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Nepal's King Gyanendra reinstates dissolved parliament

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, April 25, IRNA
Nepal-King-Parliament
In a major political breakthrough, Nepal's King Gyanendra reinstated Nepal's House of Representatives which was dissolved on May 22, 2002 on the advice of the then prime minister in accordance with the 1990 constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal.

Addressing the nation late Monday night, the king also extended his heartfelt condolences to all those who had lost their lives in the people's movement and wished the injured speedy recovery, Kantipur National Daily reported from Kathmandu.

"We call upon the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) to bear the responsibility of taking the nation on the path to national unity and prosperity, while ensuring permanent peace and safeguarding multi-party democracy," the king said.

The king also summoned to a session the reinstated House of Representatives at Sansad Bhawan on Friday, April 28, 2006.

The king's announcement comes a day before a planned opposition rally on the capital, Kathmandu, to demand a return to multi-party democracy.

Reinstatement of the parliament has been one of the main demands of the SPA, which has been carrying out a nationwide general strike against the king's direct rule for the last 19 days during which at least 14 people have died, 5,000 injured and four missing.

Almost two dozens have been physically disabled while eight have permanently lost their vision.

The king's announcement of restoration of parliament was welcomed by leaders of the opposition alliance who said the planned protest on Tuesday would turn into a victory rally.

Meanwhile, on Monday thousands of demonstrators defied a shoot-on-sight curfew in the capital Kathmandu.

Last weekend opposition parties rejected an offer by King Gyanendra for them to name a prime minister, saying it did not go far enough to meet their demands.

A series of curfews have been in force in the city in recent days but which have been ignored by demonstrators.

Violence escalated since the Maoist rebels ended a truce in January although they declared a ceasefire in Kathmandu this month as street protests began against King Gyanendra.

More than 13,000 people have died in the 10-year Maoist insurgency aimed at replacing the monarchy with a communist republic.

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