Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Between 1996 and the signing of a “comprehensive peace
agreement” in 2006, Nepal was nearly brought to its knees by
a bitter civil conflict. An insurgency led by Maoists (Commuﾭ
nist sympathizers) gave the government a list of 40 demands
related to issues of nationalism, democracy, and livelihood. The
government, of course, sought to put down the rebellion. The
result was a very dark period in Nepalese history, one marked
by terrible destruction and bloodshed. The “People's War” did,
however, have at least one positive effect: People began to think
in terms of their wellﾭbeing and that of their country. Of parﾭ
ticular importance, they began to become more aware of the
need for greater human rights. They also began to speak out
against corruption, feudalism, and monarchism, which had
strangled the country's potential for so long.
During recent years, change has come fast and furiously. In
2006, the reinstated Parliament removed the king as the head of
state and supreme commander in chief of the Royal Nepalese
Army. It also shrank the annual budget and declared that the
future status of the monarchy would be decided by the Conﾭ
stituent Assembly. The word
royal
was washed from all official
signboards and letter pads across the country. Parliament
declared Nepal a secular state, one recognizing the separation
of organized religion and government. Unexpectedly, Nepal
suddenly appeared a much different country to the rest of the
worldﾭand even to the Nepalese. A new buoyancy and atmoﾭ
sphere of optimism began to spread throughout the country.
