Nepal's Democracy Under House Arrest by the King

MAJOR EVENT IN ASIA, NEPAL'S DEMOCRACY HAS BEEN DISSOLVED Special from India

Democracy and diplomacy suffered another setback as Kin Gyanendra of Nepal fired the Prime Minister of Nepal and grabbed absolute power for the next three years, as he declared a state of emergency. The Kathmandu airport was closed, and all telephone lines disconnected. I had been invited to Nepal by a former Parliament member and was considering a consultation visit there, after my current presentations in Pune, India, but now entry is barred.

Nepal’s problems with the Maoist rebels has begged for dialogue and understanding. The young and educated people of Nepal, and India support greater dialogue by a huge majority. The Maoists have protested corruption and the endemic poverty in Nepal, and the history of some of Nepal’s leaders suggests that there has been ongoing abuses and corruption in that nation. While we disagree with the violent tactics of the Maoists, their message seems to be getting through. When people are hungry, disadvantaged, and poverty stricken, they will resort to social instability to achieve their goals…to “feed their children”.

But instead of addressing the problem, the King of Nepal has made a decision to “control and repress.” Thus, in the name of fighting “terrorism” Nepal seems to have taken a step backwards in fighting “corruption”. This pattern has been repeated in other nations around the world. India, Nepal’s strongest supporter and neighbor to the south, instantly criticized the move by King Gyanendra, stating “This move is a serious setback to the cause of democracy in Nepal…” The Prime Minister of Nepal who was “fired”, Shser Bahadur Deuba said that the move was: “anti democratic” and predicted that it would put Nepal into “grave crisis”.

The United States may have exacerbated the problem by giving millions in support to the government of Nepal to buy new weapons to fight the Maoists. The U.S. government could have instead provided pressure and massive support for diplomacy and meetings with the Maoists to come to a mutual solution, but unfortunately, again has made a diplomatic “miscalculation”. Only a few weeks ago the Maoists were able to block all roads into Kathmandu, virtually isolating the city, as a demonstration of their power.

Nepal is a beautiful nation, with great cultural treasures and a kind and compassionate people. It has great potential, to again be a destination point for people around the world who appreciate the nation. We can only hope that enlightened people of the “Global Generation” will speak out in Nepal, and make strong and intelligent leadership moves to stabilize and move Nepal into a progressive nation with economic opportunity for all.