Posted by BEN BEAUMONT – Three Clinton School students — Julie West, Carly Benkov and Molly Brunkow — are completing their International Public Service Projects in Nepal where the country’s Constituent Assembly voted yesterday to abolish the monarchy and declared Nepal a federal republic. West, who is working with a rural education and development program in Kathmandu, reports on yesterday’s events on her blog:
Yesterday was a big day in Kathmandu and all of Nepal. The Constituent Assembly voted, as expected, to abolish the monarchy and Nepal was declared a federal republic. We had a national holiday, in fact, the first National Republic Day. It was a peaceful day and the people were out in a festival atmosphere. I toured Durbar Square and enjoyed the beautiful weather. It is expected to take up to two more years to write the new Consitution. The assembly also decided to establish a ceremonial Presidency but still have to decide the functions of that office.
While many in the country are still on holiday and the banks and certain businesses were closed. My office, READ Nepal, is an oasis amidst the sometimes chaotic noise and traffice of Kathmandu. More on my little oasis later.