From http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=48580

Groups protest king's UN visit


POST REPORT KATHMANDU, Aug 12 - Representatives of professional organizations have urged political parties to protest the king's upcoming visit at the 60th UN General Assembly scheduled to be held in New York this September.
Speaking at an interaction of seven-party alliance here Friday, Purushottam Dahal, president of the Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES), said, "Since the international community has not legitimized the current government, the king in the capacity as the head of the government is also not recognized by international community."

He also claimed that the international community has said that the current cabinet has criminals. "If the government is a bunch of criminals, how can the head of such a government take part in the UN General Assembly?" Dahal argued.

Representatives of professional organizations also asked political parties to come up with a clear vision to intensify the agitation against the king's regression.

Shambhu Thapa, president of Nepal Bar Association (NBA), said that political parties are not bound to comply with the current constitution since the monarch himself has violated it. "Political parties should not recognize any minister including the king as they are all unconstitutional," he said.

He said that the incumbent ministers do not have the right to draw salary from taxpayers' money. "These ministers have been appointed unconstitutionally and they are not people's representatives, so they have no right to take any salary and allowance from the state coffers," he said.

He also urged political parties to initiate international lobbying strongly to garner support for the movement against regression.

Bhupati Dhakal, president of Nepal University Teachers' Association, said political parties should give ultimatum to the king to return to the democratic process. "If the king doesn't return to the democratic structure within the given ultimatum, they should be bold enough to say that they won't hold any talks with the king,"

he said.

He also urged political parties to declare a parallel government so as to defy the present unconstitutional government.

Speaking on the occasion were Dr Sudha Sharma, president of Nepal Doctors' Association; Mahendra Bista, general secretary of Federation of Nepalese Journalists; Sunil Manandhar, president of Nepal Trade Union Federation.

so captain what do you make of it??? i think king should get here to get his own ass whipped...

.He better have his reports set right before getting here..so thats why there's so many drama of his going about western eastern region of nepal..as if its gonna make any difference..i'm sure the army killed last week as an act of HMG himself not the maoists..to point out humanitarian rights against maoist..which is futile..not only because the number of people he has killed hasn't ever accounted for truly, but also the army right now being killed are teenagers as three day trainees which he has compelled to be the bali ka bakras. If he had balls he should stand in the front.

Anyways, the bottomline is monarchy/dictatorship is not welcome at all. Democracy. Freedom.Kapish.

Hush - My own prediction is the institution of monarchy is on it's way out, whether I want it to or not. The credit for this goes in large part to HM King Gyanendra. There is still the possibility that the king and parties will kiss and make up (and boy how I love that phrase) but that possibility is diminishing with each passing day. Unless there is some patching up in the next couple of months, I think the parties and monarchy will have parted ways forever. The monarchy has more to lose from this than the parties.

The King still has the advantage in the short term (2-3 years) because the people are so fed up with the parties. However, based on the way he has been ruling, my prediction is people will get sick of him pretty soon. Then all bets are off. We will most likely see new alliances and perhaps new political parties. We will see events that eventually lead to the overthrow of the King and the establishment of a republican state. Of course, all that will come with a price - thousands dead, thousands widowed and orphaned and thousands more injured, maimed and disabled. Most of the dead will likely be young students, poor peasants, helpless soldiers and policemen. The elites on both sides, like we people on Sajha and our relatives and friends, will probably survive and continue to pontificate in the new post-Monarchial order in Nepal - just like we have been doing all our lives.

As far as his NY trip is concerned, I think it is a great gamble. On one hand if he can get some sort of support, or at least no criticism, from the US and others during his trip here, it gives him a stick to beat his critics with. He desperatley needs international support and the General Assembly is the one party you don't want to miss when you don't have a lot of friends. On the other hand, even if 800-1000 people show up to protest the King's visit, the event is bound to get headlines in Nepal and have a huge propoganda value for his detractors.

My 2 cents ... hope you are having a good weekend.