MONARCHY AND DEMOCRACY IN NEPAL

  • Nepal was a Hindu Kingdom in the past and then a constitutional monarchy for many years.
  • People always wanted democracy, but the King with the help of the army always restricted the expansion of democracy in Nepal and retained full control over government.
  • There were pro-democracy movements and king accepted the demand for new democratic constitution in 1990.
  • Democratic government had a troubled career, in nineties Maoists spread their influence, they believed in armed insurrection against the monarch and the ruling elite.
  • This led to a triangular conflict among the monarchist forces, the democrats and the Maoists.
  • In 2002, the king dismissed the government.
  • In 2006, there was massive pro-democracy protests, they first victory was when the king was forced to restore the House of Representatives which was dissolved in April 2002.
  • The non- violent movement was led by the Seven Party Alliance (SPA), the Maoists and social activists.
  • Nepal transition to democracy is ongoing:
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  1. Its constituent assembly is still drafting its constitution.
  2. Some think nominal monarchy is important to retain its link with past
  3. Maoist wanted the constitution to include the radical programmes of social and economic restructuring
  4. The Maoists and some other political parties were suspicious of the Indian government and its role in the future of Nepal.
  • Nepal became democratic republic in 2008.
  • In 2015 it adopted a new constitution.

ETHNIC CONFLICT AND DEMOCRACY IN SRI LANKA

  • Sri Lanka got independence in 1948.
  • Sri Lanka was earlier known as Ceylon.
  • After India’s independence many Tamils migrated from India to Sri Lanka and settled there, migration continued even after independence.
  • Sinhala’s nationalists did not want Tamils from India to come to Sri Lanka as they believed Sri Lanka belonged to Sinhala people only, it led to militant Tamil nationalism.
  • From 1983, the militant organization, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been fighting with the army of Sri Lanka and demanding “Tamil Eelam” i.e., separate country for Tamils of Sri Lanka.
  • The LTTE controlled the northeasters parts of Sri Lanka.
  • The Government of India has negotiating with Sri Lankan government on Tamil question, in 1987 the Indian government got involved with in Sri Lankan Tamil question.
  • And signed an accord with Sri Lanka and sent troops to stabilise relations between Sri Lankan government and the Tamils.
  • And Indian Army got into fight with LTTE and this was seen as India interfering in internal affairs of Sri Lanka.
  • And in 1989, the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) pulled out without attaining its objectives.
  • The Sri Lankan crisis continued to be violent, Norway and Iceland tried to bring the warring groups to negotiations.
  • The conflict came to an end, as LTTE was vanquished in 2009.
  • Sri Lanka was one of the first developing countries to successfully control the rate of growth population, also first to liberalise the economy and it had highest per capita GDP for many years.
  • Despite of internal conflicts it has maintained a democratic political system.