News From Nepal

30th May 2008 The end of the monarchy

Today this note arrived from one of our Nepal Operations team describing the current tense situation in Kathmandu.
If you want to read a BBC report click Nepal Protests

"Well yesterday around 11.30 PM our country is declared a Federal Republic and thus the King is from now on just an ordinary citizen of Nepal. He has been given 15 days notice to vacate the Palace, which is going to be turned into a Museum. CA meeting supposed to start at 11 AM, was delayed for 12 hours as the main political parties Nepali Congress, UML and Maoist started bargaining for power sharing rather than to start CA Meeting which indicates they have not changed and they are too selfish to think of our Country or the people. Most of the public are angry and upset with them. That is why thousands of people gathered outside CA Meeting Hall to pressurise CA members to declare federal republic as soon as possible, the masses became so impatient that they started throwing stones and scuffling with police and Police have to use tear gas.The masses stayed there even after the king loyalist expoloded two bombs around CA Meeting Hall.

Today, there is tension around Palace as people started gathering there to put National Flag in the Palace and as the Govt. has declared Palace area as prohibited zone, there is now fighting going on between public and police in Durbar Marg.

The way political situation right now I do not think Prachanda will become Prime Minister for next few weeks as there will be lots of wrangling between parties before they form the new Govt."