Nepal Free Burma leader passes on

[cd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Ganesh Man Singh, 84, Leader of Nepal's Democracy Effort

We would like to pass the following Free Burma message to readers and
activists, as we are profoundly saddenned by the death by natural causes
of Ganesh Man Singh, great democracy leader, of untiring and steady
courage. Ganesh Man Singh, a strong and robust man, was a personal
friend, and outstanding example of devotion and strength, who in spite
of his modest size, (he was barely five feet tall), stood head  and
shoulders above most men. Ganesh, long-time devotee to BP Koriala and
the Nepali Congress Party, founder of democracy in Nepal, was member of
the famous suicide squad which rescued the King of Nepal from the hands
of the Rana dictatorship during the Nepal independence movement. I last
saw Ganesh with George Fernandez, in January last year, in New Delhi,
when he demonstrated his support to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the
Restoration of Democracy in Burma movement. Democracy and the Free Burma
movement has lost a great fighter, and let us hope and work to carry on
in our struggle that was also his own.   

Condolences may be sent to his family care of his son Mr. P L Singh,
Mayor of Kathmandu, Kathmandu. Fax 00977-1-229221,
223366+213131-413308(2)

By REUTERS: September 19, 1997

  KATMANDU, Nepal -- Ganesh Man Singh, who led Nepal's pro-democracy
movement for half a century and helped transform the absolute monarchy
into a constitutional system, died today, the state radio said. He was
84.

  The radio said Mr. Singh would be accorded a state funeral on Friday,
in accordance with Hindu rites. The Government has also declared a
public holiday on Friday in his honor.

  Mr. Singh was jailed several times during his battle with the
monarchy.

He was once sentenced to death but escaped and fled to India.

  He led the popular movement in 1990 that restored multi-party
democracy, which had briefly been tried three decades earlier, in the
world's only Hindu kingdom.

  The movement, jointly begun by Singh's Nepali Congress Party and the
United Left Front, comprising several Communist factions, whittled down
the absolute powers of King Birendra on the lines of Britain's
constitutional monarchy.

  King Birendra's father, King Mahendra, banned political parties in
1960 and dismissed the kingdom's first popularly elected Government, in
which Mr. Singh was a minister.

  King Mahendra's action established a system without parties that gave
the monarch absolute powers.

  Mr. Singh was imprisoned for eight years and fled to self-exile in
India after he received an amnesty in 1968.

  Along with other leaders of his Nepali Congress Party, he continued to
organize political activities from India. He returned to Nepal in 1976
with another prominent opposition leader, Bisheswar Prasad (BP) Koirala.

  After Mr. Koirala died in 1982, Mr. Singh led the struggle for
democracy.

  In early 1990, Mr. Singh was instrumental in forging a joint plan with
the Communists for a campaign to replace the non-party system with a
parliamentary democracy.

  Anti-Government demonstrations that lasted over 50 days forced King
Birendra to relent after at least 45 people were killed.

  The King lifted the ban on political parties imposed by his father and
agreed to remain a constitutional monarch.

  Mr. Singh declined an offer from King Birendra to head an interim
government in favor of his protege, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, a popular
step that earned him the title of "supreme leader."

  But in 1991, after the Nepali Congress's victory in parliamentary
elections, differences erupted between Mr. Singh and Prime Minister
Girija Prasad Koirala, who later refused to support Mr. Bhattarai in a
parliamentary by-election.

  The rivalry developed into a power struggle between Mr. Koirala and
Mr. Bhattarai, and Mr. Singh sided with Mr. Bhattarai.

  Disillusioned, Mr. Singh later quit the Nepali Congress Party, and he
lived in the political wilderness over the last three years. But a
stream of visitors underlined the considerable political clout he still
held in Nepal. He is survived by two sons and three daughters.