- Title: NEPAL: Royal flag is removed a day after the creation of a Federal Republic
- Date: 30th May 2008
- Summary: (BN08) KATHMANDU, NEPAL (MAY 29, 2008) (REUTERS) ROYAL PALACE NO FLAG FLYING ON POLE BEHIND PALACE GATES NEPALI SECURITY CHECKING CAR VARIOUS OF NEPALI SECURITY CHECKING MOTORCYCLE (SOUNDBITE) (Nepali) NEPALI CITIZEN, HEM LAL BHANDARI, SAYING: "Till Gyanendra (King) announces with his own voice that he has left the palace and he has accepted the mandate of the people, th
- Embargoed: 14th June 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nepal
- Country: Nepal
- Topics: Royalty,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA9RJINMRRRLHUWOHVCN63209N5
- Story Text: The royal flag was lowered and removed from Nepal's royal place on Thursday (May 29) as the Himalayan nation celebrated its first day as a republic following the abolition of its 239-year-old Hindu monarchy.
A special assembly elected in April consigned the once revered institution to history and gave the ousted King Gyanendra a fortnight to vacate the sprawling pink palace in Kathmandu.
His palace will be turned into a museum.
That vote was a key condition of a 2006 peace deal with the Maoist former rebels who ended their decade-long civil war and joined mainstream politics.
"Vive la Republique," read a banner headline in the Kathmandu Post.
"A hope is born," said the Himalayan Times daily.
Authorities said the national flag will be raised in place of the royal standard.
However some are still sceptical and will only believe Gyanendra's acceptance of the new Republic when the former King himself announces it.
"Till Gyanendra announces with his own voice that he has left the palace and has accept the mandate of the people, the people will remain agitated," said Hem Lal Bhandari, a Nepali citizen.
Others believe the Republic is a normal step for the future of Nepal.
"He has accepted the mandate, there's no alternative rather than accepting," said Sunder Gautam, an Nepali citizen Nepalis waved colourful party flags, danced, sang and cheered the birth of a republic on Wednesday (May 28) night.
Political parties and the Maoists say more celebrations were planned on Thursday.
The Maoists, who won 220 seats in last month's elections to the 601-member assembly, are expected to head the new government.
But they must fulfil tremendous expectations in one of the world's poorest countries. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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