King of Nepal vows to restore democracy

KATMANDU, Nepal – A visibly uncomfortable king of Nepal promised Friday to bring democracy back to this Himalayan nation, trying to end a bloody political crisis that has engulfed the country. His efforts, though, met only with an opposition pledge of more demonstrations.

With well over 100,000 protesters filling the streets and a top envoy warning the government could be nearing collapse, King Gyanendra’s promises showed little sign of mollifying the political opposition – or a public desperate for change 14 months after he seized power.

The king, though, insisted in his speech he was acting on behalf of the nation his family has ruled since the 18th century.

His dynasty, he said, has an “unflinching commitment toward constitutional monarchy and multiparty democracy,” and he called on the seven main opposition political parties to quickly name a prime minister.

“Executive power … shall, from this day, be returned to the people,” he said in the announcement on state television.

Gyanendra, never an electric public speaker, looked particularly uncomfortable during Friday’s speech. His glumness is unsurprising. In a country where kings were revered as godlike just a few years ago, Gyanendra is deeply unpopular, isolated in a collection of palaces, and has lost control of much of the rural areas to a Maoist insurgency that has left nearly 13,000 people dead.

Observers fear the country could, at its worst, descend into chaos, creating a power vacuum into which the Maoists, with their long history of violence, could step in. In addition, many demonstrators are increasingly demanding that he give up all his power – something the king is clearly loath to do.