PROCLAMATION TO THE NATION
FROM HIS MAJESTY KING GYANENDRA BIR BIKRAM SHAH DEV
(February 1, 2006)
Beloved Countrymen,
1.
It is now a year since the decision was taken to restore
law and order and activate the multiparty democratic polity in
the country in keeping with the nation's needs and the people's
aspirations. Arresting
a situation that was slipping into anarchy and reactivating a
stalled democratic process
has not been easy. Yet, given the commitment of our patriotic
countrymen, all the Nepalese people have experienced the nation
grow in confidence and the self-respect of the Nepalese people
restored within a short span of one year, with the cloud of pessimism dissipating.
We are confident that, remaining alert to the sensitivities of
the self-respecting Nepalese people and our glorious ever
independent history, we will be able to ensure for the nation
peace, stability and prosperity within the next one year through
mutual understanding and with patriotism as the focal point. We
believe that a road-map to sustainable peace and reenergising a
meaningful democracy are two sides of the same coin. We are
confident that a road-map of consensus will forever end all
possibilities of resurgence of violence and terrorism in our
motherland, which will otherwise put at risk the universally
acclaimed multiparty democracy and hurt the self-respect of
Nepal and the Nepalese people. Guided by a national perspective
that upholds our political, administrative and civic traditions,
we are confident that by April 2007, all popularly elected
bodies will be active in ensuring a bright future for the
Nepalese people through a dedicated exercise in democracy so as
to create a welfare society.
2.
The nefarious designs to portray Nepal as a failed state
a year back has now begun to unravel with acts of terrorism
being limited to petty crimes. The elected government not only
dissolved the popularly elected village, municipal and district
bodies but also at the national level. The process of
activating multiparty democracy and Constitutional Monarchy has
now begun with the people exercising their franchise to
reinstate these bodies for which the elected government had
failed to conduct elections in spite of being given repeated
opportunities. The people are determined to ensure the success
of the municipal elections currently underway. In fact, the
freedom to exercise one's vote through adult franchise forms the
democratic basis for a honourable national consensus. Democracy
flourishes only through the enfranchisement of the people and
democrats are never losers when democracy is upheld. Therefore,
the first and foremost preconditions for consolidating democracy
are to gain the support of the people through the ballot and
respect their mandate. In keeping with these universally
accepted democratic principles, the process to reinstate all the
elected bodies through free and fair elections has been
initiated. We are confident of the active participation of all
democrats who have faith in the people's democratic rights.
Democratic norm dictates that, while upholding the people's
rights, their confidence can be won only through participation
in the democratic process.
Beloved countrymen,
3. With
efforts to initiate a meaningful exercise in democracy in
keeping with the accepted norms, measures are also underway to
improve public service utilities for the benefit of the people.
As the bureaucracy has been freed of political pressures and
discipline instilled among them, criminal activities under
political patronage is now under control. The ongoing fiscal
and administrative reforms will be implemented in a more
effective manner. Rule of law alone will ensure good
governance. As long as corruption, which has proved to be a
parasite to our society, is allowed to spread its tentacles, a
system of governance as aspired by the people cannot be
ensured. More effective measures will be adopted to realise the
commitment to maintain fiscal discipline. The concept of Land
Bank will be effectively implemented to make available
land to the landless, agricultural tenants and freed bonded
labourers. Internal and external investments will be mobilised
to accelerate the pace of economic development, increase
employment opportunities, improve transport infrastructure and
attain self-sufficiency in the energy sector through optimum
utilisation of water resources. An effective integrated policy
must be adopted to initiate development activities that have
direct impact on the people. A conducive environment exists to
utilise the opportunities created by information technology in
the economic development of the country. Likewise, the role of
the service sector is also increasing in importance. In this
context, special programmes will be introduced to create
opportunities of self-employment within the country for talented
youths. Measures will also be adopted to train those youths
going abroad for employment so that their skills and abilities
are duly recognised.
4. The
Nepalese are well aware of the fact that character without any
moral foundation, politics indifferent to national pride and a
form of governance bereft of the people's confidence will
neither benefit the nation nor the people. They also know that
politics will not have the strength to inspire the people and
overcome challenges if it is tainted. It is our belief that
multiparty democracy cannot be made meaningful in the absence of
significant popular participation in governance, effective
decentralisation of authority in the village, municipal,
district, zonal and regional levels and maximum autonomy to
elected local bodies in the formulation and implementation of
development projects.
5. Democracy
can be adopted into our way of life only if we are prepared to
have faith in the people's abilities and the elected
representatives. To achieve this, guidelines will be formulated
in a transparent manner through collective wisdom and
reflections based on experiences and aspirations. Appropriate
measures will also be initiated to convincingly address, in the
greater good of the nation, grievances regarding indigenous
people as well as discrimination relating to regional and other
issues. Contributing to efforts aimed at the general welfare of
the people alone can ensure the collective well-being of the
Nepalese. The nation can be freed from the clutches of poverty
and made prosperous only through the collective participation of
all. We are confident that all Nepalese, conscious of their
national pride, will make significant contributions from their
respective places towards the success of the pro-development
strategies currently being implemented. While history will be
the sole judge of an individual or a generation, it should be
our endeavour to ensure that the present generation of Nepalese
is given due credit.
Beloved Countrymen,
6.
Nepal's foreign policy is now clear and stable. Our
foreign policy and relations are solely guided by how best to
serve and protect our national interest in a rapidly changing
world. This has restored Nepal's prestige and credibility in the
international arena. Nepal desires friendship with all and is
always ready to cooperate for mutual benefit. Nepal has malice
towards none and is ever alert in ensuring that her territory is
not used against any friendly country. Nepal is ever ready to
have mutually beneficial fruitful relations with both her
neighbours. This policy remains unchanged. To act as a catalyst
in enhancing economic ties between her two neighbours, Nepal is
preparing to be the transit point between them. Nepal's role as
a transit point will contribute to the welfare of Nepal, India,
China and the region as a whole.
7. Nepal
has unflinching faith in and is totally committed to the
principles of human rights. It is in this spirit that our
country has adopted the policy of institutionalising the
promotion and protection of human rights and rectifying its
shortcomings. It is not easy for a country combating terrorism
to strike a balance between the compulsions of national security
and upholding the rights of the citizens - this is a reality
faced by all democratic countries afflicted with the scourge of
terrorism. But it is our strong belief that the people must be
allowed to exercise their democratic rights in a peaceful
manner, with due consideration to national security.
8. The
Nepalese people desire for sustainable peace. This was clearly
spelt out to us when we had direct contacts with our beloved
people during our recent visits to various parts of the
Kingdom. The vigilant Nepalese have well understood the
conspiracy to foment further acts of terrorism in the name of
momentary cessation of violence. If those who have gone astray
wish to rejoin the mainstream of peace and creativity, democracy
and coordination, and if they wish to dedicate themselves in the
service of the people through the ballot, abjuring their
murderous acts against the nation and people, we make it clear
that they will be given the security and opportunity necessary
to shoulder the responsibilities of governance in their capacity
as the people's representatives, having won the people's
confidence through the universally accepted democratic
exercise. The people can be won over only through peaceful
political and constructive activities. Activities like
disrupting peace, encouraging discord and creating hurdles on
the road to rapprochement in the name of democracy will benefit
none. Let us, therefore, unite, with patriotism as the focal
point, in dedicating ourselves to the people's welfare and
initiating a new chapter in the exercise in meaningful
democracy. We wish to emphasise that all differences can be
resolved within the framework of the Nepalese patriotic
tradition in keeping with the Nepalese psyche, which has never
had to put up with subjugation throughout history.
Beloved Countrymen,
9. We
have always, single-mindedly and with determination, strived to
fulfil our beloved people's aspirations in the greater interest
of the motherland. We have no desire other than the Nepalese
people's welfare and the responsibility towards Nepal's glorious
history. While utilising the indestructible synergy constantly
spouting from the fountain head of patriotism, it will be in the
interest of the nation to uphold, with utmost dedication, the
glorious history of the Kingdom of Nepal. The success of this
alone will keep the nation secure and ensure a meaningful
democracy for the people.
10. A clear decision was made for the country last year.
Today, let us, once again, pledge to achieve this national
goal. The Nepalese are determined to see a peaceful, prosperous
and democratic Nepal in tune with the 21st century. The essence
of Nepal's glorious history is the fact that the Nepalese people
themselves determine Nepal's national agenda in the interest of
the country and their own.
11. Patriotism
is the only means of creating a democratic society. We,
therefore, call upon all Nepalese to consign mutual
recrimination to the bitter past and build a secure and
prosperous future for the nation and people, while upholding
democratic norms.
May Lord Pashupatinath bless us all!
Jaya Nepal!
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