King of Nepal Dismisses Government, Announces Democratic Reforms

King Birendra dismissed Nepal’s government today and announced broad democratic reforms, authorizing the new government to meet with the opposition and naming a panel to rewrite the constitution.

Birendra also said he will order a “fact-finding mission” to investigate the “loss of life” of at least 23 demonstrators who died during a six-week pro-democracy uprising. He called for a special session of the National Assembly.

“I accept democracy,” the 44-year-old king, one of the last absolute monarchs in the world, told this landlocked Himalayan kingdom shortly after dawn in a four-minute nationwide radio broadcast.

Birendra then dismissed the government of Prime Minister Marich Man Singh Shrestra, saying it had failed to maintain law and order. He named Lokendra Bahadur Chand to replace Shrestra.

The king authorized Chand’s new Cabinet to open talks with Nepal’s growing opposition, which has demanded that the kingdom abandon its partyless panchayat , or assembly, system of government in favor of true political pluralism. He also vowed to begin a process of constitutional reform.

The sweeping announcements followed a day of mounting tension as democracy advocates in the capital, Katmandu, stepped up pressure on the government.

Panicked depositors started a run on banks Thursday as thousands of civil servants went on strike against government ministries and 14 state corporations.