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Nepal's 'tyrant' king isolated by Maoist deal
Telegraph.co.uk ^ | 11/23/2005 | Thomas Bell

Posted on 11/22/2005 11:44:21 PM PST by sagar

Nepal's Maoist rebels entered a pact with opposition politicians yesterday in a move to isolate King Gyanendra, who seized full power nine months ago.

Under the deal the communists, who control most rural areas, would lay down their arms under United Nations supervision while a new constitution is drafted. They say they will become a democratic party if the king is removed.

More than 12,500 people have died in their near 10-year campaign to turn the Himalayan monarchy into a communist republic.

The announcement came in statements from the Maoists and seven opposition parties, following recent talks in New Delhi.

Both the opposition and the Maoists are opposed to King Gyanendra, whom they call a "tyrant". Since his coup in February, when he argued that 12 years of democracy had allowed the Maoists to flourish, his uncompromising style of leadership has forced his enemies closer together.

The statement issued yesterday said: "It is our clear understanding that unless the autocratic rule is ended and full democracy is restored, there will be no peace or progress in the country." It was not clear if all the parties were determined to ending the monarchy but the Maoist leader Prachanda - The Fierce One - said: "We are committed to end the autocratic monarchy and establish full democracy through a forward-looking political solution."

The parties say they will support the Maoist demand for a new constitution if the rebels end their violence.

Girija Prasad Koirala, president of Nepali Congress, the largest political party in Nepal, stressed that the agreement was not a formal alliance with the Maoists, but he added: "We will be fighting the monarchy from separate fronts".

Madhav Kumar Nepal, of the Communist Party of Nepal, called the announcement "a breakthrough to restore peace in the country and end the Maoist conflict".

Diplomats, however, cautioned that there could be no lasting ceasefire without the support of King Gyanendra, who controls the army and opposes writing a new constitution that may sideline or abolish the monarchy.

"It could be that they've presented a proposal to which they know the king can't agree in an attempt to deepen his isolation," said one western diplomat.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: gyanendra; king; maoism; maoists; nepal; royals
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To: Gengis Khan
Dictatorship under the King or under the reds, either way its going to be a genocidal one.

Thanks for the moral equivalence argument. It show the weakness of your position. All you can hope to do is suggest that the king is no better than the communists, which is ridiculous of course.

India would condemn Nepal to a Khmer Rouge style slaughter and for what? To appease their own traitorous pro-Chinese commies.

21 posted on 11/23/2005 9:38:59 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Tailgunner Joe
I disagree - I think it's a good deal and the Indian government deserves some kudos for making it happen. Remember Prince Sihanouk of Cambodia - these despots always seem to wind up in the arms of other despots, which means China in this case.
22 posted on 11/23/2005 9:45:00 PM PST by Heatseeker (Never underestimate the left's tendency to underestimate us.)
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To: Gengis Khan
The Maoists demand a republic, just like the parties. They know that the worthless democRATS will lack the ruthlessness required to stand up to communist terror, just like the Indian democracy has no will to fight their own Maoist Naxalites.
23 posted on 11/23/2005 9:48:06 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Heatseeker
Sure, the Khmer Rouge was preferable to Sihanouk. Just like Castro is better than Batista. Just like Mao was better than Chiang. Just like Lenin was better than the Czar.
24 posted on 11/23/2005 9:50:40 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Tailgunner Joe
"All you can hope to do is suggest that the king is no better than the communists, which is ridiculous of course. "
 
Should read as: "All you can hope to do is suggest that [a Pol Pot style dictator] is no better than the communists "
Yup thats right.
 
India would condemn Nepal to a Khmer Rouge style slaughter and for what? To appease their own traitorous pro-Chinese commies.
 
The states worst affected India due to Maoist terror are the ones ruled by the commies i.e West Bengal and Socialist ruled Bihar. The Commies and Socialists have lost the largest number of  their cadres to the Maoists and Naxals. And its the Commies that have wiped out the Maoists/Naxals in West Bengal. This can happen only in a democracy.
 
Neither dictatorship nor communism can replace democracy or can even be thought of as a temporary alternative untill conditions are "favourable for democracy to grow".

25 posted on 11/23/2005 9:51:16 PM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: Gengis Khan

Drunk on Bhang milkshakes again?


26 posted on 11/23/2005 9:51:36 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Gengis Khan
Let India get it's way and you'll really see a Pol Pot style dictator. Pol Pot was the fourth greatest mass murderer in all of history you know.

Gyanendra is more like Pinochet. The more commies he kills, the better.

27 posted on 11/23/2005 9:53:41 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Tailgunner Joe

Let India get it's way there will be democracy.

The more commies he kills, the better.

How do you know they are all commies. Becoz the dictator sez so? They could be just about anybody opposed to dictatorship.

"The more commies he kills, the better."

That way he will surely end up bettering even Pol Pot. No point choosing one scumbag over another.


28 posted on 11/23/2005 10:07:53 PM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: Tailgunner Joe
If i understand you correctly, your premise is that if we support the King, he'll stay anticommunist and somehow morph into someone supportive of a democratic government.

I just don't see that happening, and moreover, if the UN can be made to disarm the Maoists (the idea of the UN making anybody do anything is a bit of a giggle, I'll grant you) and if they enter the political process, they will be swamped by the other parties.

29 posted on 11/23/2005 10:08:02 PM PST by Heatseeker (Never underestimate the left's tendency to underestimate us.)
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To: Gengis Khan
The Nepalese people cannot be denied democracy for the fear that they may not makethe right choice.

Thank God the USA is a Republic and not a Democracy, so the people can't decide to throw their freedom away. In a country ruled by law instead of the will of the mob, rights are inalienable and cannot be sacrificed even voluntarily.

30 posted on 11/23/2005 10:09:19 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Gengis Khan
If the Maoists can be give a seat at the table, it can also be taken away.

How naive.

31 posted on 11/23/2005 10:10:05 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Heatseeker
No I think if we support the king he'll kill commies. That is my concern, not spreading democracy. It's not America's job to fight for everyone else's democracy, but it is our responsibility to stop communism.

If the maoists are destroyed then the king will have no need to continue to suppress the political parties.

32 posted on 11/23/2005 10:15:21 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Tailgunner Joe

Ever tried one?


33 posted on 11/23/2005 10:15:21 PM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: Gengis Khan
No point choosing one scumbag over another.

Then why do you choose Prachanda?

I'll take Pinochet over Allende. I'll take Fujimori over the Shining Path.

34 posted on 11/23/2005 10:18:15 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Tailgunner Joe

Thank God the USA is a Republic and not a Democracy, so the people can't decide to throw their freedom away. In a country ruled by law instead of the will of the mob, rights are inalienable and cannot be sacrificed even voluntarily.

India is a Republic and also a Democracy, and thank God for that. Here one individual does not decide the law, and yet ones rights are as much inalienable and there is still as much freedom.


35 posted on 11/23/2005 10:22:40 PM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: Tailgunner Joe

"Then why do you choose Prachanda?"

I didnt.

"I'll take Pinochet over Allende. I'll take Fujimori over the Shining Path."

There are better examples to find than any of those you cited if only Nepal choose to look at India.

Personally I prefer a progressive pro-reforms (preferably a Hindu) party to come to power.


36 posted on 11/23/2005 10:31:55 PM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: Gengis Khan
"Democracy is the road to socialism." - Karl Marx

"Communism needs democracy like the human body needs oxygen." – Leon Trotsky

"Democracy is indispensable to socialism. The goal of socialism is communism." - Vladimir Lenin

“You can never have a revolution, in order to establish a democracy. You must have a democracy in order to have a revolution.” - G. K. Chesterton

37 posted on 11/23/2005 10:35:04 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Gengis Khan

If you support the overthrow of the king, then you want what the maoists want and are on their side.


38 posted on 11/23/2005 10:36:44 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Gengis Khan

Nepal is the only officially Hindu state in the world and the king is a Hindu god.


39 posted on 11/23/2005 10:38:46 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Tailgunner Joe

"If you support the overthrow of the king, then you want what the maoists want and are on their side."

Thats like saying if you dont want British rule over India then you want the Japs and Nazis to take over and are on their side.

Weak argument.


40 posted on 11/23/2005 10:49:10 PM PST by Gengis Khan
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