Govt. decides to declare state of emergency

November 26, 2001
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Government Monday decided to declare a state of emergency nation-wide to quell fresh Maoist violence that has claimed more than 300 lives since Friday night when rebels broke a four-month truce to end a communist insurgency that has claimed more than 2100 lives in six years, Water Resources Minister Bijay Kumar Gacchadar said.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is having an unscheduled meeting with King Gyanendra at 5 PM (11:15 GMT) to enforce the emergency. Earlier Monday, King Gyanendra inaugurated a religious function at Janaki mandir in Janakpur, the birth place of Sita, the consort of Lord Rama.

The King also inspected an army barrack in neighbouring Mahottari district before flying back the the capital to parley with Prime Minister Deuba.

The King declares the emergency under terms of article 115 of the constitution of Nepal. The article says: “If a grave emergency arises in regard to the sovereignty,  national integrity of the Kingdom of Nepal or security of any part there of, whether by war, external aggression, armed rebellion or extreme economic disarray, His Majesty may, by proclamation, declare or order a state of emergency in respect of whole of the Kingdom of Nepal or any specified part thereof.”

The emergency is being declared because of last week’s escalation of Maoists terror attacks that has claimed more than 300 lives in he last 3 days. The emergency declaration that is to be announced for the first time in 11 years will have to be presented to the 205 member House of Representatives within 3 months.

It has to be approved by a two-thirds majority of the powerful lower chamber of Parliament and will be in effect for six months. The approval should not be a headache for the government of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba since all parties represented in Parliament have approved the government crackdown on rebels fighting for a communist state in the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, the emergency central committee party meeting of the ruling Nepali Congress party Monday called for a broad democratic front to counter Maoist violence.

The emergency declaration is expected at 7 PM.