At the very beggining of the decade, King Birendra’s family members were killed in a shootout in Narayanhiti Royal Palace. The entire country grieved the death of 10 royal members killed during a family feast on the night of Friday, 1 June 2001. PHOTO: KIRAN PANDAY
King Gyanendra was crowned the king of Nepal after Dipendra died in a coma. It was the second such ceremony for him having once been conferred the crown during the Rana regime. PHOTO(R): MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA
The Maoist insurgency had been going on for almost five years when the royal massacre took place. In 2001, they attacked the Royal Nepal Army base in Ghorahi, dragging the army into a war that till then was fought by the police. PHOTO KIRAN PANDAY
Human rights violations were rampant on both sides. The biggest loss of civilian life took place in Chitwan when the Maoists ambushed a passenger bus on 6 June 2005. At least 36 people were killed. PHOTO: KANAK MANI DIXIT
The Maoists and the government first met for talks in 2003 . When these broke down, the rebels went underground again. PHOTO: KIRAN PANDAY
On 1 February 2005, King Gyanendra dissolved parliament and took complete control of the government, blacked out the media and even switched off mobile phones. PHOTO: DOI
Violent protests erupted all over the country in opposition to the king's move. PHOTO: KIRAN PANDAY
On 22 November 2005, rebel leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal and the Seven Party Alliance signed a 12-point agreement brokered by India to struggle against the king’s rule. Here, Dahal is photographed during his first visit to Kathmandu after the party decided to join mainstream politics. PHOTO: KIRAN PANDAY
Together the seven parties plus the Maoists launched the pro-democracy street protests on 6 April 2006.PHOTO: KIRAN PANDAY
In 19 days, Gyanendra was forced to reinstate parliament and step down. Ten years and over 16,000 lives later, the Maoist insurgency finally drew to a close with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord on 21 November 2006. PHOTO: AJAYA JOSHI
The CA election on 10 April 2008 was “largely peaceful” although there were reports of intimidation and booth capturing. PHOTO: KIRAN PANDAY
The Maoists emerged as the biggest party, winning 240 out of 601 seats. PHOTO: KIRAN PANDAY
The newly formed Constituent Assembly passed a resolution with near total unanimity to declare Nepal a democratic republic on 28 May 2008. PHOTO: KIRAN PANDAY
The new CA introduced a new national anthem but major issues regarding the new constitution - including the forms of governance, modality of restructuring the state on federal lines and preamble - remain contested. PHOTO: KIRAN PANDAY
After months of haggling over the post of president and prime minister, the Maoists finally formed the government on 16 August 2008 under the leadership of party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. PHOTO: KIRAN PANDAY
The Maoist led government lasted for nine months until their failed attempt to sack the army chief. The party resigned from the government on 4 May and launched protests demanding 'civilian supremacy'. PHOTO: KIRAN PANDAY
Judas,
How is that caption in any way a justification of Maoist atrocities? How??? Unless it means something else read backwards, what I can see first is – ‘human rights violations were rampant on both sides’ – meaning (to me) that both sides, Maoists and the state, committed rampant=many human rights violations=bad. You still with me?
Then, this incredibly complex caption continues to list an example of such a human rights violation – ‘the biggest loss took place…when the Maoists ambushed a passenger bus’. So we have a statement saying that a human rights violation=bad took place when the Maoists bombed a bus and killed 36 people. You still with me?
I really can’t break it down any further for you, Judas. Try reading and understanding before you use such forums as a platform for your speechifying. In fact you could have agreed with the caption before launching into exactly the same comment. Take two?
The only changes in a whole decade was only on the politics of the country and all else seems to have reverted to the 18th century, law and order, social services, intellectualism, education etc have had a turn to the worse. Not a thing seems to be better than in the year 2000. So where is our hope and change?
Yeah its been a incredible decade for Nepalese, we have change the course of the history by disposing the 240 year autocratic rule, heading forward to republic federalism, and new constitution. My greatest condolence to those known and unknown victim of this conflict. Definitely there are various incident of human right abuse, intimidation, rape and killing from both side but what is important now is to move forward to build prosperous Nepal, where we all Nepalese brother all can enjoy human right, democratic government, civil supremacy, and sens of security to us and our family. lets pray this coming decade will be decade of friendship, mutual respect and progressive. Happy New Year 2010 to all felow nepalese friends.