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Major Events in Nepal
By KTM Reporter in Kathmandu
On May 27, 2008, newly elected members of the Constituent Assembly (CA) took the oath of office at the International convention Center (ICC). The senior most member of the CA Kul Bahadur Gurung chaired the oath-taking session. Incumbent Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is the senior most member of the CA but he could not chair the ceremony, so, the next senior most member took the chair. Different ethnic-group members dressed in their ethnic costume and wearing their respective ornaments not only embellished the oath-taking ceremony but also showed the integration of all of ethnic Nepalis into a single Nepal.
On May 28, 2007, the first sitting of the CA was scheduled for 11:00 A.M. but held only at 9:00 P.M., 10 hours late because of the negotiations going on among the leaders of the major political parties at the official residence of the Prime Minister at Baluwatar, Kathmandu. The senor most CA member Kul Bahadur Gurung chaired the first CA session.
The Chairman requested the CA members to stand in silence for two minutes to pay tribute to the martyrs. Then, the Chairman read out the congratulatory letter sent by the Indian House Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee. Then, he asked the Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala for submitting his proposal for declaring Nepal a federal democratic republic. Prime Minister Koirala seemed to be weak and unwell. He did not take the salute made ready for honoring the Head of State at the entrance to the ICC. He spoke for a few minutes and then ask Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel to read out his short speech. Then, Minster for Home Krishna Prasad Sitaula read out the proposal for declaring Nepal a federal democratic republic ending the monarchy. Thereafter, the Chairman called on the CA members for voting for or against the proposal. Out of the 564 CA members present in the first session, 560 voted for the proposal and 4 against the proposal. Then, the Chairman gave two minutes to each member willing to present their views, and then announced the proposal was passed by overwhelming majority and declare Nepal a federal democratic republic, stripped the king of all royal titles, rights, positions, privileges and benefits making him a commoner, and gave instructions to the Government of Nepal to give 15 days to former King Gyanendra Shah to vacate the palace and convert the palace to a museum.
On May 28, 2008, all over Nepal, Nepalis had been rallying and taking processions to welcome the proclamation of Nepal a federal democratic republic. Hundreds of thousands of Nepalis had rallied despite the hot-May sun shining so brightly overhead. In the evening, oil lamps were lighted at various squares to welcome republic. A group of people demonstrated protesting the declaration of republic at New Road, Kathmandu in the afternoon.
On May 29, 2008, the flag of the former king at the royal palace was lowered at 8:00 A.M. by the order of the Government of Nepal; the national flag was hoisted only in the evening at about 7:30 P.M. but the Government said that it had not ordered to do so. A group of people had rallied at the area near the palace demanding hoisting of the national flag at the palace throughout the day. The security had guarded the area around the palace declared prohibited for rallying for security reasons. So, the security and the people rallying at the south gate of the palace confronted with each other a number of times injuring a few protestors. They shouted slogans against the former king and warned the political leaders of possibility of their fate to be as of the former king if they would do not work for the people. They also demanded immediate evacuation of Gyanendra Shah and his family from the palace. One of them said that former King Gyanendra should go to the District Administration Office and get the citizenship certificate as any other citizen and also a driving license if he wants to drive.
On May 29, 2008, the Council of Ministers decided to send a letter to the former king Gyanendra Shah giving 15 days time for leaving the palace following the instructions given by the CA. On May 30, 2008, Home Minister Krishna Prasad sitaula said that the Government has already sent a letter the former king asking to leave the palace within 15 days as instructed y the CA.
The Council of Ministers also decided to set up a four-member task-team headed by Joint Secretary to the Ministry of General Administration to turn over and take over the assets and property of the palace from the palace officials working so far, and record them for proper management and report to the Council of Ministers within seven days; the Government of Nepal entrusted the responsibility of safeguarding the palace area to the Ministry of Home said Minister for Peace and Communication Ram Chandra Poudel speaking to the reporters.
On May 29, 2008, the US Embassy in Kathmandu in a statement welcomed the declaration of Nepal a federal democratic republic, and congratulated Nepalese people. Similarly, UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon congratulated Nepalis on declaring Nepal a federal democratic republic.
On May 30, 2008, the Sagarmatha TV relayed the scene of a number of cars coming out of the northern gate at 12.43 A.M. believing that these vehicles must be carrying Former King Gyanendra Shah and his family. The Sagarmatha TV has posted its TV crews at four main gates of the palace to watch the likely exit of the former royal family members. It has been telecasting live scene of the protest against the former king from the area further south of the southern entrance to the palace the whole day on May 29 and continued in the night. The Government of Nepal has said that former King Gyanendra is still in the palace.
On May 29, 2008, speaking at a reception and press conference held in Kathmandu to mark the first day of republican Nepal, Nepali Congress central member and Constituent Assembly member Narahari Acharya said that the resolution declaring Nepal a federal democratic republic passed by the CA on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 was pursuant to the Nepalese people’s mandate; the voting out of monarchy through the constituent assembly was unique example in the world, and stressed on the need to take this change ahead in an easy and scientific manner stated “The Rising Nepal” of May 30, 2008.
