Senior civil society leaders being detained at the Duwakot Armed Police Barracks in Bhaktapur have rejected the call for dialogue by His Majesty King Gyanendra saying that “merely repeating once again the empty call for dialogue will do nothing to resolve the political problems of today.”
In a joint statement issued on Friday, 24 prisoners of conscience at the Duwakot Armed Police Barracks including former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana, rights activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar, former Justice of the Supreme Court Laxman Aryal and senior journalist Kanak Mani Dixit said, “In his New Year’s message this morning, King Gyanendra yet again irresponsibly sought to denigrate the people’s high ideals and expectations.
“Today, the royal regime is conducting a macabre exercise to crush the People’s Movement. In order to discourage the suppressive instincts of this regime, and to prevent the attempt at violently thwarting the people’s will, we call on the international community, including the United Nations and all countries which wish the Nepali people peace and progress, to respond positively and appropriately in our hour of need,” they said.
“On the occasion of the Nepali New Year 2063 B. S., we salute all citizens demonstrating against the illegal royal regime, on the path to establishing a free, democratic system of government in the country,” the civil society leaders said. “The moment to make the final strike to achieve the goals of the movement has arrived, and we are confident that citizens will emerge from each and every dwelling to join the demonstrators on the
streets,” they added.
In his message on the occasion of Nepali New Year, His Majesty King Gyanendra called upon all political parties to join in a dialogue to bear the responsibility of activating the multiparty democratic polity and contribute towards the same. “There is no alternative to democracy in the 21st century and the verdict of the ballot alone is legitimate,” His Majesty said. nepalnews.com by Apr 15 06