Maoist protests mark Nepal king's low-key birthday

Kathmandu, July 7: Nepal's unpopular King Gyanendra marked his 61st birthday today as former Maoist rebels organised rallies demanding an end to the beleaguered monarchy.

About a thousand of the king's supporters, led by five small girls wearing traditional red gold-embroidered costumes, waited for hours in scorching sun outside the king's pink palace to offer the monarch bouquets and gifts.

Some beat cymbals, blew copper pipes and chanted 'long live the king' and 'our king is dearer to us than our hearts.'

A short distance away, about 5,000 youth and student supporters of the Maoists, who joined the government in April, protested by demanding the monarch leave the country.

''Down with the monarchy... and down with Gyanendra,'' read some of the placards carried by members of the Young Communist League, the Maoist youth wing.

Mainstream politicians including cabinet ministers and some foreign ambassadors did not attend the king's celebrations.

Hundreds of riot police in blue camouflage guarded both rallies but there was no trouble.

Some protesters, including 26-year-old hotel worker Hem Lal Gautam, thought public celebrations by the king, who faces a vote in November to decide his future, were uncalled for.

''This is a waste. He is trying to use his birthday for political purpose and sabotage the vote,'' said Gautam who carried a placard showing Gyanendra fleeing in an airplane. ''He has no popular support and must go.'' Gyanendra ascended the throne in 2001 after a palace massacre in which the then crown prince is reported to have killed his parents and most members of the royal family before turning the gun on himself in a drink-and-drug-fuelled shooting spree.

Gyanendra, who was not present in the palace during the shooting, sacked the government and took over absolute power in 2005 only to bow to street protests and hand power back to political parties last year.

The new government stripped the monarch of almost all his powers including the control over the army, taxed his property and income.

National elections are due in November to draw up a political road map for Nepal and decide whether to turn the impoverished nation into a republic or retain the monarchy.

REUTERS

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