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The new Himalayan republic

Explore the rich history and complex political journey of the new Himalayan republic of Nepal, from monarchy to federal republic, marked by struggles, transitions, and socio-political shifts. Witness the fight for democracy, challenges of governance, and the abolishment of monarchy.

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The new Himalayan republic

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  1. The new Himalayan republic Ryo Ruiz

  2. Demography and geography • Bordered by India on three sides • Mount Everest • Population of 28 million • 15% town-dwellers • 75% subsistence farmers • 75% of fuel consumption is firewood • Western hill and mountain regions remain the poorest parts of the country and the strongest base of communist support.

  3. A post-colonial monarchy • The Kingdom of Nepal was forged in the late 18th century by Prithvi Narayan Shah. • Reduced to its current size by the Sugouli peace agreement. • Pro-British Jang Bahadur Rana carried out a palace massacre and established Rana premiership. • Rana’s rule overthrown after Indian Independence (February 1951). • Unified Nepal Congress and the Delhi Accord (constituent assembly).

  4. A post colonial monarchy (continued) • King Tribhuvan and son Mahendura dismiss prime minister and cabinet. • New constitution (1959). • King Mahendura uses emergency powers (December 1960) • King Birendra continues legacy.

  5. opposition • Education and Health: literacy 2% to 40%. • Professional middle class emerges, demanding socio-political space. • Arrival of radio helped end Nepal’s seclusion. • Banned parties went underground. • Original Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) was founded in 1949. • Maoist upsurge in West Bengal (early 1970’s)

  6. Jana andolani • February 1990 • CPN-Marxist and CPN-Marxist-Leninist form United Left Front (fall 1989). • ULF forms alliance with Nepal Congress (Movement for Restoration of Democracy). • Remarkable public response. • India, London, and Washington gives support.

  7. Jana andolan I (continued) • Over 500,000 celebrated new cabinet and negotiations with MRD (6 April 1990). • King capitulated by 13 April 1990. • New constitution drafted (November 1990). • “Archaic Democracy” (1990-2002) • First elections in 1991 since 1959. • Maoists of CPN-Unity Centre uses elections to expose the inability of parliamentary politics to resolve basic problems. • CPN-Maoists (1995) emerge as a force at national level by 2000.

  8. Murder at the palace • Crown Prince Dipendra allegedly murdered his father King Birendra, mother, brother, and sister (June 2001). • The Birendra’s brother, Gyanendra, was duly crowned King of Nepal. • Within 6 months, he imposed emergency rule citing the Maoist threat among other things. • Washington and Delhi fully supported the new king.

  9. Royal coup • At the beginning of 2005, Maoists had spread to 73/75 districts, claiming 80% of countryside control. • Growing number of public expression. • King Gyanendra dissolved parliament in May 2002. • February 2005, King sacked the Prime Minister and Cabinet, vested all executive powers in himself, suspended civil liberties, and arrested political leaders. • India now sought to tame the CPN-M, still working to eliminate Maoist threat.

  10. Jana andolan ii • Urban opposition to the February 2005 coup was first organized by the public. • Citizens Movement for Democracy and Peace • Seven Party Alliance (SPA, mid 2005) • Memorandum of Understanding (November 2005) • In March 2006, SPA and Maoists planned to launch joint Jan Andolan II on April 6. • The king invited the SPA to name new Prime Minister (April 21). • By April 23, brought more than 1 million people into the streets. • King capitulated (April 24)

  11. Dilemmas of transition • Initial agreements included an assembly of 497 seats. • 240 first-past-the-post • 240 proportional representation based on party list • 17 “eminences” nominated by the cabinet • Maoist’s lacked funding, patronage structures, and readily identifiable candidates. • Each of the large parties—Nepal Congress, NCP-UML, Maoists—might expact roughly a 1/3 of the seats. • Maoists pulls out of the Interim Government (September 2007). • Maoists and NCP-UML united to pass, by majority, a full PR voting system (December 7). • Monarchy abolished (December 23), becoming a federal republic.

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