US slams Nepal polls as 'hollow' exercise

The Times of India ^ | 9 Feb 2006 | The Times of India

[CarrotAndStick]

WASHINGTON: The United States has slammed the elections in Nepal as a "hollow attempt on the part of the King to legitimise power" and said the only way to deal with the Maoist problem is to restore democracy in the Himalayan Kingdom.

"The United States believes Nepal's Municipal elections called by the King on Thursday represented a hollow attempt to legitimize power," the state department spokesman Sean McCormack said on Wednesday.

He said there was a clear lack of public support for the elections and the voter turnout in the capital is estimated under 25 percent.

"Outside Kathmandu, turnout was reportedly half that level in some places," he said. Criticising the government, the spokesman said the administration had detained large numbers of political activists before the elections, restricted media, and refused to allow independent outside monitors.

He pointed out that "the only effective way to deal with the threat posed by Maoists is to restore democracy in Nepal".

"We call upon the King to release all political detainees and initiate a dialogue with the political parties. His continuing refusal to take these steps is leading his country further down the path of violence and disorder", McCormack added.

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©Bennett, Coleman and Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

[CarrotAndStick]

Sucks to be the king, huh?

[Gengis Khan]

Looks like the King takes tips on democracy from his other ally .....Mushie.

[Wiz]

It's time to promote revolution and have the king beheaded by the pro-Democracy citizens.

[CarrotAndStick]

The only problem is that a large portion of the pro-democracy supporters are supposedly Maoist shills.

Sagar knows more about it. He's from Nepal.

[sagar]

"It's time to promote revolution and have the king beheaded by the pro-Democracy citizens."

What a retarded statement. Do you even know the situation? Or just brainwashed by the media feel-good term "democracy," when in reality the so-called pro-democracy "protestors" are communists.

Nepalese demonstrators shout slogans as they take part in a rally during a day-long general strike in Kathmandu. Hundreds of protesters shouting slogans against King Gyanendra gathered in Nepal's capital as part of a nationwide general strike called by opposition parties pressing for the restoration of democracy.(AFP/Devendra M Singh)

I bet if stalin or peru's shining path commies would have used "democracy", you would be sold completely.