks for talking on behalf of sovereign people, please continue your good work.

कति गाह्रो प्रश्न दिएर गाऽऽ नि नेपेजी पनि। पख्नुस् म नि जान्या छु। तैपनि पहिला इमान्दारीपूर्वक उत्तर दिन पट्टि लाग्छु।

यदि म गिरिजा हुन्थे भने... ... ... (If I were Ram Singh, I would drive the care carefully...यो ९ क्लासको कोर्समा थियो हाम्रो पाला, नेपेजी पुरानो शिक्षा भएकोले थाहा छैन होला।)

(म गिरिजाको हात र औँला ठडिएको छ, है।) सर्वप्रथम: त नेपालमा २०४६ सालमा आएको शिषु अबस्थाको यो कलिलो प्रजातन्त्रलाई १३ वर्षमै साँढेले जस्तो निमठ्न दिने थिइन।
१) मेरो लिँढे ढिपीले माओबादी समस्या चर्किँदै गएको हो, यसमा दुई मत छैन, बाबुराम र प्रचण्डजीको पनि चेतना भया। यस्तो दुर्दशा हुन्छ भन्ने जान्या भे त बेलैमा लचकता अपनाएर समस्या सुल्झाउनतिर लाग्ने थिएँ होला।

२) म प्रजातन्त्र! प्रजातन्त्र!! भनेर ठूल्ठूलो स्वरलरे कराउँछु, तर हाम्रो पार्टीभित्रै प्रजातन्त्र छैन।
सँधै म मात्र पार्टि सभापति, संसदीय दलको नेता एवं प्रधानमन्त्री, अरु त पाखा! पाखा!!
गुनेशमानजी, किसुनजी, देउवाजी सऽब कता गए कता, मेरो कारणले गर्दा हो। मैले आफ्नो वरिपरि राम्रो मान्छे पर्न दिइन किनभने राम्रो मान्छे आयो भने त सत्ता लगिहाल्छ नि भन्ने मलाई सँधै जगजगी थियो, मलाई सँधै धौ धौ थियो, जुन ब्यथा अहिले ज्ञानेन्द्र राजालाई सरेको छ।
भन्न खोज्या कुरा के भने, यसमा पार्टीको बिधानमाथि सम्सोधन गरेर भएपनि पहिला पार्टीबाटै पर्जातन्त्र सुदृढ गर्थेँ होला किनभने नेपाली कान्ग्रेस पार्टि नेपालभित्र प्रजातन्त्रको गुरु मानिन्छ।

३) मैले नव प्रतिभाको कहिल्यै कदर गर्न सकिन। सडकमा मात्र उत्रिन लगाएँ। पार्टिको नेतृत्व बिस्तारै युवावर्गसम्म त के कुरा एक पिँढी तलतिर पनि जान दिइन। यसमा बिचार पुर्याउनु पर्थ्यो।

आदि आदि नेपेजी!

तापाईँले खोज्नुभएको जवाफ अझै आएको छैन मलाई थाहा छ।

अब देशभित्रका बिबिध समस्याहरुको आमूल परिवर्तन भन्या त प्रजातन्त्रबाट पनि हुन्छ गरेदेखि। यो अहिलेको सम्बिधानबाट पनि हुन्छ। नेपाली काग्रेस र एमाले मिलेर सम्बिधान सम्सोधन गर्न सकिने ठाउँ थियो, २ तिहाइ बहुमत पुगिहाल्या थियो नि, पुग्दैन्थ्यो र?
त्यतापट्टि पनि सोच्न सकिन्थ्यो होला माकुनेजीसित कुरा गर्या भे देखि।

ल यो सानो उत्तर है, सबै बिस्तृत रुपमा ब्याख्या गर्ने हो भने त १००० जिब्रा भएका शेषनागले पनि सक्दैनन्, यो निस्कृय राजतन्त्र र प्रजातन्त्रको महिमा। हहिले उल्टो भाऽ छ। सकृय राजतन्त्र र निस्कृय प्रजातन्त्र।

Now the question goes to you: ६ महिनापछिको नेपाल कस्तो अबस्थामा लैजानुहुन्छ, मानौँ तपाईँ प्रचण्ड रे क्या! ल भनम्।
अर्को थ्रिडमा सुरु गरे नि हुन्छ।
(अनि महेन्द्रमालाको ब्यबहारिक देन हेर्नलाई एकजना मित्रको यो थ्रिड पनि हेरम् है।
Title: A RAY OF LIGHT)

Nepe,

You have made it clear on many occassions here in Sajha that you are a Republican, and I respect that stand, although I am on the other extreme of the spectrum. And both of us have made it perfectly clear to each other on many many occassions that there's simply no point in having a discussion between us. I don't udnerstand why you are so against the King and the institution he represents, nor I have any intentions to know it, its your personal choice, just as I chose to be a Monarchist, you chose to be a Republican for your own reasons. That's that.

Having said this, let me raise my OBJECTION to one of the points on Prithvi Narayan Shah you made on your reply to Dadagiri. And a question:

If you think the modern Nepali state was formed by committing genocide(s), then why not, along with Republicanism, make it clear that we need to go back to the 22-24 rajyes days? I mean, one should not be forced to be a citizen of a nation/country that he thinks is unified by committing genocide(s)? Doesn't make much sense, does it? Its perfectly understandable. You probably do not feel good about the unification, and probably the people living in Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, Makwan Pur, Palpa, Salyan, Jajarkot, Mustang, Manang, Janakpur, Nepalgunj, Lamjung .etc. do not feel very comfortable living in a country which exists because an insane ruler from Gorkha woke up one day and decided to kill their ancestors en masse?

I personally have immense respect for the King who united Nepal and without whose contribution, Nepal would have been merely a concept, not a country. Prithvi Narayan Shah, from the age of 17- 52 fought for a cause. Remember it was more than 250 years ago, when there was no Geneva Convention on warfare. Yeah, atrocities were committed, no denying to that but if you look at the history of other nations/countries, atrocities in even greater scale were committed there. But no matter what.. a nation/country has to respect it's founding father(s), without whose contribution it would't have come into existence. Ben Gurion in Israel, Washington in America, Sun Yat Sen in modern China, Gandhi in India, Jinnah in Pakistan, Mustafa Kemal Attaturk in Turkey, Peter the Great in Russia, and to some extent the reformer-dicator Emperor of Japan, whose rule is known as Meiji... they were not all perfect human beings. They ahd their flaws too, but they did something that nobody had done in their countries bfore them.. they instilled the idea of a nation state(s)/countries in ammong their people. And that's what Prtithvi Narayan Shah did. I have lived in 3 other countries besides Nepal, but no where I met people who talked about their founding fathers or the unifier in such terms. Even in China, people show tremendous respect to the Qin Dynasty Emperor, Qin Shi Huang Di who unified China 2000 years ago because it was he who gave the Chinese people the concept of an unified Chinese nation-state.

I will read your reply, if you post one, but our diffrences being unbridgebly vast, I will not waste my time, nor your time, typing and posting a reply.

Long Live Prithvi Narayan Shah.
Long live Nepal.

nation state(s)/countries in ammong their people= among

and this one on King Mahendra from Time magazine dated may 15, 1964.

May. 15, 1964 Nepal's King Mahendra is a poet, tiger hunter and consummate wheeler-dealer. As monarch of a mile-high, land locked nation, one of whose principal exports is the steely little Gurkha soldier, Mahendra labors not only to hold his throne but also to keep his little kingdom from the jaws of its giant neighbors, Red China and India. He does this so successfully that, far from becoming a tasty morsel for its neigh bors, Nepal has wheedled all manner of goodies from both? not to mention the U.S. and Russia.

I find it outrageous that a scholar of isolated_freak's caliber should defend and promote as right the idea of absolute monarchy in today's world. I am inclined to think that there may be some personal interests involved.

In simplest terms, I think it is a fundamentally flawed notion that a son of a ruler must be automatically entitled to inherit the power to rule. To me, there can be no defense to it, period.

I think that the best that today's world can offer a monarch is an appropriate place (such as, figurehead) within a democratic system on the grounds of tradition. So it is imperative that any move by a monarch to seek absolute authority is bound to fail.

I think that the popular support that King Gyanendra currently appears to have garnered in Nepal is nothing but a spontaneous and ephemeral burst of relief after years of violence and extortion by the Maoists and the Army, and rampant corruption in all political quarters.

Eventually, Nepal is going to have to walk the same path forward again. There will be the Maoists again. The only way out will be to find a solution forward, not go backward like what has just happened because it only delays the effective institutionalization and stability of democracy.

Just my two cents. No offense intended.

No offense taken, Echoes.

I am not a scholar. I am just a student. And just like everyone has the rights to choose his political viewpoint, I think I have mine too, as long as I do not promote it in a manner that might be considered offensive.

There's no personal interests involved. I am in school, I have no intentions whatsoever to get involved in politics.. I am happy analyzing it, not engaging in it.

Also I am not defending absolute monarchy. All I say is, give King a chance. Maybe he will be able to clean up the mess that our nation currently is in. If there was a better, qualified leader in Nepal at this time, I would have supported him. However, in the absence of a credible, capable and a nationalist leader, you have to support the King, or just let the things as they are.

Also, I always say, which to some sounds like defending absolute monrachy, to some it makes no sense, and maybe to some, makes some sense: Let's work towards building and strengthening the institutions necessary to safeguard democracy first by solving the problems on hand, then go for an all out democracy. Sometimes a phase wise/gradual approach seems to work better in countries which do not have a tradition of democracy.

No offense taken. Its yoiur rights to ask questions and raise objections when you deem fit, and its my rights to defend my views and clear your objections/concerns/doubts, if I think its necessary to do so.