Thousands march in Kathmandu to demand return of the Nepalese monarchy
Thousands march in Kathmandu to demand return of the Nepalese monarchy
The monarchy, abolished in 2008 by communists, is increasing in popularity again
https://www.dw.com/en/nepal-thousand...chy/a-72723937
Quote:
Originally Posted by DW
On Thursday, thousands of demonstrators in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, urged the return of the monarchy to the Himalayan nation after it had been abolished in 2008.
Nepal has been a republic with a president since the end of the monarchy, but some citizens are calling for restoring the king and making Hinduism the state religion amid dissatisfaction with recent elected governments.
Gyanedra Shah, the wealthy former king who still lives in Kathmandu, is 77 years old. The monarchy had lasted 239 years in Nepal before Shah's ouster.
"Bring the king back to the throne and save the country. We love our king more than our lives," protesters chanted.
The protesters are not only frustrated with Nepal's political class, but also the country's economic condition.
Many Nepalis leave for better employment opportunities abroad in such countries as the United Arab Emirates, South Korea and Malaysia and send the money back home in remittances.
The struggle since the 1990s and royal massacre brought about an end to the world's only remaining Hindu kingdom but the abolition in 2008 was highly partisan with communists bringing about the end of it. It would be good to see it return in a constitutional form - it's a shame it is a partisan issue in Nepal while in nearby Bhutan the monarchy is stable and widely popular.
One to watch anyway.
