-------- Original Message -------- Subject: FW: It took a while to get the news From: "Sharda Thapa" Date: Tue, February 01, 2005 8:56 am To: "Chicagoland Nepali Pariwar" , "Anmausa" Translation of speech attached. Nepal King Gyanendra sacks Deuba Govt Reuters Kathmandu, February 1, 2005|11:35 IST Nepali King Gyanendra sacked the Government on Tuesday, assuming power for the next three years amid an escalating civil war with Maoist rebels, a television report said. The king announced his decision to sack the Government on state radio, but shortly afterwards, communications links between Kathmandu and the rest of the world appeared to be cut. NDTV television channel said the monarch had placed politicians under house arrest, but no further details were available. The strategic Himalayan nation, sandwiched between India and China, is locked in a bitter three-way struggle among the king, political parties and Maoist rebels. The king is often accused of overstepping his powers, and only reappointed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba last June, two years after sacking him for failing to tackle the long-standing Maoist revolt against the monarchy and to conduct an election. This time, Deuba had promised to go ahead with the election despite the civil war and the refusal of the Maoists to come to peace talks by January 13. But many members of Deuba's own Cabinet were known to be unhappy with the plan to hold polls, saying it was unrealistic in a country where the rebels control much of the countryside. The rebels have been fighting since 1996 to replace the monarchy with a communist republic in a revolt that has cost around 11,000 lives. This is the fourth time the king has sacked a Prime Minister in less than three years. Nepal has had no Parliament since 2002. Hi, FYI I am forwarding a personal account of the latest news. Shyam Dear All, It's 11am in Kathmandu on Tuesday, Februrary 1, and we have just watched a televised address in which King Gyanendra officially dissolved the current government and appointed himself 'chairman' of a new cabinet. He strongly criticized both the political parties and the Maoists, and suggested that the only way for Nepal to move forward is for the King and the people to come together for a unified, peaceful and safe Nepal. I cannot tell you more yet as the details of his rhetoric in highly Sanskritic Nepali were beyond my immediate comprehension, but in any case it seems like this is the full appropriation of power that many have been anticipating for the last several months. The eerie thing is that all phone lines in Kathmandu seem to have been cut -- neither landlines or mobiles are working. I hate to be paranoid about it, but it does seem like this is an intentional move by the powers that be so as to prevent protestors from organizing. However, cable internet is still working for now, so I've been able to get this message out from an internet shop. Everyone here is in a state of confusion about exactly what this means, and people are very upset about the phones being cut. Please keep an eye out on the situation from wherever you are, and I'll send more news as soon as possible. I'd also encourage others on these lists who are currently in Ktm to send their own updates if they can. Take care, Sara