Kathmandu, May 31: The new Communist-led government
in Nepal will face its first test with the Maoists threatening
to launch a nationwide agitation next week and the dominant
ethnic group of Kathmandu valley calling a shutdown tomorrow
to demand autonomy for the capital region.
The Maoists' Central Secretariat has decided to stage
protests on June 3 and 4 and to continue disrupting Parliament
proceedings to press for acceptance of their motion against
President Ram Baran Yadav's move to block the sacking of Army
chief by former premier Prachanda, an issue that had led to
the eventual ouster of the Maoist government.
The Newars have called a general strike in central Nepal
tomorrow to press for their demand to declare the Kathmandu
valley -- where they are in majority -- an autonomous region.
The shutdown has been called by eight organisations of
Newars affiliated to the major political parties like CPN-UML,
Nepali Congress and the Maoists.
The joint struggle committee of the eight groups has
demanded halting of construction of an outer ring road here as
it would reduce fertile land, not to include Kathmandu valley
under Central government territory and to stop uncontrolled
migration of people from other parts of Nepal to here in order
to protect environment, culture, natural resources and maintain
peace and security in the valley.
If the current trend of uncontrolled migration and unmanaged urbanisation is allowed to continue, the population of the valley would increase by 50 per cent to 6 million in
near future and the valley will face water crisis and
pollution will increase at an alarming scale, they warn.
Interestingly, the Newars of Kathmandu had ruled the
valley till 240 years ago, when Shah King Prithvi Narayan came
from Gorkha and defeated the Malla Kings, who belong to the
Newar community. Now, after the downfall of monarchy, the
Newars want their separate state to maintain their separate
identity and for the overall development of the community,
said Tirtharam Dangol, Nepali Congress lawmaker.
The shutdown falls on June 1, the day when Nepal
witnessed slaughtering of the entire family of King Birendra
during a Friday dinner party in Narayanhity Palace, which has
recently been turned into a museum.
On June 1, 2001, King Birendra, Queen Aishworya and
other members of the royal family were killed and Crown Prince
Dipendra was held responsible by the official probe commission
report, whose credibility is questioned by many.
There is no official programme scheduled to observe the
day. The Maoist government which had promised to re-open the
palace murder case is no more in power. The new government is
yet to make its view public regarding the re-investigation of
the massacre.
The site of the royal massacre inside the Narayanhiti
Palace Museum has become a crowd-puller these days as around
1,500 to 2,000 people daily visit the museum.
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, May 31, 2009, 14:21