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The Global Media, the Probe Commission and the Assasination of Nepal's Royal Family: Questions Unasked and Unanswered Bipin Adhikari

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The Global Media, the Probe Commission and the Assasination of Nepal's Royal Family: Questions Unasked and Unanswered Bipin Adhikari Himalaya, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies Volume 21 Number 1 Himalayan Research Bulletin; Nepal After Article 18 the Revolution 2001 The Global Media, the Probe Commission and the Assasination of Nepal's Royal Family: Questions Unasked and Unanswered Bipin Adhikari S.B. Mathe Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya Recommended Citation Adhikari, Bipin and Mathe, S.B. (2001) "The Global Media, the Probe Commission and the Assasination of Nepal's Royal Family: Questions Unasked and Unanswered," Himalaya, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies: Vol. 21: No. 1, Article 18. Available at: http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya/vol21/iss1/18 This Research Report is brought to you for free and open access by the DigitalCommons@Macalester College at DigitalCommons@Macalester College. It has been accepted for inclusion in Himalaya, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Macalester College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Global Media, the Probe Commission and the Assasination of Nepal's Royal Family: Questions Unasked and Unanswered Bipin Adhikari and S.B. Mathe1 The assassination of Nepal's royal family was portrayed [A revised version of the paper presented to the "De­ from the beginning as the result of a family quanel; it was mocracy Forum 2001: Democracy and the Information not a coup d'etat or any other form of national or interna­ Revolution" organised by International IDEA in Stockholm, tional conspiracy. None of the Western media reporting on Sweden, 27th to 29th June 2001] the assassinations made any serious inquiry regarding this extremely serious case of regicide. The world was encour­ aged to believe what the information channels were asked The international coverage of the massacre of Nepal's to propagate. All of the western media united in telling the King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya and six other members world that the Crown Prince had killed his parents and close of the royal family on 1 June 2001, demonstrates not only relatives. Alternative possibilities were simply not consid­ the potent power of information technology, but its misuse ered. But the available facts do not prove this assertion by those who have both the resources and power to impose beyond a reasonable doubt. It must be mentioned here that their view of events on a global public at the expense of none of the global media expressed worries about Nepal's the views of the common people in the world's marginalized independence, democracy or human rights, all of which countries. The victims of misinformation, or incomplete might have been gravely threatened by these assassinations. information, are smaller countries, weaker economies, new None of them looked with any great depth into Nepal's democracies and those countries that are compelled to rely history, its geo-political real ities, the internal problems it on the good faith of others to communicate with the rest of has been facing, or many other pertinent and critical is­ the world in all areas of their national concern. When good sues. The news media seems not to have considered the faith, a prerequisite for investigative journalism, is absent news of serious enough importance to merit investigative from the coverage of global events, such coverage may or even critical reporting (or perhaps those who were as­ well contribute to negative outcomes for the people affected signed to report on the assassination were not profession­ by said events. Where international coverage of the mas­ ally qualified to deal with such a critical event). The only sacre of Nepal's royal family was concerned, that lack of exception was the Nepalese Service bulletins of the BBC good faith- most evident in the global media's uncritical in London. But much of the world understood the events acceptance of the official version of the event - provides in Nepal through the lens provided by the English language the basis for international sanction of fundamentally extra­ service of the BBC, CNN and their like. constitutional or unconstitutional actions. The Probe Com­ mission appointed by the new King, Gyanendra, to inquire into the circumstances of the murders, was not set up ac­ The information age is sweeping through many devel­ cording to the requirements of law. Its investigation- as oping countries like a tidal wave, regardless of whether we will show in this paper - was manifestly inadequate, they are prepared to cope with the challenges associated and in accepting its findings uncritically, the international with it. This age is characterised by instantaneous global media fell far short of the high standards it claims to up­ exchange of large amounts of information (text, images hold. Why did the media not try to get to the bottom of the and sounds), provision of various services (by way of col­ affair? Their reports were too definitive, ~ithout any refer­ lecting information, adding to it, distributing it), the use of ence to reliable sources and authority. The people of Nepal a variety of 'carriers' like microwaves, radio frequencies, have not been well served in the aftermath of the assassi­ optical fibres, and the use of a large variety of devices such nation, and the international media has lent the Probe Com­ as the print media, broadcasting, cable TV, the Internet and mission report a veneer of legitimacy it does not deserve. e-mail. These technologies have helped to coalesce com- 46 HIMALAYAN RESEARCH BULLETIN XXI (1) 2001 munities and groups that share common interests. They the cherished and sacred values of Nepal with the assassi­ have also helped to stimulate intellectual interaction and nation of King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya and six other are characterised by their high speed of operation and rap­ members of the royal family. The assassination of King idly falling costs. However, while lacking in central man­ Birendra and the tragic demise of the Crown Prince and agement and coordination, they possess the potential to the Crown Prince 's younger brother ended the succession revolutionise society. from father to son in the Shah dynasty that had continued uninterrupted for 11 generations. Since the assassination, the monarchy in Nepal has become controversial, with the The potential of the information age to revolutionise result that popular confidence in the monarch, which was ways of working, thinking, learning and living can hardly the basis of national unity, has been shattered, and certain ·be overstated. Its essence is not merely connectivity (the values (such as democracy and human rights) have taken a ability to access and contribute to information flows), nor severe battering. A dynasty that defended the country from even the new associations, contacts and interest groups that all imperialist forces throughout its history, which cham­ are formed, but a more global perspective, which is the pioned national independence and patriotism, which gave product of the analysis, assimilation and integration of more Nepal a tradition of sustainable diplomacy, and which had information, and, even more important, the application of encouragingly learnt to legitimise itself by changing ac­ this increased understanding to the information that is flow­ cording to the democratic aspirations of the people, is un­ ing relentlessly along the information superhighway. The der severe critical examination. A nation in an acute state global exchange of ideas (made possible by the Internet of political and economic crisis has been brought closer to and other means of worldwide communication) Is substan­ the brink by the tragedy in the royal palace. tially spontaneous and without any central management and coordination. It is a virtual "free for all" in the best (and worst) sense. There is no way for authoritative informa­ It is not clear whether His Majesty's elected Govern­ tion providers and their responsible editors to confirm and ment existed immediately after the assassinations were challenge the news before dissemination. The danger of accomplished. It seems that the news after the assassina­ misinformation cannot be over-emphasised. The purvey­ tion was handled by the army, and the elected Prime Min­ ors of misinformation have become even more elusive. ister, who is accountable to the House of Representatives, Their fraudulent information will increase, sometimes skil­ was not consulted at all. Neither the judiciary police nor fully woven into an otherwise credible account. In this any civil police officer were involved in the funeral prepa­ milieu, the skill to analyse and to independently evaluate ration or in further investigation of the murders. Their in­ and verify information will be critical and essential. The volvement, as primary investigators, is dictated by the law fast pace of e-mail message exchange, participation in of the land. It seems that the available information was not mailing lists, bulletin boards and newsgroups, and the shared even with the Cabinet members, the leading figures browsing of information on the World Wide Web has stimu­ of the main political parties, and religious or spiritual en­ lated intellectual interaction to a degree which humankind dowments. At the time of this writing (August 6, 2001), has not seen to date. And this will increase in the coming no detailed interviews have been conducted with the ADCs years. of the King and of those who were killed, the Chief of the Palace Secretariat, security guards at all main gates of the Palace, cooks, bar attendants, or other servants. The public We will show in this paper how the institutions that is not yet informed about who entered the Palace, at what dominate the global flow of news and information- CNN, time, and when they returned. There is a widespread rumour the BBC, etc. -covered the assassination of King B irendra that a serious scrutiny is underway and the unreliable wit­ of Nepal and other members of the Royal Family.
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