Nepal's newly elected leadership changed the country from a monarchy to a republic just before midnight Wednesday, a historic move that ended about 240 years of autocratic rule in the country.
After approving the move by an overwhelming vote, the body said it would send a letter to 60-year-old King Gyanendra and his family, informing them that they have 15 days to vacate the royal palace.
Of the 564 members of the assembly present for the vote, only four voted to keep the monarchy.
The group met all day in a convention center to reach the agreement and even continued to work after the facility was bombed.
Two apparent bombs damaged the building about 8:20 p.m. local time, said a CNN journalist covering the meetings.
There were no reports of injuries, and the group was back working within 10 minutes of the blasts. More...
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It is an extremely sad historical event. As a member of the house of Habsburg-Lorraine, I sympathize at this moment with the "former" rulers of Nepal.
ReplyDeleteAnd, as usual,nothing will change for the common people, no matter who is in charge.As with all "revolutions", power changes its forms, but life for the man in the street sucks...
ReplyDeleteDon't know if anything will actually change for the common people. But getting rid of a dictator - whether you call them King, Dear Leader, of Fuhrer, or whatever - is a positive thing. The question is will what replaces them be any better
ReplyDeleteTrue,unless, of course, the State itself becomes just another sort of dictator, usually using
ReplyDelete"democracy" and the "will of the people" to mask its dictatorship.