Suppressing mass protests
Nepal panel calls for legal action against king
Afp, Kathmandu
An official report released yesterday has recommended legal action against Nepal's king for his role in suppressing massive protests that forced an end to his direct rule last year. King Gyanendra scrapped 14 months of authoritarian rule in April 2006 after three weeks of street demonstrations led by political parties in concert with rebel Maoists, which left 19 people dead. "The government should prepare a necessary law to take action against the then chairman of the council of ministers (King Gyanendra) and other ministers," said the report written by a commission chaired by a former head of the supreme court, Krishna Jung Rayamajhi. No law exists under current Nepali statutes to prosecute a monarch making any immediate action against the beleaguered king unlikely. During the April uprising, Gyanendra's government detained thousands of political activists, cut mobile phone connections and imposed daytime curfews across the country. "All members of the cabinet including the chairman of the then government are responsible for the loss of life and property, misuse of power and state funds and violations of human rights during the people's movement in April," said the commission's findings put before parliament on Friday. Within weeks of Gyanendra's climbdown, new Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala set up the commission under Rayamajhi to probe abuses of power during protests. The panel submitted written questions to the monarch but he did not respond. The findings were presented to the prime minister and cabinet eight months ago but were only made public after pressure from the interim parliament and civil society. The report also urged that the former army chief of staff and the former head of the armed police force face prosecution for their role in putting down the April protests. Gyanendra has already been stripped of most of his powers, including his position as head of state and army chief. Former rebel Maoists and the government signed a landmark peace deal late last year and since then, the ultra-leftists have been given seats in parliament and five ministerial portfolios. The future of the 238-year-old Shah dynasty is set to be decided in November polls that will elect a body to rewrite the country's constitution.
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