Thousands rally in Nepali pro-monarchy protests
KATHMANDU: Thousands of Nepali royalists marched in the capital Kathmandu today, demanding the restoration of the monarchy and chanting slogans in support of the king deposed 17 years ago.
The Hindu-majority nation became a secular republic in 2008 after Parliament abolished the monarchy as part of a peace deal that ended a decade-long civil war in which more than 16,000 people were killed.
The protests are the latest in a string of rallies, as support for the restoration of the monarchy and a Hindu state has grown amid dissatisfaction over political instability, corruption and slow economic development.
"King, come and save the nation", the marchers shouted in unison, beating drums, blowing horns and waving Nepal's national flag.
"I am here to fight against this corrupt system," said Prem Bahadur Magar, 58. "We need a constitutional monarchy and a Hindu nation to preserve our national identity."
Magar travelled to Kathmandu for the rally from his home, about 200km away.
Riot police stood guard but there were no immediate reports of any violence.
"Seventeen years ago, I came to the streets to protest and overthrow the monarchy," he said. "But now, I feel sorry for that. Now I realise that the king was far better than these corrupt leaders."
The rally comes a day after the Communist Party of Nepal Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML) -- the party of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli -- held marches to mark the Himalayan nation's Republic Day.
There were also royalist marches yesterday.
CPN-UML party supporter Bijay Lama, 34, said the return of the king was "just a daydream", saying that most in the nation of some 30 million people wanted the republic to remain.
"If a few thousand people call for the return of the monarchy, this is simply not possible", Lama said, during the rally yesterday.
In March, two people were killed and more than 100 arrested during pro-monarchy protests, with security forces using live fire and tear gas to disperse the rally.
The last king of Nepal, Gyanendra Shah, expressed sorrow at the violent demonstrations the following month -- while lending tacit support.
Shah was crowned in 2001 after his elder brother king Birendra Bir Bikram Shah and his family were killed in a palace massacre. His coronation took place as a Maoist insurgency was raging in far-flung corners of Nepal.
Shah suspended the constitution and dissolved parliament in 2005, triggering protests in which the Maoists sided with Nepal's political establishment -- leading to the eventual end of the war.
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