A top UN official called on Nepal's King Gyanendra on Friday to restore democracy quickly, his parting shot after a five-day visit to a nation he said was facing a very serious crisis. The comments by Lakhdar Brahimi came a day after Gyanendra appointed a dozen more loyalists to his council of ministers, a move that analysts said could widen the rift between the monarch and the political parties.
Brahimi, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special adviser, is the most senior UN official to visit Nepal since Gyanendra plunged the nation into crisis when he fired the government, seized power and suspended democracy on February 1.
The king says his power grab was vital to crush a nine-year-old Maoist rebellion that has left thousands dead.
"One does not need to tell the people of Nepal that they are facing a very serious crisis," Brahimi told reporters.
"A solution is needed urgently. That solution rests on a return to constitutional order and multi-party democracy (and) an end to hostilities."
He said Annan had written two letters to Gyanendra and spoken to him by telephone to convey his concerns over the suppression of democracy, which drew international condemnation. Brahimi, who met Gyanendra on Thursday, said: "He realises the situation is abnormal and the country should go back to constitutional order." However, Gyanendra's latest move only drew more criticism.
Comments
Comments are closed.