The current king of Nepal, who came to power when a relative apparently berserked on everyone and killed off many members of the royal family, has
apparently, again, taken control of the country and eliminated the parlimentary government. Members of Parliament have been placed under house arrest
but do seem to have contact with the press.
www.newsday.com
King Gyanendra dismissed Nepal's government and imposed a state of emergency on Tuesday, cutting off his Himalayan nation from the rest of the world
as telephone and Internet lines were severed, flights diverted and civil liberties severely curtailed.
Tuesday's move was the second time in three years that the king has taken control of the tiny South Asian constitutional monarchy, a throwback to the
era of absolute power enjoyed by Nepal's kings before King Birendra, the current king's elder brother, introduced democracy in 1990.
In an announcement on state-run television, the king accused the government of failing to conduct parliamentary elections and being unable to restore
peace in the country, which is beset by rebel violence
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
I think its itneresting that they should sever phone and internet lines along with dismissing the parlimantary government. People are lining up at
food markets and grocery stores in anticipation of problems. Armoured trucks are patroling the streets of the capital.
Apparently Nepal has also had problems with maoist rebels trying to violently overthrow the government and instal a socialist state. Rebel violence
and parliamentary inability to stop it has been part of the rational for the shutdown.
The King has also suspended freedoms of press, speech and expression; the freedom to assemble peacefully, the right to privacy, the constitutional
protection against news censorship, and the "right against preventive detention".
The parliament was created originally to 'rubber stamp' the older kings actions, but street riots forced it to be a little more independent in the
'90s.
[edit on 1-2-2005 by Banshee]