King of Nepal's god-like status shaken

[norml]

King of Nepal's god-like status shaken

Sam Taylor | Kathmandu, Nepal


22 April 2006 07:36

Nepal's King Gyanendra, who has pledged to "return sovereignty to the people" after massive and violent street protests, has seen his god-like status badly shaken.

Now, with demonstrators' cries of "Hang the king" and "Leave the palace, we will run the country" still ringing in the air, the question remains whether the wily king can remain on the throne or even whether the monarchy as an institution will survive in the desperately poor nation.

King Gyanendra was vaulted to the throne in June 2001 in bizarre circumstances when his brother, King Birendra, and other royals were murdered at the palace in an attack blamed on a drunken crown prince who later shot himself.

But the unsmiling monarch never attained the popularity of his more genial, well-loved brother, who was seen as a symbol of unity in Nepal.

The monarch, traditionally revered as the incarnation of the Hindu god of protection, Lord Vishnu, sacked the government and seized power in February last year, saying the move was necessary to crush a deadly, decade-old Maoist revolt.

King Gyanendra gave himself three years to restore elected rule and end the insurgency. But instead he was forced on Friday to announce he was cutting short his absolute rule after just 14 months.


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http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=269841&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__international_news/

[bemildred]

1. "Hang the King!" nt