News update from Nepal, October 23, 2005 News Update from Nepal October 23, 2005 Establishment On September 19 King Gyanendra, while talking to a British Television Journalist, said, “We don’t believe the solution is only force. Talks are necessary. There is room for us all constitutional forces to bring peace together and solve problems that we have in our country today.” Responding to a query regarding how he sees the riots in the streets of the capital, the king said,“We allow these things to happen because in democracy these things take place. What is going on in Kathmandu does not reflect what is going on in the rest of Nepal. But that is important because there are opinion makers.” The same day opening the two-day conference of District Development Committee (DDC) chiefs at Biratnagar, the Vice-Chairman of the Council of Ministers Dr. Tulsi Giri said that the people were enthusiastic after the historic February 1 step of the King to turn this country into a peaceful and prosperous nation. He said,“The people, who were afflicted by the bad governance of 14 years, had heaved a sigh of relief after February 1. His Majesty has never violated or overstepped the constitution, but has always re­mained its protector and patron. It is those calling themselves democrats who have vio­lated the constitution time and again. It is them, who recommended the dissolution of the parliament and removed the unalterable provision of the constitution from their stat­utes.” He expressed confidence that the people will not follow“the anarchic path despite the political parties making noises for a republic state being instigated by the foreigners. Foreign powers are flirting in Nepal from 1950 to 1959 and 1990 till now. We must re­main vigilant against this.” He accused the political parties of pushing the country into the huge debt trap, which was Rs. 29 billion before 1990, and reached Rs. 2,045 billion in the last 14 years. He asserted,“As the parties, including NC and UML who drafted the constitution have already deleted the principle of constitutional monarchy from their statutes and programs, the government is not obliged to abide by the constitution.” On September 22 King Gyanendra directed the chairmen and vice-chairmen of eight districts in Bagmati zone to guard against“unnecessary activities.” He said,“I have heard of unnecessary activities taking place with the backing of foreign money.” Party leaders, however, said that they have not received any money from the foreigners. In­stead, they have asked foreign governments and the UN to stop aid to the current gov­ernment. RPP leader Roshan Kari, however, asserted,“Political parties and NGOs have misused school children for their shows and civil society is getting money from foreign sources for their rallies.” On October 9 the Election Commission(EC) announced that the election for the 58 mu­nicipalities would be held on February 8, 2006 and invited all political parties and or­ganizations to register their names with the EC within 30 days. On October 13 the King 1