#47 15 - 21 June 2001 16 pages Rs 20

IT WAS DIPENDRA.

Probe team finds smokingraucous press conference gun. at the parliament ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ secretariat. Rifles, magazines, cartridges, boots KIRAN NEPAL and military fatigues were on display. Most ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ He returned to spray the survivors once inally, it is official: Dipendra did it. Two details confirm early media reports about a more, killing his sister Sruti weeks after the mass murder of Nepal’s drugged and drunk prince going berserk with automatic weapons, mowing down He then backed out into the garden, eye f royal family, a high-level inquiry has witnesses saw a woman in a red sari (Queen family members. concluded that Crown Prince Dipendra killed New facts emerging from the report: Aishwarya) and Prince Nirajan hurriedly his father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, and following him there three aunts in cold blood before shooting There were gunshots from the garden, himself. Six other members of the royal MIN BAJRACHARYA family, including Queen Komal, were Queen Aishwarya’s body was found on a seriously injured in the Friday night Dipendra was intoxicated even before the landing and Nirajan’s on the lawn. Brain tissue, massacre and are still in hospital. family dinner, and was carried up to his room bits of bone and blood covered the area Presenting the probe team report, Speaker Taranath Ranabhat and Chief Justice Keshab The two-member commission led by where he smoked a joint with hashish and an Dipendra was found near the bridge, still Prasad Upadhaya . Guns and a trunk with clothesIndia, and in foreground. heard her taped statement in which unidentified black substance Chief Justice Keshab Prasad Upadhaya and alive and wheezing. all the blood reports, fingerprints or ballistic she said details of her relationship with House Speaker Taranath Ranabhat presented Dipendra made several calls to Devyani Most members of the royal family were analyses were in. There were more than 60 Dipendra were a “personal matter”. the findings to King Gyanendra Thursday Rana in a slurred voice, she was worried and declared dead on arrival at the Chhauni specialists who helped in the seven-day Security was tight in Kathmandu as the evening. In a function televised nationwide, theasked his orderly to check if he was okay hospital at about 2115 on Friday night. Sruti investigation. An internal army probe into committee presented its report to King king untied the blue velvet cover of the report Orderly and governess found him on the died at 2155, Dhirendra and Dipendra two security is also expected. Gyanendra. More than 1,000 leftist activists and read three pages of its summary before floor, trying to take his shirt off, he vomited days later. Although determining the motive was not have been rounded up. The probe panel’s handing it over to Prime Minister Girija Soon after, Dipendra donned military When brought to hospital Dipendra wasin the team’s terms of reference, several sourcesreport is diametrically opposed to the Koirala. “I am giving this report to you so that have confirmed that Dipendra’s decision to conspiracy theory put forward by the Maoists you can undertake necessary actions accordingcombat fatigues and carried a 9 mm MP-5K still wearing boots, black leather gloves and submachine gun, a 5.56 mm M-16 commandoarmy fatigues. wed Devyani Rana, over which there was a and some left parties, who were holding mass to the constitution and prevalent laws, and to major disagreement between him and his meetings all week to convince the public. This present the facts to the citizens,” the king toldwith laser targeting and a 12 bore French Many questions were left unanswered, but shotgun. Two 9 mm revolvers were also found, parents was the reason. They said there had position is nearly identical with the Koirala. Then he thanked the Chief Justice Ranabhat said many questions would be Maoists’, whose leader Prachanda in two one was used. answered in the 200-page report. The panel been violent arguments in the past between and the Speaker, requesting them to “take Dipendra and his immediate family members statements praised King Birendra’s and said this report to the people immediately.” He fired at the ceiling and the wall, then atinterviewed royal survivors, eyewitnesses, the killings were a conspiracy against a examined hospital records, lab analyses, over his choice of bride-to-be. An hour later, Ranabhat presented a his father, King Birendra The committee asked Nepal’s ambassador“nationalist king”. summary live on television and radio to a forensic evidence and mobile phone records. It He changed guns and returned to spray his was not clear whether post-mortems had beento India, Bhekh Thapa to talk to Devyani in father with the submachine gun, killing and carried out on the dead before cremation. Not wounding family members

COMMENT byKUNDA DIXIT use original hp trickling out within hours of the shooting from eyewitnesses and close relatives. But this inks and paper information never got to the greater public. Indeed, until the probe panel findings came out Thursday night, no government and palace source had actually told Nepalis that royal family members were murdered. If this is what you do, can you really blame the If truth be publictold for believing in conspiracies? wo weeks after the ghastly slaughter at Naryanhitiwas what really happened. We have to blame the Orwellian information controllers Palace, the findings of the probe panel have finallyCitizens deprived of credible and accurate brought us closer to the truth. But, like a mirage, at the two durbars, and a politically-motivated media. t information have grown to believe more readily Anywherein a else in the world, the media’s role is to find the the truth keeps receding the closer we get to it as an complex untruth than in a simple truth. We will notfacts let that point to the truth and then look for an intrigue-obsessed public finds reality too hard to the truth get in the way of a juicy conspiracy theory.explanation, but most of our politicos and press did the swallow. They are swayed by the government media’s We insist on believing what a Bollywood actor neveropposite: we looked for a conspiracy theory that fit our secretiveness, the private media’s proclivity for either said, but we steadfastly refuse to believe whatpolitical an heir posture and cooked up the facts to fit it. Now that self-censorship or politically-inspired sensationalism, to the throne actually did. the truth is out, it is clear that the conspiracy theories and the fixation of our Panchayat-era mandarins with Post-massacre public reaction came in threewere themselves a conspiracy. information control. We are trapped by the lies. categories: The officialdom responsible for these serious lapses Official media have been habitual liars on behalf of looked for scapegoats and found the editor and publishers the government of the day. It is a habit hard to break, of Kantipur,and in an overreaction that smacked of Always Clear and 12 years of democracy has not changed that. thoseAll who have the access to information and Always Sharp we did was play doleful music, broadcast bland officialcontacts in high places, and know the truth vendetta, they locked them up. pronouncements, and vacuous news bulletins that those who do not have access to this information,The future is tinged with uncertainty, and the lesson carried lengthy messages from foreign heads of state.and find it hard to believe the truth from this crisis is clear: restoring the credibility and trust We did precious little to quash wild rumours. It took of our press by unshackling the state-owned media from those who know the truth, but find it inconvenient, decades for our official electronic media to forfeit government control. We must foster a professional and and therefore peddle conspiracy theories that suit public trust, they cannot regain it overnight. The responsible press committed to pluralism and * Stay away from imitations and refills their agenda. result was that when a crown prince ran amok and independence. One day, the truth will set us free. For the first few days after the massacre the only Authorised Distributor: killed his entire family there was little Nepal TV or Radio Nepal could do to convince the public thatpeople who knew what really happened were members of our traditionally secretive royal family and ComputerLand Building, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu those close to them. So the truth remained a secret, Tel: 431199, 431746, 430858-9 Fax: 430641 locked up in vaults of silence. Bits of facts had started Email: [email protected] The Total Solutions Company 222 EDITORIAL 15 - 21 JUNE 2001NEPALI TIMES

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KE GARDEKO? Those were the last words King Birendra spoke as he collapsed in the billiard room on Friday, 1 June. Shock, rather than pain, was writ large on his face. More than the shock of being shot, it was the shock of knowing who had just shot him. What have you done, he murmured, as he slowly slumped to the floor. Nepalis will also want an answer to that haunting question as they agonise over what happened that night. As individual citizens, and as a nation, we will have to come to terms with this unspeakable slaughter and move on with our lives in the days ahead. We will soon know what happened, we will be told in excruciating detail of the exact sequence in which the royals were slain, we will get the forensic and ballistic evidence, we will hear clinical descriptions of how many bullets, and about the nature of the fatal wounds. There may even be hints as to motive. But no one is going to be able to explain what was going on in the OS head of this young man, and what psychological or chemically-induced rage made him convert what he may have seen as a personal dead-end into a dead-end for his family and a kingdom that he would have inherited. Nepalis will ponder this cataclysmic event and what it means for the STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL direction our society, culture and polity are headed in. An unimaginable tragedy like this isn’t just a lesson in morality, it turns our beliefs and value more than the notorious opinion piece by system on its head. Where does insanity end and evil begin? An entire Baburam Bhattarai. It was Soviet-era generation of Nepalis alive today will carry this as a burden on its propaganda at its best, and proved the maxim: collective conscience. There are no answers: just a numbing senseKeep of the us informed“since the completely unbelievable is relatively senselessness of it all. And finally, it will only be the inexorable passage more believable than the scarcely believable, it of time that will give us the distance from this moment. makes more sense, if one has to lie, to tell a big Some of us will try to find solace in the Ramayana and Gita and“Completely look unbelievable Celebrationsis relatively about the comingmore of agebelievable of lie rather than than a small lie”. the Baburam’s scarcely piece for parallels, but we will not find anything there that approaches the Nepali media, it seems now, were rather was untruthful, in bad taste, and came at a magnitude of this crime: the cold blooded murder of parents, thebelievable. If one has topremature. lie, tell Nepali a mediabig islie still atrather the bottom volatilethan time. a Yousmall could questionlie.” the editor’s slaughter of siblings and relatives. Even our holy books didn’t foresee of the learning curve. The good news is that judgement. But come on, Home Minister, to senseless carnage on such a wild scale—not among the warlike godshen of the curse of history strikes the from here, the only way to go is up. It’s never put him in jail? By its inept handling of the our pantheon, not among lesser mortals. But the Gita does have a angst of geography, debris from the too late to begin. Kantipur affair, the government has helped shift message that is relevant: how to gain wisdom from suffering. The epiccollision is scattered far and wide. battles of Kurukshetra, the jealousies, greed and vanity that afflictedw our This was the story: a god-king on a the focus of attention from a specific instance gods bring them down to a human level so that we can recogniseNo ourevent own in Nepali history, not even the royalweekend family soiree, a queen with a mind ofof incompetence of our national media to the failings in them. The Gita explores the limits of an individual’s freecoronation will, the of 1974 brought in as much mediaher own, a lovelorn trigger-happy crown larger issue of freedom of the press. The fact dilemmas of reconciling conflict when both sides are convinced attentionthey are to this country as did the royal prince, a prince-turned-commoner, another that our so-called national dailies are little right, it seeks an explanation for the suffering of innocents and massacre last week. Twenty-five years ago, theprince barely out of his teens, and a beautiful, more than broadsheet versions of yellow rags of responsibility of the rich and powerful towards the weak and the voiceless. paparazzi had to be lured with the promise ofintelligent princess who liked to paint. Other yesteryear has now been eclipsed by this Our holy books, like Greek tragedies, bestow upon readers a sensecelebrity of royalty in Shangri La. This time, they relief by catharsis. They give us a glimpse of the abyss, so we do not take assorted royalty enjoying a family get togetherneedless controversy. came on their own, attracted to royal gore likeinside a maximum security palace. Enter the Here is a government that muddled the plunge. vultures to carrion. When hotels are full of With time the conspiracy theories will also lose their scornful and Prince of Darkness. This is the stuff not just ofwith the state media, and is now trying to hacks instead of tourists, you know your Greek tragedy, but an epic of Mahabharatan cynical edge. But like theories of the third gunman behind the grassycountry knollis doomed. distract attention by meddling with the proportions. Dhritrastra, the blind king of private media, giving the impression that it in the JFK assassination, or the bombing of Rajiv Gandhi, they will Thisnever was archetypal parachute journalism. really go away. Our future school text books will tell of an epochal Kurus inMahabharata , had a factual reporter is muzzling the press. Refusing to learn from slaughter of royals in the year 2001 that dramatically changed theBarring course a few well-informed writers with an in Sanjay and a riveting scribe in Vyasa. But their own mistakes is the defining of Nepal’s history. But decades hence there will still be rumours.empathy for and understanding of this when tragedy struck us in Nepal, most of our characteristic of Nepali politicians, and the The fact that our democratic institutions have withstood this crisiscomplicated land, the rest behaved like the USjournalists were caught napping. Most snored Ministry of Information and Communica- more or less intact is an indication that despite our deep sense Marinesof beaching on some remote shore. Theytheir way through the mourning period, tion has blundered once again by insisting insecurity and loss of self-esteem, our multi-party setup is muchdon’t stronger call them ambulance chasers for nothing.abdicating the terrain to foreign satellite and that foreign journalists acquire accreditation than we might have thought. Our pluralistic democracy, free press,They our beg, bully, buy their way to the most cable TV and radio which had a field day and before reporting. In this day and age? civil-military relations, the government-palace combine took a majorbizarre sound bites possible, get their talking did our work for us. Regulating the press is not only battering, but the institutions of democracy showed a hidden resilience. heads, their pan of tyre-burning, and then Given the complete lack of information in Let us not underestimate the power of our democracy to survive they’reand off—to Basilan, or Aceh, or Gujarat. impossible, it is pointless and counter- adapt. the days that followed the massacre, Nepal productive. It gets the rumour mills going, In Kathmandu, it was difficult to get was no different than the days of the Kot and information-starved people begin to anyone to talk, so they filed on the curse of Parba. The principle source of information forbelieve the wildest rumours, the wilder the Gorakhnath, the conspiracy theories, sordid most people was the bush telegraph. In the agebetter. second-hand rumours of a royal love affair, of satellite and Internet, we relied on word of The only institution that can regulate dark predictions of court astrologers, feuds mouth. Radio Nepal maintained a screaming the press is its own professionalism. That between nobles of the same clan. So what if silence for nearly twelve hours after the the cameras set off a few riots just by their will take time to develop, and there are no tragedy, and even then gave official short-cuts to learning by doing and presence? (“Great footage we got today on theannouncements in officialese. No one believed airport road, yar.”) committing one’s own mistakes. By a word they were saying. Commenting on the imprisoning media, the government makes It didn’t help, of course, that here was sorry state of affairs, Hem Bahadur Bista, the matters worse by pushing the press to reality at its most utterly unbelievable. If factsformer chief of Sagarmatha FM and once headmanufacturing self-justification rather than NO DEMOCRACY WITHOUT INFORMATION, are so grotesque, why invent fiction? This wasof Nepal TV had this to say: “FM stations carrying out self-examination. a royal whodunit that made Dodi and Diana simply tagged their services to Radio Nepal As for the palace, the lesson of the crisis sound like a fairy tale. But even then, we were NO INFORMATION WITHOUT DEMOCRACY. and went back to sleep. Even the ‘This is is clear: the traditional opacity of the royals not satisfied, and we invented wild conspiraciesRadio Nepal’ announcement was broadcast The street violence that followed the royal tragedy were driven byto three embellish an already extraordinary tragedy. is an anachronism that weakens constitu- over supposedly independent FM channels!” tional monarchy. It must open up in future factors: spontaneous shock and anger, an official information blackout,But if the foreign media was obnoxious by its The print media, with little or no access and political forces inciting violence. A post-mortem of this crisis yields if it is to maintain its dignity. Only actions, the Nepali media was obnoxious by itsto the drama unfolding inside the palace, were one important lesson: the reason it is so difficult to convince citizensinaction. about transparency can stop the domestic yellow the truth is that official sources of information have lost all credibility. reduced to recycling reports from Indian and rags and the international gutter press from Officialdom squandered its integrity because when it did come out to tell foreign cable TV channels. Ace Nepali displaying dirty royal linen. the public what had happened, it lied. Not once, not twice, but repeatedly. reporters seemed to have no sources of In India’s countryside, villagers cope They lied to correct their previous lies. Their silence was a lie. information inside the palace. Part of the with black humour. Whenever there is a Our information machines are governed explanation may lie in the tight control caste massacre, the first to arrive are the by Panchayat-era mandarins who believe in Narayanhiti maintains over the flow of vultures, followed closely by reporters, then treating the public’s right to information with information as a matter of policy. After all, the police, and finally the priests. So it is contempt, and insulting their intelligence even the prime minister was informed of the and common sense with outdated mourn- here too. We will know when the cameras killings a full two hours after it happened. of Zee and Star and CNN have finally left ing rituals of requiem music and news But that is a feeble excuse. Journalists who blackout for 13 days. This is why it was so the Valley (following Mr Sapkota and the easy for extremists who infiltrated the pride themselves upon accurately elephant-borne ghosts of dead kings) that at crowds to inflame passions. The people forecasting cabinet decisions days in last things are getting back to normal. were ready to believe anything, but the truth. advance should have deep throats within And putting journalists in jail does not help. the palace-military complex. They tried to In the marketplace of ideas, it is much more make up for it by culling juicy bits of bazaar clever to win the people over with informa- rumours and serving them as reports tion that is more credible, accurate and and analysis. independent than what the other side is saying. Nothing epitomises this frame of mind Let us be clear about it: democracy and free press must safeguard each other. You can’t have one by undermining the other. OS NATION 15 - 21 JUNE 2001NEPALI TIMES 333 COMMENTARY byHARI ROKA

problems and solutions are required so Nepal’s tripod of stabilityurgently that a government, any government, cannot even start to solve ever before in the 250-year was gaining importance in inverse CPN (Unified Marxist-Leninist) them alone. And that is not just because of the present climate of history of Nepal’s royal palace proportion to the disarray and The main opposition left had been bickering and partisanship. The lack of nhas there been a catastrophe of disunity within the NC leadership, showing its most ineffective and institutional development of the this magnitude. In the aftermath, therethe inability of the mainstream left to indecisive character even before this political parties, the personality cults are three streams of opinion about articulate the needs of the masses, crisis. It was not fulfilling its role as a within them, and their extreme short- what happened and why: and the indecisiveness of the smaller creative and strong opposition party. sightedness and fecklessness make parties. The tug-o-war between So, when the royal massacre took z A streak of irrationality in the them even less capable of resolving the Singha Durbar and Naryanhiti in the place, its response has been haphazard family country’s development crisis. past year over the deployment of the and contradictory—as shown by its z A conspiracy within the royal army to fight the Maoists was one backing out of the high-level probe Nepal’s monarchy therefore has a family indication of this greater royal panel after initially agreeing to it. For role to play in bringing political parties z A combination of internal and assertiveness. The people, for their its own sake, the party needs to into line. It is imperative that the external conspiracies part, were getting increasingly formulate a policy consensus and bringconstitutional monarch take a more The high-level probe panel is due to disillusioned with the decay of like-minded parties into its fold. If it unabashed role to protect national present its finding shortly. If the first democracy and there was an doesn’t do that, and the UML tries tosovereignty, to safeguard our borders, theory comes out to be true, the unexpressed and growing desire that camouflage its internal weaknesses, to keep the kingdom united, and to be country may not have to live through the palace step in within the and keeps on unnecessarily a symbol of the common aspirations of similar traumas in future. But if the framework of the constitutional disturbing the power balance then itall the Nepali people. second or third scenarios are right, role of the monarch. And then will be doing itself and the The aftermath of the royal then this massacre will have marked this happened. country serious damage. massacre and the political uncer- just the beginning of a series of future Nepal’s traditional political tainty of the present demands that upheavals. Either way, the killings of 1forces have been caught completely the two big parties (the Nepali June have already pushed Nepal unawares by this unexpected and Congress and the UML) show more towards a new political transition. unimaginable tragedy. The CPN (Maoists) maturity, accountability and greater Twelve years after the restoration of decimation of King Birendra’s After appearing as the fourth internal democracy. The smaller democracy, we are now moving into lineage within the royal family has political force in the past five years, theparties also need to be less uncharted territory—there will be newweakened the palace, and shaken its Maoists exposed themselves badly opportunistic and play a positive alliances and new polarisations. We triangular relationship with the other Even if the political parties are disunited,with statements they issued after the role. The last 12 years were a time will be getting hints about the nature two political forces. It is going to weak and in disarray their very presence royal massacre. On the one hand, the of economic and social transition, of these shifts from the political take some time for the palace to Maoists proved that earlier accusationsand it was a wasted decade. Now, realignments in the coming days. regain its previous stature and weakenedspared then the it is quitecountry possible from total anarchy duringthat they had pro-palace leanings may there is a time of political transition The stability of our political power. It may therefore be forced to thatthis there willcrisis. be a fatal Democracy imbalance in worked as a safetynot have been completely unfounded, as well. This moment in the system, our economic and social interfere less in day-to-day politics the political equilibrium. It is and also that their avowed republican-country’s history needs to be development will be strongly affected and play more of a coordinating role thereforevalve imperative to release for the royalthe public’s grief and anger. tackled with responsibility, ○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ism is a sham. They have shown classic by this new balance of power between in keeping democracy on track. palace in its weakend state to do immaturity characteristic of the ultra- patience, faith and vision otherwise King Gyanendra would know everything to support Nepal’s fragile shell. The Nepali Congress there will be nothing left to save. the palace, Nepali Congress and the has been trying to manipulate the left by disregarding the prevailing left. This triangular play of forces that even if the political parties are democratic pluralism. By power equation and unilaterally callingDivisiveness, disunity and distrust supporting the constitution in triangular political power balance will only bring underdevelopment began 12 years ago after the people’s disunited, weak and in disarray their by allying with one of other for a leftist interim government. As the movement ushered in democracy and avery presence spared the country word and deed, the palace will be country teeters on the brink, it is now and loss of our independence. strengthening itself and restoring forces to demolish the third, and Internal strife will foster external constitutional monarchy. Post 1990, from total anarchy during this crisis. was brittle because of its own becoming more obvious that a new ideas gained voice: gender equity, They have worked as a safety valve Nepal’s tripod of political stability. resolution must be found within the interference. Our territorial integrity, Otherwise, opportunists and autocratic leadership. That is why the language movement, social and to release the public’s grief and it has not been able to project its present multi-party polity. If the our existence as an independent economic justice. Because of new anger. The result has been that conspirators will thrive in the Maoists’ fail to recognise this and nation state demands that political uncertainty that will follow. image to the public as a party freedoms, political parties allowed despite an information clampdown that can deliver on its election push the country towards more parties be resolute, patient and these new demands to come up, but and two days of street violence the instability, then it may be fatal for beingtolerant. spread. Otherwise, The thenational next time media promises, and it has floundered is silent, the foreign media has did precious little to fulfil them. Nepali people in general showed seriously during the present royal them and there will nothing left for history takes a leap, the nation may remarkable composure, tolerance been giving us indigestible news. The three-way tussle between the crisis. If the party does not them, but to repent. Whomcease to areexist we and to none believe? of us Themay be palace, the NC and the left has been and maturity in dealing with this resolve its internal strife, work to Try as we might, we cannot hide recentable to callarrest ourselves of a newspaper Nepalis editor unprecedented calamity. foranymore. using his rights to freedom of complicated in the past five years by restore the equilibrium with the terriblethe fact thatthings Nepal have is one happened of the in our If there is one clear lesson from press highlights the fact that Nepal the entry of a fourth force: the palace and the left opposition, history.poorest and least equitable countries has a long way to go on the path of phenomenal rise of the Nepal this, it is that in times of crisis there thatand bringingit risks oblivion other political every forcestime in theThis world. “nation There in are jeopardy” serious refraindemocracy.Hari is Roka is Expecting an independent the truth, Communist Party (Maoist) and its is a serious threat of instability if Nepali Congress somethinginto the fold happens? under a minimum We are goingachallenges popular toone surmount with Nepal’s in the social, jittery leftist analyst. Pranu Singh “peoples’ war”. The uneasy even one of the three power centres through a traumatic period, but whatestablishment who are quick to raise Even before the present crisis, the programmethen the Nepali political, cultural and economic by email equilibrium between the three post- is weakened considerably. Worse, if has that to do with the country’s this bogey whenever their snug ruling party was already torn to Congress may find its very existence spheres. Neither the ruling party, nor democratic forces was already going offtwo of these power centres are existence? Nepal has been aroundposition as is jolted. Nepal’s strength is courageshreds by tofactionalism bear this tragedy.and ain countryperil. It will for becenturies, doomed toand repeat manyitsthe people’sopposition faith, seem andto be their serious originalThe royal massacre of 1 June is balance. The role of the royal palace probably the most horrible and infighting.Pravatika The party Raihad andlost its friendsits past mistakes and and it will cultures,about addressing languages these long-termand heritages. They are the reason Nepal has tragic event in the history of Nepal. direction, there was an ideologicalDarjeeling become weaker and weaker. problems. These are such serious maintained its national identity forI amas still hoping that it is only a vacuum, and a rigidity that had long as it has. nightmare and when I wake up I will find our beloved king and the royal is to jump to a conclusion before Democracymade this once-monolithic is supposed to party ensure a Arbind K Singh investigating the facts properly. Thefreedom of speech, expression and family out of harm’s way. Reality Kathmandu most plausible hypothesis is the oneinformation . So, what is the hurts. But the nation must go on. that leaves the fewest number of government trying to prove by cutting We must subdue this ache, discard loose ends dangling. Equally off news channels? When Nepal TV I would like to thank Daniel Lak ofour the petty differences in the greater important is the question of motive.or Radio were silent, people had no Nepali Times and the BBC for hisinterest of our nation, we must From these considerations, the option but to dependLETTERS on other impartial and objective reporting safeguardof our national integrity and sovereignty and devote ourselves The post-palace massacre scenarioconspiracy theories swirling aroundsources of information about what was the horrendous events of 1 June. He honestly and earnestly to the task of in Nepal is reminiscent of JorgeNepali communities everywhere happening in their own nation. What is a shining example to our journalists nation building. There cannot be a Luis Borges’ imaginary planet ofappear to be the least plausible askind far of democracy is this anyway? and a true friend of the Nepali greater tribute to His late Majesty Tlon, where truth is what anyoneas hypotheses go. PR Tamang people in our time of need. His reporting has been free from the King Birendra. fancies. In the case of Nepal, for Ram Limbu Rabi Bhawan sensationalisation that some local Bijaya Bahadur Mali something to pass off as a gospel Sydney truth, it has to satisfy just one and regional private media stoop to. Chhetrapati arbitrary condition: accord with the This is to compliment you on your A Rana We are deeply saddened by the editorial “I may die, let my nation live conspiracy theory that the tragic via email palace massacre was mastermindeduntimely and tragic demise of Kingon” (#46). Objective, well written, to by the new King Gyanendra and/orBirendra and his family. On behalfthe of point, and absolutely true. It his son Paras. If this condition isour school, we send, from the bottomwould be a great help if our politi- I would like to congratulate fulfilled, the most outlandish gossipof our hearts, condolences to the cians could take this wisdom to heart. nepalitimes.com for being the first gets quickly exalted to the rank ofroyal family and the people of Nepal. Rajeev Thapa media to make us aware of the We pray for the departed souls to rest tragedy last Friday and giving us doctrinal truths. Everything else that via email does not is condemned as a heresyin peace. regular updates. But the truth is still with equal alacrity. Priya D and Divya D Dewan hidden, and rumours and hearsay are I am a proud Nepali, and feel Given that the Nepali people St. Joseph’s College Darjeeling belittled by the last two sentences in seem to have already divined the your editorial (#46): “They must secret morphology of the massacre,Although we are born and broughtremember up that they need to first save the nation is heading towards a cul-in India, being Nepalis we have greatthe country. If the nation ceases to de-sac from where it may never respect and love for the king and exist,the they will have nothing to fight emerge. For any investigation thatKingdom of Nepal. And the news over.”on Is Nepal such a flimsy country stops short of accusing King June 2 was shocking and Gyanendra and/or his son will beunbelievable. We mourn along with rejected as a blasphemy, a cover-our people in Nepal. May the up, to be greeted with radical departed souls rest in eternal peace scepticism of the sort currently and may all of us Nepalis have the being bandied around by most people. Therein lies the rub. Every reader of detective stories knows that the key to a problem lies in dispassionate thinking. The worst blunder that a detective can make

PRADEEP SHRESTHA More letters on p. 4Ö make it any moredifficult for him and ourselves. We wanted the truth and the truth has been promised. Hypocrisy and shirking from responsi- bilities is not going to help. We must rise above our petty differences and come together as a unified nation, not allowing ourselves to be misguided by false information. Let us not forget that the issue at stake here is We offer our prayers and Nepal’s sovereignty, thoughts for His Late Majestydemocracy and future. King Birendra’s soul, a gentle Astha Thapa sovereign who believed in peace. We offer our prayers for by email the souls of the royal family being divisive and irrespon-tragically taken on that darkestI hope Nepali Times will take sible. We have lost a King, of Fridays. But it is time for a leadership role in fighting let's not lose his vision. Nepalis to look for a new the spread of disinformation, beginning, for peace, King Charu Chadha Rizal. recognising the dangerous, Birendra’s legacy. Let us protectdestabilising effects Kathmandu a Nepal we still have with Hisrumours could have. I am Majesty King Gyanendra. our departed royals, to show our always amazed by the ability genuine commitment to nationalI left Nepal on 6 June, and Priadarshani of the average Nepali to find unity, revival, peace, and made my way to the airport University of Arkansas, USAconspiracy and treachery in prosperity. Mourning is important,through burning tyres, rock the most mundane of news. but we have outdated mourninglittered streets, and tear-gas At such an emotional time, Please try to give us the true methods. laden air. It was hard to people will be looking for believe that this was the information behind this explanations which are more Rajeeb Satyal Nepal I have loved for so massacre. It is very hard to acceptable than the horrible Baluwatar many years. The tears in mybelieve that crown prince couldtruth. As journalists, I hope eyes were not from the tear-kill all of this beloved family. Iyou will see your role not am trying to convince myself We are very shocked by the gas, but for the future of Nepal, only as reporting what is 1,000 times, but it is really hard recent tragedy in the Kathmanduand the dreams that evapo- said, but also evaluating it to believe. The truth will be our royal palace. We offer the rated in such a short time. and discrediting comments relatives, the government and Thankthe you for your newspaper,great tribute to our late king. born of pain, disbelief, or a these difficult times. people of Nepal our deeply feltand may the gods stand by B Adhikari desire to protect. You could Michael Witzelsympathy and wish them your side. London become a voice of reason Department of Sanskritcourage & and strength in their D. Michael Van De Veer and truth. Maybe you should step back from absolute Indian Studiesefforts to cope with this great Hanalei, Hawaii bereavement. Like so many people acrossjournalistic impartiality in this Harvard University the world, I am deeply shakencrisis and through editorials Dr GK Mitrasingh We are still searching for whatby the sorrow and unspeakableand critical journalism based General Secretary, International I try to keep updated on events in really happened. Thank you tragedy that has befallen my on facts help the Nepali Nepal even though I have now Council for Friends of Nepalfor publishing the special beloved Nepal. I feel helpless.people slowly and honestly been away for over three years. The Netherlandsedition of the Nepali Times But writing this letter has easedcome to terms with this The constant and petty bickerings (#46)—especially the movingmy heart a tiny bit. horrible tragedy. of our so-called democratic picture of King Birendra on the Sue Morrow Flanagan Mark Ludwick Lost in a myriad of emotions— leaders, the rampant corruption back page. It symbolised the NATION anger, loss, grief and Ossining, NY, USA15 - 21 JUNE 2001NEPALI by TIMESemail 444 that has become a norm, and the hope and inspiration that overwhelming uncertainty— growing insurgency from the have- springs from this Nepalis are still in a state of nots in the guise of Maoists have unimaginable tragedy. We are pelting stones, chantingWe would like to extend our shock. I, too, have been trying to slogans against new monarch, In his column “A tribute to disillusioned me. Instead of taking Prazolla Shahi heartfelt condolence on come to terms to what has history” (#46) CK Lal one tiny step forward towards making ourselves a subject tragic death of His Majesty happened, and it saddens me Kathmandu laments “our education genuine progress and develop- matter of foreign media’s King Birendra, Her Majesty that we could not ensure that our system ... the decadence ofment, we seem to relish in taking breaking news. We base ourQueen Aisharwya, late king’s final journey to the middle class...” which two steps backward towards anger on rumours because weKing Dipendra and other Pashupati had the honour and supposedly “prompts peopleanarchy and chaos. My disap- have been deprived of royal family members. We dignity due to him. It was to run amok with guns...” Lal,pointment was heightened by the information. We must be pray to the Almighty to grant humiliating to observe people an otherwise perceptive andrecent turn of events. The regicide mature and wise. If we take partus courage and patience. shouting slogans, running wild, provocative columnist, hasthat has deprived us of perhaps in violent rallies believing theWe also pray King resorted to cant and cliches.the most popular monarch in our Indian media, we will destroyGyanendra be given the I fail to see what the much-turbulent history will haunt us for our own country. Let us stay courage to unite the hearts of maligned “middle class,” ourlong. But nobody can undo the united to build a better Nepal.all Nepalis. “values,” and “religious damage. Instead, we should Subindra Bogati Raja Ram Giri moorings” (or lack thereof) perhaps unite in finding ways to Patan Friends of Britain and have to do with the recent prevent such disasters from Nepal tragedy. Given the recurring. Let this be the time for information we have so farall Nepalis, beginning with the Now is not the time to take London from various reliable and newly enthroned monarch, to advantage of this national “unofficial” sources, it reflect upon our many past errors crisis to further self-interest. appears that a distinctly non-to be strengthen our resolve for a His Majesty King Gyanendra’s middle class family’s privatebetter future. If we consider address to the nation was discussion gone horribly ourselves true, law-abiding wise and well-meaning. We wrong. Our respected andcitizens, we must uphold the must understand that the exalted royalty has receivedconstitution and recognise King events of the past few days the best education in the Gyanendra as the legitimate have been as difficult, if not world, formally at educa- successor. more, for him. Besides having tional institutions and at the to deal with the personal grief He has been considered a royal court. We can conclude of having lost so many family that proper moral values andhard-liner in the past, ergo his members, he now has to etiquette were also impartedunpopularity. But, inhallai a “ halla shoulder the responsibilities to them. Despite being theko desh”, who can really of a monarch. Let us not creme de la creme, despitesubstantiate this? Should he even intimitation indeed turn out to be the dictator (or is it “imitation”) of divinity,as assumed , we, the people, there was no guarantee thatshall no doubt be able to once our royals would emerge asagain unite against any erosion of perfect human beings. Alas,our basic rights. We should give they are human and makeour new ruler a chance to prove mistakes. In this case, his mettle. In an ethnically diverse perhaps one of them nation such as ours, we certainly committed a terrible and need an institution that is irreversible one. commonly revered. That institution Rajendra Khadkahas so far proven to be the Baneswor monarchy. Let us give our new

monarch an opportunity to show OS As former long-time resident us whether he is a uniter or a of Nepal, I was deeply divider. shocked and saddened by the unbelievable news of the Deep Lamichhane demise of HM King Birendra New Jersey, USA and other members of the royal family. May their souls The best way to mourn the royal rest in peace. Listening to demise is “not to declare holidays Radio Nepal’s account over and take people away from work” the Internet of the installation but to work harder to take country ceremonies of HM King to prosperity, to fulfill the dreams of Gyanendra, I am sadly reminded of the coronation of King Birendra in 1975. I recall the very pleasant and frank discussion about Nepal’s prospects and problems we had here during a meeting with HM King Dipendra two years ago. Like all foreigners who have had the privilege to live and work in Nepal for some time, I wish the Nepali people strength and unity in

HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK A free, democratic country t seems unlikely that the horrific events at the Royal on the 1st of June can ever be fogotten or reconciled in the minds of Nepalis. Time heals but scars days at a time, and refuse to take phonecalls from the press, do themselves remain. But lessons can be learned at all levels and I wonder if the most There is no democracy without freedomor democracy of no favours.expression important, especially in the aftermath of the killings, isn’t that democracy cannot○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ i This country will recover from the horror and tragedy at the beginning co-exisit with restirctions on information.The mishandling of the flow of informatoin to the public has produced immense frustration and all sorts of wildlooking for other peoples’ miseries is to have an open and comprehensivelyof this month, though it will never be the same. I am impressed beyond conspiracy theories. The rumour mill is working overtime. And the longer thatfair society where hypocrisy or wrongdoing is exposed on a local level, bymeasure by the resilience and perspective I see all around me, in the the authorities wait before coming clean on everything they know, and I meanthe local media. Newspapers, radio stations and yes, television, needs to capitalbe and in the hinterland. People feel the loss of a beloved king and his everthing, the worse it will be for this country. free to investigate problems at all levels of society, and to publish and befamily at a very personal level. But they cope even as they grieve. They A society that is not trusted enough by its elite to be told the truth will damned, with only libel, slander and truthfulness as parameters. raise their children, get back to work and by doing so, they build the country. These are not frightened, immature, untrustworthy, panic-prone respond with anger and belief in the improbable. The curtain of privacy aroundPotential problems, even in lofty revered institutions, can be headed off lemmings who must be protected from vicious and unpalatable truths. the royal family has been ripped aside in the rudest and most tragic manner and resolved before they boil over, only if there’s information available These are people who are ready for a Freedom of Information act, a lively, possible. The full and insensitive glare of the international media has been and informed public debate. The head-in-the-sand approach doesn’t work. private media sector in broadcasting and newspapers that tell them focused on the drawing rooms and personal lives of Nepal’s first family. ManyEven ostriches don’t do it. everything that is going wrong, and right, at the moment. people here don’t like it, but that is neither here nor there. Arresting the editor and executives of the country’s most popular Nepalis should not be getting their news about national tragedy from The British tabloid press, Indian satellite television news, gossip magazines,newspaper at a time of unprecedented crisis was foolhardy and plays straight international broadcasters or the Internet. They should hear it on Nepal all these have their own dynamic, and a strong notion of what their audience into the hands of Nepal’s enemies. If someone steps over the bounds, the Television, Space Time Network, Sagarmatha and K.A.T.H. FM and in want. They will get their story, no matter who gets hurt or offended in the first option of a healthy, self-confident state should be a word in the ear of the press. To sweep the unsavoury details of this trauma under some process and it makes little sense to protest or beat your head against the wall.the offending party, not a policeman’s truncheon or a jail cell. Requiring allegedly free and private FM stations to cease all programming for a weeknotional rug is to dishonour its victims. Democracy and freedom of The way to cope with the sensation seeking hordes that fly around the worldonly feeds the rumour mill and sense that something grand and evil is beinginformation. Ponder those two concepts in the coming days and weeks, cooked up to conceal the truth. Government ministers who disappear forand remember, you can’t have one without the other. leaders, but on Wednesday there was no sign that the talks were getting anywhere. Politicians seemed unaware NATION of what they should do—and15 still - are. 21 JUNE 2001NEPALI TIMES 555 Nepalis riot over what a remark a The monarchy is still recovering from 55 Bollywood actor never made. the shock. The only party with a sense January 2001: Koirala is re-elected of existence are the Maoists, who NC president and the UML—which analysts say are doing their best to cashmust strike while the iron is hot and apparently was hoping that NC in on the sense of uncertainty. use the crisis to bring down the dissidents would get rid of him—steps The main opposition party had a government. Samyukta Jana Morcha’s Politics as usual Lila Mani Poudel, was first to organise into the fray. Winter session of chance to take a leadership role and Parliament is paralysed. steer the nation out of the crisis by a rally at Patan Durbar Square on 8 April-May 2001: UML takes its lending its credibility to the investiga- June and publicly denounce the protests to the streets, attempts to tion team, but squandered the possibility that Dipendra could prevent the prime minister from opportunity on a legal technicality. have pulled the trigger. Poudel commuting to work. Koirala remains “Madhav Nepal missed the call of echoed the Maoist reasoning that history, responsibility that country hadKing Birendra’s “liberal” politics unable to rally his party. was reason for his murder. Maoists pull off the bloodiest given him, and it will impact badly on Comrade-in-arms in the massacres of police—more than him badly personally and also his party,” says Shridhar Khatri, who communist alliance, Narayan Man 100 killed in a week. King Bijukchhe, of the Nepal Workers and Birendra reluctantly approves the teaches political science at Tribhuvan University. “He could have asked the Peasant’s Party (NWPP), has also government’s “hearts and minds” questions that needed to be asked to reached similar conclusions. programme involving the Royal Nepalmake the report credible.” It is clear Bijukchhe, told us the killing was a Army to provide security for that althoiugh Nepal had agreed, his “conspiracy” by foreign hands, adding development. Army chief is sceptical comrades in the Standing Committee that “his logic defies that Dipendra about mobilising troops without all- got cold feet. was the killer”. Though both Poudel party support. Prime Minister nearly and Bijukchhe fear that nationhood is resigns twice, but changes his mind UML stalwart Raghuji Pant says it is business as usual at the UML’s threatened, they don’t seem have both times. solutions about how to minimise this While the parties bickered, and Balkhu secretariat. “Our demand for the Prime Minister’s resignation is stillthreat or whether by pursuing the the country shut down incessantly duevalid,” he said. “We’ve not discussed conspiracy theory they do not  to strikes and bandhs the people how to present ourselves in the next destabilise the nation further. were getting fed up. But many had parliamentary session.” The Marxist- faith that at least there was the Leninists (ML) showed more constitutional monarchy. Now, maturity, forming a three-member even that is gone. ‘This was the team to interact with other parties and only stable institution left and it is strategise on ways to ride the crisis. If a crisis of this magnitude fails to unite our bickering politicos, what will?badly hurt and weak,” one “As a national party we feel that ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ prominent political analyst told us. May-June 1999: General elections, government and opposition should “It is said a nation’s resilience is work together, take the initiative and BINOD BHATTARAI ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ provided by the 1990 constitution thatseptuagenarian Krishna Prasad tested in times of crisis, here’s one do what needs to be, we can only he silver lining in the dark clouds appears to have provided us the Bhattarai elected Prime Minister. staring at us right in the face.” support them,” says Sahana Pradhan, that shroud the country today is flexibility and the elasticity to deal He initiates a commission to try to That may be, but the message ML chairperson. “The uncertainty t that despite the enormous crisis with this crisis. hold dialogue with the Maoists doesn’t seem to have filtered to the cannot be allowed to continue.” before he is toppled. that has befallen us, our democratic However, at any time during this political parties who see this as a juicy The most cynical opportunists institutions have survived. They are transition things could have gone March 2000: Fellow-septuagenarian opportunity to capitalise on the crisis. Girija Prasad Koirala pulls the rug have been the small communist rickety, but they were like that even seriously wrong. And we are not out of None of the political parties have factions who have decided that they before this tragedy struck. The royal the woods yet. Although individual from under Bhattarai’s feet. NC begun serious discussion among successions have taken place in an political leaders showed sobriety, the rebels paralyse the party and themselves or with others on how to orderly and legal fashion which in itselfsame can not be said of opportunistic government. But they fail in two move on from here. The prime is surprising considering the fact that political parties. attempts to topple Koirala both as minister is said to have begun one-on- no one could have foreseen a massacre The royal massacre has eclipsed prime minister and party president. one meetings with different party December 2000: Fringe Maoist of this magnitude when the rules of the crisis that this nation was in. It succession were made. The army is in may take some effort to remember students force schools to shut down the barracks. The prime minister is in just how bad things had got before 1and five million children stay home, a shaky position, but what’s so new June. Here is a brief recap of the and hotels shut down for a day. about that? It is the democratic space past two years: tion, but it was totally unable to correct the confusion created by return to normalcy,” says Tek contradictory information given out Bahadur Dangi, director, Tourism from the palace secretariat. Marketing and Promotion at NTB. Early this year Nepali Times The tourism board is also planning a predicted that Nepal would need to survey on the impact the royal tragedyattain a robust seven percent increase has had on tourism. The NTB may bein tourism traffic for the coming two 666 NEPALI ECONOMY hoping against hope that all the 15years - 21 to JUNE regain the 2001NEPALI business TIMES lost in different political and non-political 2000. But things seem to be going forces that seem to have been workingfrom bad to worse, at least partly overtime to ensure more instability because no one seems to care. Even will let life come back to normal. so, the situation is bad, but not dire. But the industry is not. “It will Bookings for the first two weeks of Another blow to tourismtake as long as two years to boost the June were cancelled, but reservations for the coming months stand, Shyam Tribhuvan International Airport confidence of international travel Bahadur Panday of Shangri La Hotels everyday, but not many are the Indianagencies and their clients after the Many feel this is not an appropriate time to discuss slow and Resorts told us. “So there is still tourists the campaign is directed at. Ondamage the street protests and curfew time for us to take corrective action. business, but tourism will hurt from the1 June, Indianlast arrivals two were weeks a little overhave done to our image,” Madhav ironic-sounding slogan: “Nepal Festival We can prevent cancellations by re- 580, by 9 June, the figure was down toOm Shrestha, executive director of for some time to come.of Life”. The strategy was aimed at building our image. The more negative 48. The NTB has suspended its Hotel Association of Nepal, told us. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ getting more Indian tourists to fill up ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ news there is about us the more it will marketing programmes as part of Bad press can be won over by hotel rooms in the June-September affect us,” he adds. Government and national mourning, but does not knowgood press, or by getting accurate worker strikes in December and low season. The other tourists in Nepal the opposition politicos should listen how to handle the rest of the campaigninformation out before bad news and March had already in the monsoon are booked on tour  rumours spread. But that is where to him. caused some concern among potentialgroups flying to Tibet, and even that that was to end next month. government has failed badly: not only travellers. The Maoist insurgency had has been hit. “Tourism will definitely suffer but did it not provide the right informa- not affected trekking, but news of Nepal’s tourism has been on the international tourists are good at fighting was making an impact. The downslide since end-1999. It began getting information and we expect palace shootout and the resultant them to start coming as soon as we protests and curfews served the final with the hijacking of an Indian Airlines blow. About the only hotels that wereaircraft after take-off from Kathmandu, in business were those putting up and continued shortage of airline seats international news crews, and now until the Indian Airlines flights even they look deserted. resumed, political instability, strikes and increased publicity on the Maoist HEMLATA RAI ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The Yak & Yeti, where most insurgency all further disrupted arrivals. he 1 June tragedy has not only international correspondents were Last year’s arrivals were down 11 left an indelible mark in modern staying, had roughly 53 percent percent to about 435,000 from over Nepali history but has also occupancy, while the rest lingered in t 490,000 in 1999. Indian arrivals, which the high twenties at best. If hotel severely impacted industry and make up one-third of total annual business, although few are talking occupancy in the first week of June is an indication, say industry sources, wevisitors, slumped by about 32 percent, about it. Many business and industry down to just over 100,000. The low leaders we met were unsure if this wasmay as well write off the $168 million tourism brings to Nepal every year. arrivals mean price cuts are snowball- on FM 102.4 an appropriate time to discuss losses ing. A manager of a five-star hotel told and declined to speak on record. One of the largest hotels in Kathmandu, the Taragaon Regency us he is selling rooms at three-star rates Others were more forthcoming, and and still there are very few takers. Mon-Fri 0615-0645 BBC World Today though not as concerned about that opened last year, had just four international guests last week. These cuts are on top of already low immediate losses, were more worried overnight five-star rates in Nepal in the Sat 0615-0645 BBC Science in Action about how business would fare in the The numbers compiled by the summer, where an average room goes days to come. Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) for less than $150. Sun 0615-0645 BBC Agenda Cancellations began flooding tell the rest. Occupancy at most of the Both bad luck and the inability to hotels and travel agencies almost as hotels was about half compared to Daily 2045-2115 BBCg] kfnL ;]]jf]]] June last year (see box), itself a very control the damage have brought soon as the story of the royal palace things to this pass. Arrival figures had bloodbath began to make headlines bad year for tourism. That was the Daily 2245-2300 BBCg] kfnL ;]]jf]]] month Indian Airlines had resumed started to pick up in May with the early Saturday. Airlines flew in almost Nepal Tourism Board’s Festival of Life empty and tourist arrivals dipped to flights to Nepal, after the December 1999 hijacking. Nepali tourism campaign in India. Festival posters still all-time lows. Even tourists already in greet the few tourists arriving at the the country cut their visits short as officials were hoping to reverse the Radio Sagarmatha curfew-bound Kathmandu was rockedtrend in Indian arrivals, and had P.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal with street violence. launched a special marketing campaign in India with the now Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681 Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 Tourism was just recovering from E-mail: [email protected] serious trouble—riots and hotel www.radiosagarmatha.org

FELICITATION

On the Auspicious Occasion of the Accession to the Throne of the Kingdom of Nepal, we devotedly extend our hearty felicitations to our loving Monarch His Majesty the King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev for his Majesty's long and prosperous reign, excellent health and longetivity.

FAMILY king who is the constitutional head and the rightful heir to the throne. We must support him —we have nobody else. We need to take a look crowd, but was killed in the royal at where our country is headed. I palace. The responsibility of saving think this shock is also an opportu- the nation is on the shoulders of the nity—every crisis is an opportunity— political parties, which did play for all Nepalis, of all political colours their roles to help cushion the to take a look at what is happening sudden outrage and street protests. to the country. If we want to survive We need to strengthen our political as a nation we should all pull institutions and one way to do that ourselves up by our bootstraps and is to make them more democratic. get on with building a brighter We need to be responsible, tomorrow for Nepal and Nepalis. democratic and people-oriented. Our strengths can come only from Shyam Bahadur Panday INTERVIEWS our ability to abide by democratic Hotelier 15 - 21 JUNE 2001NEPALI TIMES 777 practice. We have to look into our Tourism has been directly affected. rules and laws, which are unsuited This is the first time we’re at zero to the present times. We have growth. All bookings have been “We cannot pretenddemocracy to and have constitutional cancelled.a constitutional At the minimum, we power can change the constitution if monarchy but our laws and need to come together and tackle needed. The government may not be practices, are feudal—it was evident unwilling to do that. Political parties from how the tragedy was handled. monarchyand the people should when lobby to get all our lawsOur traditions are and laws prevented archaic and feudal.” the aforesaid implemented and us from being transparent and struggle if needed. CP Mainali getting information to the people. Yankila Sherpa Politician (ML) It is clear that the sustainability of can help by being more patient and Entrepreneur The people don’t believe what they the institution of monarchy responsible, otherwise there can be This is the greatest national tragedy have been told, let us hope they will depends on the support of the nothing but sadder days ahead. We Nepalis have ever had to face. This make up their minds after the people, and for that people need to must survive this and show that we terrible incident has shocked us, and commission makes its report. All this have full information. Information can be a patient people and can get left us grieving. It is taking time, more has taken place in a certain political on the habits, behaviour and along, despite the magnitude of this time than we imagined, for people to backdrop—conspiracy or no character of royal successors. unprecedented incident. get over the grief. But we have to live conspiracy. The backdrop is: some Parties would need to consider Rama Thapaliya our lives, not just for ourselves, but reviewing the laws to make royalty Film Artist people are trying to make democracy the issues through the media. We also for our families and our nation. It more transparent. We cannot Every Nepali who believes in work while some are trying to change need to choose between saving our is imperative we continue the task of pretend to have a constitutional constitutional monarchy should it using force. The massacre cannot be country and our businesses and building Nepal and moving ahead monarchy when our laws are archaic respect the crown and work together analysed in isolation of this. Even if running after after hearsay. After towards a bright future. We, the and feudal. to develop the country. This is a big external and internal political forces all, we have to live here and the business community who form the tragedy, but now we need to think of were not involved, they would try to Arzu Rana Deuba country has to go on. The tourist backbone of Nepal’s economy, have the past as past. With all our affect our politics and developments. Development worker groups that were to come during to run our businesses as soon as we are resources, we should move on. Now it Our first duty is to tell the public the I feel we should stand behind our new this period have all cancelled—it is up to every Nepali to bring about Harka Gurung facts and win their trust. We face has been almost 100 percent. change. Change will only take place if Academic, former minister many problems as a nation—they Because the cancellations for the we put in our effort and knowledge to A tragedy of unusual magnitude has were there before, they are there coming days have not come in yet, work aggressively. There is corruption, taken place. Instead of speculating today. We now need to take steps to there is still time for us to take and no assurance of a secure society. how it came about, we should look resolve the problems. We tried to corrective action. We can still The law must be strictly enforced. forward to how the damage can be maintain a status-quo in terms of prevent cancellations by re- There is law on paper, but not in minimised. The commission of inquiry governance after 1990. Political building our image, because the practical terms. The new king and is working on it. I don’t think it will players turned out to be unethical and more negative news there is about democratic institutions should think be possible to satisfy everyone. I corrupt and failed to address the us, the more it will affect us. We all would say now there is much bigger problems of the masses. There are about improving this. I am part of the responsibility on the part of political issues of health, education and visual media and we are always trying parties. There is no point in equitable distribution of national to spread socially relevant messages. comparing the personalities of resources and wealth. The people The problem here is people watch us Birendra and Gyanendra. The king is out of mourning. Our businesses were unhappy with how things were. happily, but once the movie is over, not an individual but an institution. provide livelihood, jobs, food, They are still sad. This is expressed as they fall back into lethargy. People are The main responsibility for Nepal’s education, and housing for many individual grief and public anger on not changing their attitudes. These are future actually lies with the politicians Nepalis. Successful businesses are a the streets. We need to find solutions the kind of people who are now who have been entrusted with the sign of hope. We must continue to be through dialogue. There are fears gossiping wildly. I think each people’s confidence and votes. Will optimistic regarding important about political instability, some even individual should take the responsibil- they become statesmen, or remain industries such as tourism, which is fear democracy could be derailed. To ity of developing the nation and petty politicians? Infighting and definitely more affected than others byprevent that, political parties spreading pure thoughts. We should fighting between the parties should be a crisis in the country. The task now especially left parties, need to sit down work together and construct a society replaced by reconciliation so we can for the industry is to assure the and prepare a joint programme to that is hard working and disciplined. get on with the job of building Nepal. international community that Nepalis address to the people’s problems. I’m not optimistic about political will continue to extend gestures of Narahari Acharya parties, but I am optimistic about the welcome and hospitality to all our Politician (NC) people and Nepal as a nation. The visitors. We tourism people will have The 1 June incident is the most continuity of the state is shown by the to work harder and more closely with devastating crisis Nepal has faced spontaneous expression of the public’sall sectors of Nepali society to since unification. But the country grief after the royal tragedy. I hope thepromote and secure a continual cannot stop here, it has to move on, politicians rise to the occasion. congenial atmosphere of peace and learning from what has happened. prosperity for all in Nepal. We have to discuss the implications Chaitnya Mishra of the tragedy for Nepal’s future. Academic, former NPC member Mangal Siddhi Manandhar We need to worry about stability. I have a six-point checklist. The Politician (UML) Our monarchy symbolises unity, murder has to be investigated fully andThe tragedy has occurred, but it will and this incident raises many independently. If more time and skills take time for the wounds to heal. questions. Our responsibility is to are needed, let there be arrangements Time does not stop, and time will work to ensure the institution for that. If certain issues cannot be regains its stature. Maybe the answered, they should be left open, people’s representatives should be not ended forcibly, otherwise given charge of overseeing secu- questions on the legality of the report rity—we did not look into this for and the new king and queen will the past 10 years of democracy. remain. Foreign powers may also take Our king was always safe among advantage of the confusion and extract people, whatever the size of the concessions from Nepal. The new king should tell the people personally, honestly about the facts he is aware of. For the longer term, government and political parties should assess the incongruities in constitutional monarchy and implement the outcome. The Maoists should stop heal. We cannot stop and stay, as we their killings immediately and are now. Even before this tragedy, the government should fully withdraw country was already in crisis. Now the security forces deployed to tackle situation has become worse. The them. The government should inquiry report should be believable. withdraw all lawsuits against the Sometimes what we don’t like can be Maoists and declare a general true, but the truth should be one that amnesty. The government should call is acceptable. We have to take into general elections. Whoever comes to account the international and national situation and move forward. The tragedy has lead to a national crisis, and made the country’s situation even Better Coverage more complicated. People have to be provided full information to get past the incident, and also have to be shown the way. Samacharpatra NATION 15 - 21 JUNE 2001NEPALI TIMES 999 The once and future king Urbane, erudite and a good manager, King Gyanendra is not expected tovilification suffer that he neverfools. acknowl- edged as long as jobs entrusted to ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ himgot done. Preferring privacy over public acclaim, Gyanendra chose pinished even in post-democratic ries and their Heads of State, and is never to justify his actions and even Nepal. Paras was seen as disorderly likely to display the same deft touch in the open praise of those he worked when he was high, and an outraged his dealings. with never quite attached to him. He country blamed the father and royalty When Prince Charles came to was always the unknown quantity, the in general. Significantly, after he was Nepal in the late seventies to go into Dark Prince. His intellectual worth crowned, Gyanendra while naming his the Himalaya to decide whether he set him even further apart. wife Komal Queen was silent on the should marry Princess Diana, it was So after the palace deaths, and the subject of a crown prince. Gyanendra and his kid brother As a prince, Gyanendra inherited Dhirendra who devised the “Royal mourning and the street violence and curfews, the rumours and terrible a hotel which he parlayed into an Trek” below Machhapuchhre. doubts, King Gyanendra must learn to empire that included tea, tobacco, andCharles later recalled that while change from being the private prince other enterprises. Executives and both princes were hosts to a centre stage player where the workers alike claim that Gyanendra’s extraordinaire, Gyanendra’s spotlight is relentless. From there he touch is so light as to be almost non- knowledge of international affairs must use his considerable skills to existent, but his vision was revolution-and both Britain’s and Nepal’s role weld together political parties ary by standards of the day. Work- in them was profound. constantly fighting each other, so that shops, seminars, management When the first SAARC summit his country (and he himself) can excercises, internationalexposure, but was planned and Nepal was named emerge from shadowy sidelines to a most of all, his selection of the righthost, it was Gyanendra who oversaw place in the new global order person for the right job marked the all the details with painstaking where transparency is everything, of his corporation. His message was meticulousness. His planning started where the media, to its detriment, made even clearer: an enterprise from the décor of the VIP lounge at robs efficient but private people seen as a failure was closed down the airport, went onto a renovation ofof their right to privacy. with no-nonsense efficiency. the venue, the Summit Hotel, and he King Gyanendra’s detractors, These are traits he is expected to even undertook the supervision of and there are many of those with lend to his role as constitutional building the SAARC suites where the late Rajiv Gandhi, Sri Lankanvested interests, must look at the monarch. Clear, succinct, urbane, validity of Nietzsche’s saying: King Gyanendra is not expected to president JR Jayawardene and other heads of statetayed. s A “They who chase wrong doers suffer fools. As palace adviser, he has must be careful lest they do wrong been known to cut short courtliness contractor on the suites recalled themselves. And those that stare and traditional formality to get to the that Gyanendra was with them wellinto chaos must be aware that heart of matters. His vast library is into the night to see them chaos stares back at them.” said to display eclectic taste and the completed in time. Just as King Prithvi Narayan books in it are well thumbed through. As a known conservationist, Shah, with whom this all began, left He is known to converse King Gyanendra gave assent and knowledgably on a variety of subjects. the mountain fastness of a small place helped plan the highly successful called Gorkha to allow his vision of a Several ambassadors went a few Annapurna Conservation Area unifiedNepal to bear fruit, so must months ago to visit Gyanendra and Project (ACAP) that had visitors his descendent King Gyanendra Bir stay overnight in a lodge in the forests.and Nepali citizens alike applauding Bikram Shah take his Nepal and his Among them were the Chinese, the initiative, but not necessarily its people that inevitable step forward German, Indian and American envoys behind-the-scenes mover who from a developing nation to an in Kathmandu. One of them recalled apreferred to remain away from the emergent one. From poverty to fascinating evening filled with limelight. pride, from being patronised to conversation that ranged over a variety Gyanendra while always being a becoming a patron in its own right of subjects on which the prince’s grasp part of the palace, also chose to staywith its own creative genius. was sure, and his opinions culled from away from it as much as possible. personal experience and extensive And it is this role as eminence gris reading were sound. The king will be that always had him in a nebulous in constant touch with plenipotentia- grey area, the target of whispered

FROM THE COLLECTION OF SHANKER RAJ SATYAL. INSET PIC: MIN BAJRACHARYA PIC: MIN INSET SATYAL. SHANKER RAJ OF THE COLLECTION FROM Narayanhiti Darbar made up of the chief justice, the speaker of the Lower DUBBY BHAGAGAGATTT ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Shah King of Nepal’s 225 years old House and the leader of the hen the founder of Nepal’s dynasty. This was his second opposition, and gave them a three-day ruling Shah Dynasty, coronation. deadline. That the leader of the wPrithvi Narayan Shah, set The first instance was a hasty opposition, Madhav Nepal, refused to about creating his kingdom, he did so coronation in 1950 performed by the participate on a technicality shows a by building a victory tower called last Rana prime minister, Mohan problem that has vexed the country— Basantapur where the old palace still Sumshere, when the four-year-old his compulsive need to play to the stands. He got craftsmen, masons andGyanendra was left behind in gallery which now often includes the artisans from every warring provinceKathmandu while his grandfather “underground” Maoists. Madhav and every rival ethnic group Tribhuvan and the rest of the royal Nepal cannot be seen to be absolving working together to build it. And family escaped to India. From there even a constitutional monarch. with that single act, unified Nepal, King Tribhuvan returned four months Controversy has dogged King as we know it today, was born. The later, overthrew the Ranas and Gyanendra’s footsteps as palace year was 1768. restored the supremacy of the Shahs eminence gris, as a legal but royal On 4 June 2001 beneath the tall as absolute monarchs. entrepreneur and even as a family shadow of Basantapur and the grim Immediately after his second man. His son Paras Shah inflamed the spectre of royal deaths,conspiracy enthronement at 11am of 4 June, Nepali public with DUI incidents that theories, and a kingdom riven with King Gyanendra appointed a caused fatalities, but he went un Reality Bites political strife Gyanendra Bir commission to investigate and report Bikram Shah was crowned the 12 on the deaths of the royal family in th Samacharpatra Dakshinkali Resort Dollu, Pharping ph 710072/710360 Reservation Ph: 274445 Fax: No: 977-1-281708

An Ideal Resort for Seminar/Workshops Only Rs 1000.00 per person on Twin/Triple sharing basis with all meals. Even Includes 2 times refreshment during the workshop. 2% TSC+10% VAT APPLICABLE TAX EXTRA All The Facilities Are Also Free! 888 15 - 21 JUNE 2001NEPALI TIMES The Shah Dynasty Tree

Rewatiraman Rajya Laxmi Raj Rajeswori 6. KING SURENDRA Tara Kumari

Laxmi Divyeswori 1. KING PRITHIVI NARAYAN Lalit Rajya Laxmi (1723-1775) Samrajya Trailokya Bikram Shah Subarna Prabha Ranodat Shah Trailokya Laxmi (Died before being 8. KING TRIBHUVAN 3. KING RANA BAHADUR (Died at 15) Rajya Laxmi crowned) 7. KING PRITHVI Indra Kumari ( Daughter of Sen Kings) Upendra Kanti Mati 4. KING GIRVANYUDHA Bikram Shah 2. KING PRATAP SINGH Narendra Bikram Shah (Brahmin from Tirhut) (Descendents Kanti Rajya Laxmi Iswori Rajya Laxmi (Exiled to India, then in in tarai.) Name n/a 5. KING RAJENDRA Gorkha) (Jung Bahadur’s niece) Kirti Divyeswori Narendra Laxmi Rajendra Laxmi Punya Kumari Basundhara ( Daughter of Bir Bikram Siddhi Laxmi Krishna Durga Divyeswori Banaras Rajputs) Maiju Rani Chandrawati Bikram Shah Shah (No male Rajya Laxmi (Chief Sahibjyu) Sher Bahadur Juna Raja progeny) Bahadur Lalit Tripura Sundari Shah Shahi (No progeny (No progeny Gorakshya Laxmi Ranendra Bikram Shah 9. KING MAHENDRA Himalaya Bir

(Migrated to Kasi with mother.) Ram Bikram Shah Hari Bikram Dipak Bikram Shah ○○○○○○ identified) identified) Bikram Shah (Lit the funeral Shah (No issue) (No progeny pyre of King Birendra identified) and Queen Aishwarya)

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

wounded at Narayanhiti on 1 June daughters of Jung Bahadur

killed at Narayanhiti on 1 June daughters of Punjabi Rajputs Queen Ratna Queen Indra KING MAHENDRA daughters of Bir Sumsher (1929 -1972)

Princess Jayanti ( Daughter of Prince Basundhara)

Princess Shanti Princess Sarada Kumar Khadga KING BIRENDRA Queen Aishwarya KING GYANENDRA Queen Komal Dhirendra Shah Princess Prekshya Princess Shoba (1945 -2001) (1947- )

KING DIPENDRA Prince Nirajan Princess Shruti Kumar Gorakh Prince Paras Princess Prerna Cap.Rajiv ShahiPrincess Puja Princess Sitashma Princess Dilasha (1971-2001) PHOTOS: BHAIRAB PHOTO, BIKASH RAUNIYAR, HARI GOPAL SHRESTHA, KIRAN PANDEY, MIN BAJRACHARYA, SALIL SUBEDI BAJRACHARYA, MIN PANDEY, SHRESTHA, KIRAN HARI GOPAL BIKASH RAUNIYAR, PHOTO, BHAIRAB PHOTOS:

Shangrila NATION 15 - 21 JUNE 2001NEPALI TIMES 999 The once and future king Urbane, erudite and a good manager, King Gyanendra is not expected tovilification suffer that he neverfools. acknowl- edged as long as jobs entrusted to ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ himgot done. Preferring privacy over public acclaim, Gyanendra chose pinished even in post-democratic ries and their Heads of State, and is never to justify his actions and even Nepal. Paras was seen as disorderly likely to display the same deft touch in the open praise of those he worked when he was high, and an outraged his dealings. with never quite attached to him. He country blamed the father and royalty When Prince Charles came to was always the unknown quantity, the in general. Significantly, after he was Nepal in the late seventies to go into Dark Prince. His intellectual worth crowned, Gyanendra while naming his the Himalaya to decide whether he set him even further apart. wife Komal Queen was silent on the should marry Princess Diana, it was So after the palace deaths, and the subject of a crown prince. Gyanendra and his kid brother As a prince, Gyanendra inherited Dhirendra who devised the “Royal mourning and the street violence and curfews, the rumours and terrible a hotel which he parlayed into an Trek” below Machhapuchhre. doubts, King Gyanendra must learn to empire that included tea, tobacco, andCharles later recalled that while change from being the private prince other enterprises. Executives and both princes were hosts to a centre stage player where the workers alike claim that Gyanendra’s extraordinaire, Gyanendra’s spotlight is relentless. From there he touch is so light as to be almost non- knowledge of international affairs must use his considerable skills to existent, but his vision was revolution-and both Britain’s and Nepal’s role weld together political parties ary by standards of the day. Work- in them was profound. constantly fighting each other, so that shops, seminars, management When the first SAARC summit his country (and he himself) can excercises, internationalexposure, but was planned and Nepal was named emerge from shadowy sidelines to a most of all, his selection of the righthost, it was Gyanendra who oversaw place in the new global order person for the right job marked the all the details with painstaking where transparency is everything, of his corporation. His message was meticulousness. His planning started where the media, to its detriment, made even clearer: an enterprise from the décor of the VIP lounge at robs efficient but private people seen as a failure was closed down the airport, went onto a renovation ofof their right to privacy. with no-nonsense efficiency. the venue, the Summit Hotel, and he King Gyanendra’s detractors, These are traits he is expected to even undertook the supervision of and there are many of those with lend to his role as constitutional building the SAARC suites where the late Rajiv Gandhi, Sri Lankanvested interests, must look at the monarch. Clear, succinct, urbane, validity of Nietzsche’s saying: King Gyanendra is not expected to president JR Jayawardene and other heads of statetayed. s A “They who chase wrong doers suffer fools. As palace adviser, he has must be careful lest they do wrong been known to cut short courtliness contractor on the suites recalled themselves. And those that stare and traditional formality to get to the that Gyanendra was with them wellinto chaos must be aware that heart of matters. His vast library is into the night to see them chaos stares back at them.” said to display eclectic taste and the completed in time. Just as King Prithvi Narayan books in it are well thumbed through. As a known conservationist, Shah, with whom this all began, left He is known to converse King Gyanendra gave assent and knowledgably on a variety of subjects. the mountain fastness of a small place helped plan the highly successful called Gorkha to allow his vision of a Several ambassadors went a few Annapurna Conservation Area unifiedNepal to bear fruit, so must months ago to visit Gyanendra and Project (ACAP) that had visitors his descendent King Gyanendra Bir stay overnight in a lodge in the forests.and Nepali citizens alike applauding Bikram Shah take his Nepal and his Among them were the Chinese, the initiative, but not necessarily its people that inevitable step forward German, Indian and American envoys behind-the-scenes mover who from a developing nation to an in Kathmandu. One of them recalled apreferred to remain away from the emergent one. From poverty to fascinating evening filled with limelight. pride, from being patronised to conversation that ranged over a variety Gyanendra while always being a becoming a patron in its own right of subjects on which the prince’s grasp part of the palace, also chose to staywith its own creative genius. was sure, and his opinions culled from away from it as much as possible. personal experience and extensive And it is this role as eminence gris reading were sound. The king will be that always had him in a nebulous in constant touch with plenipotentia- grey area, the target of whispered

FROM THE COLLECTION OF SHANKER RAJ SATYAL. INSET PIC: MIN BAJRACHARYA PIC: MIN INSET SATYAL. SHANKER RAJ OF THE COLLECTION FROM Narayanhiti Darbar made up of the chief justice, the speaker of the Lower DUBBY BHAGAGAGATTT ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Shah King of Nepal’s 225 years old House and the leader of the hen the founder of Nepal’s dynasty. This was his second opposition, and gave them a three-day ruling Shah Dynasty, coronation. deadline. That the leader of the wPrithvi Narayan Shah, set The first instance was a hasty opposition, Madhav Nepal, refused to about creating his kingdom, he did so coronation in 1950 performed by the participate on a technicality shows a by building a victory tower called last Rana prime minister, Mohan problem that has vexed the country— Basantapur where the old palace still Sumshere, when the four-year-old his compulsive need to play to the stands. He got craftsmen, masons andGyanendra was left behind in gallery which now often includes the artisans from every warring provinceKathmandu while his grandfather “underground” Maoists. Madhav and every rival ethnic group Tribhuvan and the rest of the royal Nepal cannot be seen to be absolving working together to build it. And family escaped to India. From there even a constitutional monarch. with that single act, unified Nepal, King Tribhuvan returned four months Controversy has dogged King as we know it today, was born. The later, overthrew the Ranas and Gyanendra’s footsteps as palace year was 1768. restored the supremacy of the Shahs eminence gris, as a legal but royal On 4 June 2001 beneath the tall as absolute monarchs. entrepreneur and even as a family shadow of Basantapur and the grim Immediately after his second man. His son Paras Shah inflamed the spectre of royal deaths,conspiracy enthronement at 11am of 4 June, Nepali public with DUI incidents that theories, and a kingdom riven with King Gyanendra appointed a caused fatalities, but he went un Reality Bites political strife Gyanendra Bir commission to investigate and report Bikram Shah was crowned the 12 on the deaths of the royal family in th Samacharpatra Dakshinkali Resort Dollu, Pharping ph 710072/710360 Reservation Ph: 274445 Fax: No: 977-1-281708

An Ideal Resort for Seminar/Workshops Only Rs 1000.00 per person on Twin/Triple sharing basis with all meals. Even Includes 2 times refreshment during the workshop. 2% TSC+10% VAT APPLICABLE TAX EXTRA All The Facilities Are Also Free! 101010 ROYAL FAMILY 15 - 21 JUNE 2001NEPALI TIMES Three Dhirendra Shah

Dhirendra Shah (1950-2001) Shakespeare’sJulius Caesar,” princesses was said to be the wayward one says Neer Shah. A keen of King Mahdenda’s three sons. sportsman, Dhirendra had a Even as a teenager he had a black belt in karate and was reputation for carousing and in patron of the National Sports 1989 was stripped of his royal Council. In 1975, he was Chief title and privileges. He had been Scout of Nepal, and in 1987, living in London as a commoner chairman of the National Youth and had returned to Nepal two Fund. days before the shooting at During the Panchayat era, Narayanhiti on 1 June. It was rumoured that he was about to Dhirendra was said to have have his royal title restored. helped his brother King Birendra in overseeing national affairs. A friend of Dhirendra Shah in Dhirendra is remembered as a school, Neer Shah, remembers staunch nationalist, which has to a “fantastic person” who was rather like his elder brother, King be understood in the context of how nationalism was defined and Birendra, in demeanour. Friends describe the former prince as a King Birendra and Dhirendra at a expresseddevelopment campin Nepal in Western during Nepal the Panchayat years. The former fun-loving and generous person, given to spontaneous acts of prince was in the news as recently as last July, when at a function kindness. Dhirendra lost his royal title and privileges because he attended organised by Parivartan Nepal to celebrate the he married a foreigner after separating from his first wife, Princess Shanti Singh Princess Sarada shah birthday of Crown Prince Dipendra, one of the speakers said he Princess Prekshya, sister of the late Queen Aishwarya. He is would not hesitate to shoot the prime minister. For two days, survived by four daughters, Puja, Dilashma, and Sitashma legislators charged Dhirendra with trying to topple multiparty rincess Shanti Singh (1941- from his first marriage, and another daughter from his second democracy. In an interview that followed in a local weekly, he 2001) was the first child of King wife Shirley Greaney. p clarified: “My commitment is toward my nation, Nepali people, Mahendra and late crown Like his elder brothers, the late King Birendra and Kingconstitutional monarchy, and democracy.” He was member of the princess Indra Rajya Laxmi. Her sister Gyanendra, Dhirendra also went to St Joseph’s CollegeRajya in Sabha from 1977 to 1988. Princess Sarada Shah was born in Darjeeling. He went on to receive his MA from Tribhuvan Dhirendra has lived mostly in London after 1989, but friends 1943. Shoba Shahi, now the only University. While at school, he was very interested in the theatre. and relatives say he had returned to Nepal settle down surviving daughter of King Mahendra, “He was a very good actor—I remember him as Cassius in was born in 1949. permanently. The sisters studied at the Loreto Convent, Darjeeling, and the late Princesses Shanti and Sarada went on to Tribhuvan University. Princess Shanti’s husband, the late Bajhangi Raja Kumar Dipak Jung Bahadur Singh predeceased her. She is survived Princess Jayanti Shah by two sons and a daughter. Princess Sarada and her husband Kumar During the Panchayat era, the Khadga Bikram Shah, a noted late princesses often accompanied writer and academic, were both their brother King Birendra on state killed at the palace on 1 June. They and unofficial visits abroad. are survived by three sons. Those who worked with the late The late princesses were involved princesses recall their dedication. in social work and founded a number Princess Shanti often repeated: “No of social welfare organisations and gain without pain.” Princess Sharada charities. Princess Shanti founded the was known to say that above all she Nepal Leprosy Relief Association in believed in “Awakening the social 1972 and became its patron in 1994. consciousness” of the country. She was also life member of the Nepal Red Cross Society and the Family Princess Jayanti Shah (1946- Planning Association. She was also 2001), known for her contribution to known for her love of plants and cancer relief programs in Nepal, was animals—she set up teh Nepal Kennelthe daughter of King Mahendra’s Club. But most will remember youngest brother, Prince Basundhara Princess Shanti’s contribution to the and Princess Helen Shah. The late welfare of disabled persons in Nepal. princess received her early education She was president of the Disabled at the Woodstock School in Welfare Fund Management Commit- Mussorie, the Loreto Convent, tee in 1987 and during the Interna- Darjeeling and in Switzerland. She tional Year of Disabled Persons in received her degree in Kathmandu in 1981 she garnered a good deal of 1970. From1982 she was chairperson support from international of the Nepal Cancer Relief Society organisations for her work among the and pioneered cancer awareness in disabled in Nepal. “She was very Nepal. Businessperson Basanta humble. She enjoyed her work and Chaudhary, who was the general secretary of the society in 1990, Khetan was sincerely dedicated to her work,” recalls Indira Malla, one of the late remembers her intelligence. “When princess’s closest friends. Princess hardly anyone talked about cancer Shanti was honoured with the Orders and its cure was a matter of myth, the of Tri Shakti Patta 1 princess came up with new ways to raise social awareness,” says Chaudhary who also mentions the princess’ achievement in involving various international organisations to st class, and the establish a cancer hospital in Nepal. Gorkha Dakshin Bahust 1class “She also did a lot of anti-smoking (1972), Vishesh Sewalankar, and campaigns” he adds. However the Coronation medals (1956 and 1975). princess stepped down from active The late Princess Sarada founded patronage of the society after the advent of democracy. the SOS Village-Nepal in 1971, and was chairperson of the project. The Chaudhary says the princess was staff at the SOS village in Jorpati also very aware of environmental remember the princess as a calm figureissues and she was planning to who loved the children at the Village improve conservation efforts in and always had the time to listen to Nepal. Her business ventures their needs. She also played an active included Bottlers Nepal Pvt Ltd the role in the Nepal Children’s franchisee for Coca Cola in Nepal. Organisation and child welfare The princess actively promoted programmes of the government. She tourism and social awareness was affiliated with many organisations,programmes and regularly attended including the Nepal Red Cross international conferences, presenting Society, the Disaster Relief Subcom- papers in Europe and America. She mittee, and the Child Welfare was honoured with the Order of the Subcommittee. She was honoured Gorkha Dakshin Bahu 1 with the Order of the Gorkha Dakshin Bahu 1

st class (1972), Coronation medals 1956 and 1975, st class, and and the Order of the Precious Crown Coronation medals (1956 and 1975). 1st class of Japan (1978). She was unmarried. runs the party. It will be difficult to believe in Madhav Nepal in the future. If a top party leader can change FROM THE NEPALI PRESS colours15 in - 24 21 hours, JUNE whom 2001NEPALI should theTIMES people believe?111111 BBC Radio, 6 June Madhav Nepal: Look, whatever confusion there is [about Madhav Nepal’s flip-flop his withdrawal from the probe team] that is not confusion, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ but there are some legal issues that need to be taken into King meets communist Sanghu Vernacular Weekly, 4 June account. On the committee’s formation, King Gynendra had held discussions with all sides unofficially, yes. So there - Bam Dev Gautam You attended the meeting of the Privy Council. is no need to suspect the intentions. But we want to stress Jana Aastha National Weekly, 6 June How did this [massacre] happen? that it is also necessary to take into account the legality No one has officially said how. This is the jurisdiction ofand processes. Only I do not want to stay on the “I have devoted most of my life to me a lot of questions. As I the investigating committee. The answer will probably committee, not my party. Whatever suspicions there are the communist cause and I wish to answered, I realised that Khanal come after the investigation. The interest of the people withinis and outside the country can only be eliminated die a communist. Despite all this, I was also cross-questioning me. I felt am a responsible citizen. First I am the secretary was being rude and in having a probe. based on the facts that come out of the investigation. Our a Nepali and then a communist. I crass. I guessed that the whole The palace and government have not said party will play a positive, supportive role in quieting down have become a nationalist situation had been decided earlier.anything and people are speculating. The media issuch suspicions. communist for several reasons. His Majesty said, “The constitution airing these speculations. Haven’t you pressured BBC: Why didn’t you stay in, personally? It is because of this that the first did not put in adequate checks and balances, which caused imbalancesthe government to make information public? MN: The process is unclear. It is very good the chief justice time I met His Majesty [King I asked what exactly happened. The prime minister has Birendra], I was overcome with between government and the is on the committee, as well as the speaker of the house. I monarchy. I don’tintend to, but I respect for him. This was late in been asked to present the facts and make a statement. am a party leader. There could be repercussions if only one 1993 (Karthik 2050), in the Mangal also can not go to the public and He also said an official inquiry was required and that thisparty leader was on the team. explain to them the work I have Sadan of Narayanhiti Darbar. was a very difficult matter. It is the responsibility of the BBC: What repercussions? Madhav Kumar Nepal, then done for the benefit of nation andcountry to properly investigate this. people. The concerned agencies MN: It isn’t that we as a party are not ready to support or secretary of the UML, was away, and Do you think this was a conspiracy? I had to meet the king in his should do this responsibily. remain in the committee, but at the individual level, the absence. Even our party president, Man MohanDemocracy must be strengthened through practice.We have taken this as something very uncommon, person might have problems, or be busy, there might be Adhikary said if the monarch desired it, I shouldPeople see tell me that the UML constitution wants tounnatural. other circumstances. him. The chief palace secretary Revati Ramandeal with the monarchy in a different way.” He thenEveryone says this was unnatural, but in what Khanal informed me about my audience with talkedHis of other issues. sense? BBC: But this is a time of national crisis. How can Majesty. I do not remember the exact day or date— During our interaction I told the king that the No one can imagine such an incident, it is so unnatural.you think of your personal problems? it’s a weakness of mine. I think it was mid-November. I MN: We are ready to help in all ways. It is not that I am reached the palace around 6pm. I was asked toUML dress fully respected the letter and spirit of the How do we analyse this, what will happen now, what constitution. All relations between the monarchy, the in daura-suruwal, with a coat and Nepali cap. Since were the reasons behind this. We have to find clear-cutnot on the committee because the king formed it on his legislature, parliament and the judiciary would be own. But it is necessary to think about [the committee] in it was my first meeting with His Majesty, I was worriedabided by in accordance with it, and this was whatanswers. we about the (formal) language I was to use, in whichbelieved I in. Since we were communists, we could not terms of the constitution and laws. was not very proficient. change our ideological line but would definitely Budhabar Saptahik, 6 June BBC: When you say the matter needs to be thought I was called inside at 6.30. I was taken into a very bring about changes in certain aspects. Since I had “In the context of the committee formed by His Majestyabout in a legally correct manner, are you trying to big room, in the centre was a tea table, on therecently east returned from a visit to North Korea, my visit say that the wording and the process was wrong? of it was a very comfortable-looking black leatherwas also a subject of conversation. I then told theto investigate the incident in the royal palace the night of sofa, on its west an armless chair, like those weking that all monarchs of today had to be like 1 June, our party appeals to everyone that the committeeMN: Legal experts have different opinions. There has to be usually keep in dining rooms, and a similar chairSihanouk of Cambodia. After this I told him that should be formed in accordance with the constitution discussion, debate on legal and constitutional matters and exactly south of the table. When I entered, HisNepali communists were nationalists to the core. andI pertinent laws of this nation. The committee must processes, although the announcement Monday was made Majesty was already seated on the sofa, smokingstressed a the fact that communists treated matters of under special circumstances. We also need to understand cigar. As soon as I entered,Namaskar I did . The king the nation with more gravity than they treated work within the laws of this land and provide guidelines communist and ideological issues. I congratulated that. acknowledged and asked me to be seated. He and direction. We further humbly state that our party signalled to Khanal to be seated too. Khanal, himwho on his democratic behaviour and the role hedoes not agree to the process by which this committee BBC: Given that the country itself is in a special played while staying within the parameters of the was carrying a pen and notebook, sat down. I also sat has been constituted.” situation, isn’t what you are saying double-edged constitution. I further stated that the situation at the down and the king started speaking. He said, “So tell and couldn’t it create more problems? me, Bam Dev, how have you analysed the politicaltime demanded that the monarch and the communists work together for the benefit of the Jana Aastha National Weekly, 6 June MN: No. The prime minister and concerned people will situation?” The king was wearing an old and country. His Majesty did not respond to any of the somewhat dirtytopi , a checked shirt,suruwal , a faded Nepalis believed all facts relating to the incident would search for solutions. issues I raised. The chief secretary was now indicatingbe made public very soon. The treacherous UML has and pretty old green sweater and black shoes. Hethe wastime. Thrice, the ADC had entered the room BBC: But wasn’t this committee discussed even seated on a sofa and I had to sit on an ordinarybecause of the time we had spent. Lastly, becausenow it put a damper on those hopes. [Madhav] Nepal, before it was formed? chair—I felt that this was a classic case of the workingwas not possible to meet the head of state frequently,who agreed when asked by the palace chief secretary MN: Yes, I have already said there were discussions. But of a feudal mindset. And a psychological way of I asked the king for a response to all that I had Pasupati Bhakta Maharjan to be a member of the there is a necessity to fix certain matters in writing. trying to establish control over the other partyplaced at the before him. He did not speak. I got up frominvestigating committee, has now withdrawn from it. meeting. On the other hand, I felt he was wearing BBC: So if these matters are put in order, will you my chair, did Namaskarand again repeated my Nepal had earlier repeatedly asked on his and his party’s those old clothes on purpose, to prove an ideological stay? affinity with us communists. Besides, I also thoughtrequest. Still he did not say a word. I again repeated,behalf that an investigation be carried out. The “Your Majesty, for the sake of the Nepali people and MN: Yes. It is possible someone from our party will the king was a real miser. committee was formed under the chairmanship of the the nation, please reply to my proposal.” He then participate. I then started putting forth my views. We werespoke, so “Ok, Bam Devji, for the sake of the peoplechief and justice, and the opposition leader and speaker of the engrossed in our dialogue that we did not realisefor the nation, I am prepared to work with the Lower House were members. Grief-stricken Nepalis (Interviewed by Rabindra Mishra) time was flying. We talked for roughly one-and-a-halfcommunists. I will tell my people to act accordingly.hoped I for quick answers. Now they are frustrated by hours. Earlier they had told me that I would begive you my word.” allowed a maximum of 45 minutes. His Majesty asked Nepal’s behaviour. The UML has created more includingproblems Lakhanfor itself andThapa, the people. were Will the UML have killed.any moral Lakhan right Thapa to comment was killed on the for findings of the politicalcommittee? reasons If it andis not so satisfied, is consid- will it have the right to eredask Nepal’sfor another first probe? martyr. People now wonder who really Kot Parba In 1846 (1903 BS), the palace was steeped in conspiracy and there was great political instability. Queen Rajya Laxmi wanted to make her returned from India. Dhir son Ranendra king, and asked Sumshere, realising Ranadip was assistance from Gagan Man, who weak and kind-hearted, was afraid was murdered on 31 Bhadra (mid- he would hand over the office of Prachanda’s view Inventive media serious poet. September). To find theller, ki the Bahadur established himself as a prime minister to Jagat. He hatched ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ (Note: On Wednesday, 6 June Pradipqueen called a meeting of all major very powerful prime minister. a plan to kill Ranadip. Under the Nepal Jagaran, 4 June Budhabar Saptahik, 6 June Nepal himself was interviewed by Zee courtiers a few days later on 3 Aswin Aulo Parba pretext of sending a battalion to News, where he was identified as a in the Kot courtyard. Jung Bahadur King Rajendra went with his Delhi to take part in an army “The spine-chilling bloodbath on Pradip Nepal, CPN (UML) MP “senior journalist”.) was smarter, and with his brothers’ beloved wife Rajya Laxmi to parade, he sent four battalions the night of 1 June in Narayanhiti “After the unimaginable incident of 1 help, slaughtered all the high-ranking Banaras, and he also became a under Bir Sumshere towards the Darbar has created a serious June, people started fabricating people, including Abhiman Singh strong opponent of Jung Bahadur. plains. At night, under cover of political crisis in our country. Our stories. They spoke anything they Bad blood Basnyat, Fattejung Chutaria and He hid four attalionsb in a place darkness, Ranadip was murdered ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ party is not taking this incident dreamt up. But the foreign media was Khadga Bikram, all opposed to Jung called Aulo near Birganj to kill Jung and Bir Sumshere became prime Nepal Jagaran, 4 June lightly, as a non-political issue or the most imaginative. Even BBC had Bahadur. Jung Bahadur then was the Bahadur. But Jung Bahadur’s army minister. He then blamed Ranadip’s the result of a simple family before 5am on Saturday morning undisputed leader. defeated the royal army and the king murder on Jagat Jung. dispute. We take this to be a announced that a massacre had taken The incident at the Royal Palace Bhandarkhal Parba was captured. The king died in Gehendra Sumshere serious political conspiracy. We place in the palace and stated with has terrified Nepalis. This is the Queen Rajya Laxmi, with her captivity. Gehendra Sumshere was a scientist realise that reactionary forces, conviction that the then crown prince first time in Nepal’s history that a confidant Jung Bahadur, wanted to 1877 (1938 BS) Parba and engineer and always inventing domestic and international, are was responsible. Soon after, CNN, ruling monarch has been killed. Themake her son Ranendra king, but Jung Bahadur, before he died, had machines. He wanted to show his trying their best to prove that it Zee News and Star News all began murder of a very popular, peace- she was unsuccessful. She was angrydivided the Ranas into different inventions to his uncle, Chandra was a normal family dispute that broadcasting similar reports. The loving, democratic and caring memberand hatched a plan to murder Jang classes. The shrewd Dhir Sumshere,Sumshere. While bowing to pay his exploded. The manner in which theIndian media crossed all limits. They of the Shah dynasty has been hard to Bahadur. She got Bir Dhoj Basnyat with his sons, defied the order of respects to Chandra Sumshere, a information was made available andoften sounded as if they had been accept. But such massacres are not and Wazir Singh to organise a partysuccession and made Ranadip primerevolver dropped out of his pocket. the way the last rites were carried present on the scene. The Indian unknown in our history. at Bhandarkhal. Jung Bahadur minister. This resulted in major Chandra Sumshere was a very out lead us to believe this was a media lost all credibility after the Basattiharan learnt about the plan and using the clashes between the families of Jungsuspicious man. He thought political conspiracy. It would be hijacking incident (of an Indian In 1904 (1962 BS) Rana Bahadur powers vested in him by King Bahadur and Dhir Sumshere. King Gehendra wanted to kill him and so utter political immaturity to claim Airlines aircraft in December 1999), Shah, to pay the debts he had Rajendra, had all his opponents Trilokya Bikram wanted to take poisoned him. Many accused of King Birendra and his family were not but now they have surpassed accumulated while in Banaras, on killed. In mid-1846 (end-1903 BS), advantage of the situation but he helping Gehendra were also killed. murdered because of the king’s liberalthemselves in irresponsibility. This is the advice of Bhimsen Thapa, the queen left for Banaras. Jung died in 1873 (1934 BS). Prince Makai Parba political stand and sense of national- why Nepalis don’t trust them. And captured, confiscated and took over Narendra, Trilokya’s brother, sided In 1920 (1977 BS) Subba Krishna ism. His open and far-ranging because of the Indian media’s land from Brahmins, temples and with Jung Bahadur’s family and in Lal wrote a book titledMakai Ko religious trusts. Many were killed thoughts had made life difficult for behaviour, Nepalis suspect the 1877 (1938 BS), decided to kill Kheti (The Cultivation of Corn). He for refusing to hand over their land. government, the ruling capitalist class intentions of the Indian ruling Dhir’s kin. The plan failed and was accused of printing that always looks towards India, and class. For three days the Indian Brahmins and Kirats then rose up in Prime Minister Ranadip sentenced revolt. This was forcefully repressed unacceptable words and was domestic and international extremist media was bent upon proving the more than 20 people to death. arrested. He was imprisoned and reactionaries. …If anyone thinks crown prince was the killer. and thousands were killed or exiled. Narendra was either exiled or Lakhan Thapa died in jail. 999 of the 1,000 copies there can be a repeat of Kot Parba Suddenly, after the third day, imprisoned. Eventually Dhir were confiscated and destroyed. and Bhandarkhal Parba against they started portraying him as a In 1874 (1932 BS), Lakhan Thapa Sumshere, with Ranadip, was able politically conscious Nepalis at the serious poet. It was laughable. gathered people in Gorkha in to get rid of Jung Bahadur’s family. start of the 21 When they realised he was not protest against the Ranas, Jang 1885 (1942 BS) Parba yet dead, they sang paeans to this Bahadur in particular. All the In 1885, (1942 BS), Jagat Jung protesters were arrested and most, st century, they are suffering from a delusion...”

THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI LANGUAGE PRESS 121212 FROM THE WORLD PRESS 15 - 21 JUNE 2001NEPALI TIMES COMMENTARY by MJ AKBAR A royal mess This is a tragedy built into Nepal’s compromise, into the imperfect revolution of the Nepali Congress.

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Conspiracy is easier suggested than done. Conspiracy is cold and rational; malevolence is irrational. Conspiracy has a purpose larger than murder or assassination. Few conspirators are suicidal. They are ambitious, not depressive maniacs; there can even be a psychological case to be made that conspirators are optimists, if desperate ones, justifying murder, even parricide, by the vision of a radically different future in which they play a crucial part. Con- spirators are inherently selfish; they want something for themselves in this life. They do not turn a gun on themselves. A useful lesson of history is that no conspiracy can be as bizarre as facts. The senseless mind is far more dangerous than an evil one. Since being a columnist makes me neither omnipresent nor omnipotent, I make no claim to knowledge of the real events that took place in the palace at Kathmandu in which an apparently denied lover allegedly killed his parents and other relatives at a family dinner before putting a gun to his own head. But enough details have emerged, including from eyewitnesses, to encourage hopefully intelligent comment. Friday night was mania, not con- spiracy. Nepalis, understandably, want an explanation, more so MIN BAJRACHARYA because they are still devoted to the institution the family repre- sented, royalty. The truth is difficult to accept because part of the problem lies in the institution, in that anachronism called royalty. The No answers in Nepal A terrible grief, a bleak futurefirst explanation that went around and still carries momentum, is that Crown Prince Dipendra was not allowed to marry the woman Japan Times, Tokyo The Times, London he loved. This may be true. There are other young men across the subcontinent with similar problems. Each individual lives, and occasionally dies, by the culture of his mindspace. Dipendra was a product of a value system and legal principles that placed him MICHAEL BINYON The fact is, whoever is ultimately implicated in the crime, the country faces an○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ above the law of the land. From there it was one psychological uphill battle in maintaining its political stability, let alone its recently achievedNepal is today convulsed with fear for the future. The royal family’s quasi-step that took him beyond the law of human relationships. and tenuous hold on democracy. Although he began his reign in 1972 as an divine status as the world’s last Hindu monarchy has not saved their Nepal was not part of the British Empire; its royalty represented absolute monarch, King Birendra won the Nepali people’s regard and even kingdom from a terrible grief and a bleak future. When a family quarrel endsits national status and so continued, not without hiccups, into an affection despite—or perhaps because of—having let go of power over the yearsin such a bloodbath, Nepalis see omens of savage times ahead. With little era at serious discord with the logic of inherited and inevitable power. Nepal’s kings would not surrender this power easily. Under to the point where he was little more than a figurehead. In a country as poor andbut beauty to export, Nepal, a country nestling among the world’s highest pressure, they were forced to cede some ground to nationalist politically fractured as Nepal, the king remained an important symbol of unitypeaks, or has long been deep in the valleys of world statistics. Social unrest isdemocrats, but they recovered and brutalised their own people. It at least the possibility of unity. growing. Maoists are plotting revolution. And a shaken and divided politicaltook another popular revolution, in 1990, to make them see reason. But symbols are fragile things, easily shattered. When the gunman openedelite is now gripped by rumour, ambition and stupefaction as it tries to Nepal’s royal family lost its power, but not its habits. And royalty is restore calm to a shattered society. a self-winding trap. The moment they were removed from politics, fire in the palace last Friday, he killed more than just those 10 unfortunate the royal family began to return to the affections of the people, people. He may also have killed the one idea that still held Nepalis together, notMaoist groups are now the main political challenge to the monarchy andbecoming a symbol and reassurance of national identity. This is because a new king could not be found, but because the murder suddenly to the ruling establishment. Maoist rebels are consolidating their power inwhy it is difficult for Nepalis to accept that there can be a deranged exposed the ugly reality behind the ceremonial facade of unity that was the royalthe countryside. And Nepal’s many ethnic groups, which lived in harmony maverick in the midst of a family they need. Unfortunately, I am family’s only reason for being. The Shahs, it turned out, were as fractious andfor years, threaten now to open up differences and disputes. seriously underwhelmed by the mystique of royalty. divided as their subjects—a perception that will likely hold even if the murderer The main problem is that Nepal has no clearly sustainable economic This false mystique is protected by instruments of state, turns out to be simply a prince gone mad with bitterness. It will take an future. Political quarrels in developing countries are usually economic. Butincluding coercion. This is why Yubaraj Ghimire,Kantipur editor, of exceptional king to restore the beneficent illusion, and King Gyanendra has the weekend massacre of the royal family has overshadowed and is in jail. His sin was not bad journalism, though I do not agree with hardly gotten off to a good start. compounded any argument about Nepal’s development. This may prove a what he published. He was indulging in mordant India-baiting The danger is that the vacuum of confidence that has ensued will provide an fashionable in that section of the Nepali middle class that has catalyst to revolutionaries who have wanted to overthrow the established gained most from the India connection. India has a great deal to opening for one or other of the extremist groups that have long threatened toorder: no time is as favourable as now. Outsiders will be desperate to answer for in its relations with Nepal, but massacring the royal reverse Nepal’s sluggish transition to democracy, be it Maoist guerrillas on thereinforce stability. Nepal is probably the best example of a buffer statefamily is not in question. Accusing RAW of being a co-conspirator left, or the army on the right. The best that can be hoped is that the inquiry intoin the world: its neutrality is vital to both India and China. Deciding with the CIA and the new king is not particularly intelligent. the massacre, reconstituted so as to meet all charges of bias, will get back on how to bolster Nepal at such a time will be difficult. The labyrinthineGhimire’s treason lay in attacking the new monarch. Everything track as soon as possible. Nepal needs to put its Shakespearean blood bath pales before lese majeste. Nepal’s monarch is truly monarch of all intrigues being revealed within the Narayanhiti Palace have their he surveys, including the press. Democracy has in this respect behind it and return to the more humdrum business of pulling itself up out ofequivalent in other parts of society. The machinegun bullets have changed little. This tragedy has lit up the truth of Nepal’s monarchy. poverty and corruption—without reverting to demagogy. Now that would reallyricocheted beyond the palace walls. Nepalis are waiting to see where The thought should make one shudder: if this is what Dipendra be worth headlines. else they have hit. could do to his family when denied his will, what havoc would he have wrought on his country if he had been denied a wish? It is difficult to comprehend what would be worse: a spoilt child in total control, or a spoilt child fretting at the restrictions upon monarchy inherent in a system where power must be shared with civilian politicians. The new king’s son Paras is also not “No conspiracy” To play the king famous for his maturity. This is not the best time to throw facts at monarchs. But alibis India Abroad, New York Hindustan Times,New Delhi are of little use, even in the guise of heroic journalism. This is not a tragedy created by India or the USA or China. This is a tragedy built AZIZ HANIFFA VIR SANGHVI ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ into Nepal’s compromise, into the imperfect revolution of the Nepali Intelligence agencies and senior Bush administration officials say their For all of the last week, the Government of India has been concerned that the Congress. When the monarchy wanted to throw the late, great BP Koirala and the democratic leadership into prison, it did not blink. investigations do not indicate any conspiracy in the massacre of the royals in Indian press might offend the Nepali monarchy. The government’s appeal to theWhen the people overthrew the king’s government, the democrats Nepal. All indications are, intelligence sources say, that “it was a case of one media is always framed in terms that seem eminently reasonable. Look, says theturned sentimental, reinforcing the monarchy. Today this has man gone horribly wrong,”—Crown Prince Dipendra, who gunned down hisofficial doing the briefing, we are dealing with a very sensitive situation. There isreached a such proportions that people refuse to believe eyewitness family before shooting himself. lot of anti-Indian feeling in Nepal. The government may like us but the main accounts of the massacre, and the government and the new The officials acknowledge that the tragedy could have a negative fallout, inopposition party, the Communists, hates us. And they’ve grown massively in monarch find it expedient to feed extravagant assumptions although they know the truth. This diet of fallacy can only feed a that it could embolden the Maoists and encourage them to exploit it to end influence over the last five years. Then there’s the Pakistan angle, the official willmoment or two of history. The young men who are shaving their Nepal’s fledgling democracy. Senior officials say the US is deeply concerned usually add. Finally, the official will conclude, our best hope is the monarchy. heads in sorrow were, ten years ago, seething at the palace. “as is the Nepali government about the Maoists, who have already tried to King Birendra was a reasonable sort of fellow but we believe that King There is deep grief for the dead. But when the mist evaporates exploit the situation,” pointing to the op-ed articleKantipur in by Maoist Gyanendra is potentially anti-Indian. So, we’ve got to move very carefully and Nepalwill have only two options: it will have to believe the leader Baburam Bhattarai. An official said: “We believe Nepalis need to workmake sure that we do nothing to antagonise him. In the midst of all this ISI crown prince massacred his family in a horrible act of insanity; on this problem and that the grievances the Maoist insurgency is based on activity and Maoist political popularity, India’s best hope lies in winning over andor that the new king is tainted, like Hamlet’s mother. Perhaps, aligning with the monarchy. Hamlet-like, doubt is the destiny of this generation. Either way, need to be resolved through a peaceful there is no doubt about who is guilty. There is something democratic political process,” adding that I don’t know enough about the current situation in Nepal to disagree with spurious in the state of Nepal. any such process “includes freedom of this assessment of India’s options. But every time I hear about the Government(By agreement with the Asian Age) speech.” The US continues to call for the of India’s current position on Nepal, I’m reminded of my first visit to immediate release of journalists Kathmandu. That was in 1988 and the situation was tense. India had closed arrested by the Nepali most entry points into Nepal (the papers used the term “blockade”) and no food government on charges of or fuel could get through. Everybody I spoke to in the Government of India, treason. State Department either at our embassy in Kathmandu or at South Block in Delhi, argued that this spokesman Richard Boucher blockade was necessary. The Nepalis, I was told, had to be punished. Only a year confirmed that the US had later, it began to seem as though the officials had been right all along. The King sent a representative to attend became a mere constitutional monarch. The Indian officials I spoke to were the arraignment of these overjoyed. We did it, they said, we brought democracy to Nepal. journalists. Boucher noted that Ten years ago, we were taking credit for downsizing the powers of the “in recent years Nepali press monarchy and patting ourselves on our backs for restoring democracy to Nepal. has become much more Today, we are deeply suspicious of (if not entirely hostile to) many of the forces independent in reporting, and that have emerged thanks to that democracy. Far from fondly recalling our role in we have seen that independence as a neutering the Nepali monarchy, we are now saying the absolute opposite: India’s good sign for Nepal’s future.” best hope lies in the monarchy, not in the democratic system. NATION NEPALI TIMES which used to get 15,00015 hits - a 21day, JUNE 2001 131313 logged 80,000 on Saturday. “Most people getting information from the web were the Nepali diaspora, foreign media, tourists and researchers,” says Deepesh Pradhan, director of Yomari The medium was Inc.the which owns Nepal Home message Page. “But it still hasn’t proved its Information through the Internet effectiveness inside Nepal,” he because more than 1,000 readers cautions. Nepal Home Page logged would be logged on at any given time. emerged as a credible, alternative source60,000 visits in the three days Mercantile’s servers have 300 ports for The huge e-mail and chat room of news from Nepal last week, as millionsfollowing the massacre. On Saturday connection, and these have been of people across thetraffic world in the daystyped after the “Nepal” shootout morning, Pradhan’s server nearly increased to 1,500 to accommodate was the surest sign that the Internet crashed after an overload of visitors. the traffic. This means 4,500 callers had come of age in one of the world’s stateinto radio, their television search and private FMengines. Journalists at nepalnews.com can read and download news from all least-developed countries as a credible knew○○○○○○○○ something was○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ wrong. Only worked throughout the night trying toover the world simultaneously. two of the broadsheet Nepali papers, source of information—and Internet connections were not just misinformation, as the numerous confirm sketchy details from nervous Space Time andSamacharpatra , had sources, and making sure to post only blocked by people visiting Nepali the story in their Saturday morning websites and mass emails discussing websites and those of news conspiracy theories attest. If official what they were sure of. Says Bhola editions. Occasional radio announce- Rana: “We only moved out news afterorganisations, but also by people ments calling members of the Royal sources were silent or not telling the seeking background information on truth, if the independent print media, we had checked, rechecked and triple- Privy Council for an emergency checked the details from multiple royal family. One such site, meeting was the only indication that television and radio were staying tight- www.crosswinds.net, even details the lipped, parts of the public now had ansources.” The Internet newsportal was the royal family was involved in running like a full scale wire service formal titles of royalty, their ages, and something big and tragic. alternative source of information. other biographical details. Most of the 25,000 Nepali email and with the public and other media also The government’s information In the last two weeks the Internet accounts were active during depending on it for the latest. ALOK TUMBAHANGPHEY blackout didn’t help matters, it sowed During the week, access to Internet—and common people— ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Chhauni that the entire royal family the week of the tragedy, which means confusion and wild rumours which t was around 0300 on the morning was dead. Nepalnews.com updated its an estimated 125,000 people within nepalnews.com started getting difficultsubverted attempts at keeping facts also found their way back onto the of Saturday 2 June that Niranjan report at 0130 saying other members Nepal were getting their information and discussion out of public reach. But Internet through personal emails and Neupane, a financial consultant in of the royal family may have also died, from this medium. Nepalnews.com the government didn’t seem to realise i chats. When the official story did that. Digging up a clause in its Kathmandu, was woken up by the and that details were sketchy. By 0230 the internet edition of Nepali come out, blaming “a sudden antiquated pre-Internet press and phone. He couldn’t believe what he discharge of an automatic weapon” publications act it warned individuals heard, and remembers praying it was Times hosted on www.nepalnews.com had the story the cyber-public was convinced of a this week that they couldn’t report not true. Too shocked to go back to coverup. This was what fed the on the crisis without proper sleep and unable to confirm what he and the crown prince’s reported involvement. rumour mills and led to the public’s accreditation. had heard, he turned to the Internet. inability to accept the truth of the The Nepali diaspora, if they were And there on the original reports that the crown prince www.nepalnews.com site was an not called by relatives and friends in was the gunman. announcement of “a recent develop- Kathmandu, first learnt about the Recalls Neupane: “I checked ment”. The link took him to the tragedy from the internet sites. The website of this paper, which had an servers of ISPs were saturated with nepalnews.com and Nepali Times and account of what had happened at the log-ins and because the telephone read the story there. I then checked palace five hours earlier. network was busy, it was difficult for other sources, and gradually began to convince myself what I heard on Bhola Rana, a former UPI those hungry for correct information in Nepal and abroad to connect. Says telephone was true.” Others we spoke correspondent and now a reporter for to said they had received calls from nepalnews.com, first filed a report on Worldlink’s Shyam Aggarwal: “We were running at 100 percent capacity Washington or Tokyo as early as his news portal at 2300 Friday that 2330 on Friday night saying they were the queen’s sister, Shanti Singh was all of last week. Usually we run only at 80 percent traffic.” By Saturday trying to confirm what they had heard dead. His editors pushed that story from calls from Kathmandu. out with an obituary. But when Rana morning, the story had spread like and his editors started checking wildfire through the streets of rumours that she had been shot, they Kathmandu, and citizens who woke also started getting reports from up to hear only mournful music on

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Children below 12 years sharing parents’ room free except meals. Package for Nepalese & Expats & valid till September 2001 invented to specificends. The royal massacre has and polity, and tell politicians they need to behave not like the unruly children oftriggered an unprecedented moral crisis among Nepalis. Yes, the a divine father, but like responsible susceptibility to rumours and adults empowered by, and conspiracy theories regarding accountable to, the people. anything royal had their origin in The incident also shows the total ban on information from NATION 15 - 21 JUNE 2001NEPALI TIMES 141414 that a society cannot have the palace to the populace, which a democratic polity seems to have reached its high point COMMENT while remaining on 1 June. In the past, constantbyPRAMOD MISHRA culturally feudal. intrigue among Nepal’s courtiers to Families need to start advance factional political resolving differences through ambitions fuelled the bazaar of rumours. Rumours and conspiracy dialogue —and learn to live with theories were the only way common disagree-ment. Had the process of the 1 June aspeople could makecultural sense of their crisis crown prince’s marriage been made total helplessness as political public, perhaps this tragedy could subjects. But the current insistence have been avoided. The airing of sororicide, and, finally, suicide. on conspiracy theories is rooted in diverse opinions would have How can one accept that it has something much more serious and illuminated knotty issues. The emerging occurred among the royals, whom fundamental. Friday night’s events public culture would have made it clear peoplelooked up to as models of represent a radical negation of from love to gender to that caste and clan systems have outlived godly behaviour, protectors of family values—the eldest son of a poverty travelled far and wide among their time and that Nepal can no longer dharma? Isn’t the eldest son family committing regicide, Nepalis and played a major role in afford sacrifices in the name of caste and responsible for looking after his parricide, matricide, fratricide, easing the leap from feudalism to clan purity. Caste and clan were parents, here on earth as a caretaker democracy. There was an urgency in never unadulterated in the first and afterwards, performing annual the words of writers, artists and place—they were constructed, shradha for their salvation? intellectuals, as if to spare the nation Nepalis all over the world find the trauma of some unforeseen their long-held belief systems and tragedy. Their failure to do so then cultural practices radically challenged. now fuels the anger. Hence the refusal to accept the Similar misfortunes have befallen straightforward truth and the search other societies that have struggled in for conventional, palatable explana- our postcolonial times through the tions. The traumatised collective contradictory desires of tradition and psyche of Nepalis will take a while to modernity, cultures caught between heal, and open discussion of these Nepalis all over the world find their the feudalism of caste and parental matters and transparency are the only long-held belief systemsalways been maligned and ascultural the private dictates, and the democracy of way the healing can begin. obsession of an individual. It is informed personal choice, practices radicallydismissed challenged. as eccentric, the whim of commitment to love, equality and Pramod Mishra teaches literature ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ transient youth, a passing hormonal happiness, between fanatic adherence at Duke University and wrote for urge, a mysterious, villainous affliction to dogma, and commitment to the Internet magazine Nepal othing in their cultural incomprehensible to family and resolving and living with differences. Digest from 1994 to 2000. ideologies and practices society, a momentary passion At first glance, Friday night’s carnage nprepared Nepalis for the royal equivalent to madness, the sooner symbolises the utter cynicism of massacre of 1 June. Their inability to whose storm passes by with minimum Nepali urban society—it seems to unpack its enormity has unleashed an damage to caste, clan, race, blood andoffer no lessons, yield no meaning. In unprecedented flood of grief, anger hierarchy, the better. South Asian its confusion between tradition and and disbelief. True, examples of society has immortalised love in its modernity, the Nepali ruling class has regicide can be found in many lore and legends—Laila-Majnu, Siri- lost its bearing in both. But we cultures, in literature as well as Farhad, Hir-Ranjha—where lovers need to read this event politically, history, but such an extreme example suffer in anguished isolation or culturally and morally. does not exist anywhere. How can annihilate themselves. But it also The royalty has irrevocably they accept the fact that their refuses to legitimise romantic love by been stripped of its divinity and amiable, smiling crown prince gunned recognising its humanity and made worldly, flesh and blood down almost his entire family before respecting its life-affirming worth. mortals with virtues and failings. Fly... ending his own life? In the west, when People in Nepal are angry because Opening the palace to A world of difference such traumatic events occur, they cannot accept that the carnage atinvestigation by outsiders has counseling and the “talking cure” their revered palace was just such a further demystified the divine aura provide succour to the affected. How waste of human lives. that hung around it for centuries. will the collective psyche of the For commentators on culture, From now, Nepalis themselves will Frankfurt Nepali populace heal? have to ensure the safety of their London however, accepting that the motive Kathmandu Cultural sources—legends, behind the killings was personal royal family, rather than letting the Paris myths, literature, scriptures—have carries tremendous significance. To palace live in its complacent Rome failed to help comprehend and say that young people have always divinity charted by astrology. It interpret the enormity of the carnage. fallen in love despite prohibitions is toappears that even the Maoists need People have refused to attribute it to state the obvious. But to explain that the monarchy—unlike the majority an act of individual will and agency. after the advent of parliamentary Han in China, or Slav dominance Abu Dabi Instead, they have sought to democracy ten years ago, Nepal in the former Soviet Union, Nepal rationalise it by looking for a grander sought to legitimise the expression of is perhaps too diverse, conspiracy and geopolitical design emotions and ideas, private or public, geopolitically too complex, to hold that would measure up to the without restriction, is to indicate the its own. This new vulnerability of immensity of the event. In keeping emergence of a new public and the palace has also placed greater with his orthodox Marxism, Baburam cultural ethos in Nepal. A civil society responsibility on Nepali civil founded on democratic cultural valuessociety, which cannot afford any Bhattarai, in hisKantipur opinion Every Monday J Tuesday J Wednesday J Saturday piece, refuses to entertain a personal and principles was gradually taking more to be complacent and intention behind the killings. In trying root in the feudal Nepali soil. dependant in the sphere of to find meaning in global and regional Differences of opinion were sought to governance. To leave the nation’s geopolitics, he conflates motive with be resolved through discussion and fate to the survival of the monarchy consequence. All events are historical, dialogue instead of silent or violent is to play with the nation’s 4 days a week to Europe and the best connections to USAUSAUSA from London,London,London, but some events in history may not dictates. Indeed, people insisted on existence. Nepali civil society needs neatly fit into an orthodox interpreta- speaking openly about differences in to take on a more active role in Paris, Frankfurt and Rome.RomeRome tion of a doctrine. identities and ideas, and living with consolidating democratic culture To accept that the immediate them. Nepali intellectuals, writers, Special offer to Africa, CairCairAfrica, o, AtAto, hens, TThens, urkeurkeurkeyyy and Middle EastEast.EastMiddle motive for the incident was personal and activists sought to make challenges the very foundations of discourses about difference a vehicle Call us for travel in comfort and luxury at very reasonable price. Nepali culture and society. As much to comprehend personal and political as the murders in the royal palace will events. With the telecommunications have geopolitical consequences in the revolution, chatting about everything region, the personal motive of a crown prince going berserk for unacceptable love has no less cultural ears ofofears of Please contact your travel agent or YYY significance. In both life and 252525 literature, romantic love has almost President Travel and Tours Pvt. Ltd. Quality Service PO Box No: 1307, Durbar Marg, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 252995/228288/221774/224956/246685/435322/434464/430456 Fax: 977-1-221180 E-mail: [email protected] URL: http//www.president.nepal.com

Godavari King Birendra 1945-2001 NATION 15 - 21 JUNE 2001NEPALI TIMES 151515 NEPALI WEATHER byNGAMINDRA DAHAL

The midnight pyrotechnics on Wednesday was the monsoon making a grand entrance right on schedule into Kathmandu Valley. Expect sharp bursts of night rain with sunny bright mornings next week. Satellite All the king’s businesses pictures show the monsoon circulation from the southern Arabian Sea right across the subcontinent to Bangladesh, where it is deflected northwestward by the Himalayan foothills. This year’s monsoons have But his substantial business interests in tourism, already caused flashfloods in the plains and landslide deaths in eastern hydropower, tobacco and other industries have drawn DSES- 14-06-2001 0300 GMT Nepal. Precipitation is expected to be above normal. the attention of foreign media in the past weeks. Some have argued that as king he should not be in business, KATHMANDU while others say it is better to have an enterprising king, especially one who understands business Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue management. The royal family has investments in some companies 29-16 28-17 6 28-176 29-166 28-17 of the Soaltee Group, but neither the king nor members of the royal family own shares directly, according to group chairman, Prabhakar Rana. The three companies are Soaltee Hotel, Himalaya Goodricke (formerly Himalaya BROADEN YOUR HORIZON Tea Estate) and Surya Tobacco. The hotel and the tea estate date back to the time WIN WAVEMAG when Prince Himalaya and Princep Shah set up the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ @ businesses 40 years ago. King Birendra, his brothers and other royal family members inherited the property. The tea company is a joint venture now, and the hotel is a publicly listed company. One Philips FM Headphone every week! The Soaltee Group has two investment companies: Soaltee Enterprises (P) Limited and Surya Enterprises (P) Ltd. The other companies in the group are in hydropower, agriculture (tea and tobacco), transport, market research and shipping. On average the Two winners. A Keyboard for one companies under the group pay 12-14 percent of the and a mouse for the other. government’s total tax revenue, and all tax obligations are said to be “up-to-date”. The royal family investments are made through Surya Enterprises, which has investments in three 5 hours internet browsing free for two. companies: Himalaya Tea Estate, Soaltee Hotel and Surya Tobacco. The investment are handled by professionals and Rana told us the royal family “did not interfere” in the company. The family does not GRAPHIC STATION MIN BAJRACHARYA have interests in trade, export and import. A Gift Every Week T-shirts for two Company sources told us that exceptHimalaya for BINOD BHATTARAI Goodricke, the royal family does not own a ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ing Gyanendra was a reclusive behind-the- majority stake in any of the companies they have invested in. King Gyanendra chairs the Himalaya- scenes prince busy with his conservation work Get two months and business dealings in the 30 years that his Goodricke board, which his associates told us he k Free Gift Every Week may give up as soon as he gets over the present crisis brother was king. His shadowy presence during the and settles down to take up his new role as monarch. Himal South Asian Panchayat years earned him a reputation as a powerful business contact. The King is expected to keep up with his conserva- FREE Since 1982, Gyanendra became more involved withtion interests, and by law would become patron of the KMNTC. One source told us: “He is already too the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation with every new much into it, and it is an environmental chairty.” Cyber Cafe at Jawalakhel

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Family WWW XXX 161616 15 - 21 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES

Thompson 181818 CITY 15 - 21 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES ABOUT TOWN BOOKWORM

MOVIESMOVIESMOVIES Mahâmudrâ: The Quintessence of Mind and Meditation Takpo Tashi Namgyal, The Club, Bhatbhateni Latest Hindi movie and latest top-ten English movie, 7pm, free. trans. Lobsang P Lhalungpa Nepali and Hindi movies online ticket booking at www.nepalshop.com Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, 1993/2001 Rs 792 EATING OUTOUTEATING The first English translation of a major Buddhist manual detailing the various stages and Sekuwa (BBQ) Night Dwarika’s Hotel. Starters, meats, vegetarian selections, dessert, practices for training the advanced student of Mahayana and Vajrayana meditation. The complementary drink. Traditional dance in lamp lit Newari courtyard. Rs 699. Friday nights. original Tibetan text was composed by Namgyal (1512-1587), a great lama and scholar of 479488 the Kagyu Buddhist sect. La’Soon Restaurant and Vinotheque Lunch, tea and dinner with European and American food, fine wines. Pulchowk. 535290 The Concealed Essence of the Hevaja Tantra GW Farrow, I Menon Brunch with swimming Shangri La Kathmandu’s award-winning garden. Rs 700 + tax. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, 1992/2001 412999 Rs 632 Wet & Wild Summer Swimming in a cool pool and a buffet lunch. Saturdays at Godavari The Hevaja Tantra is a non-dual Yogini tantra of the late Mantrayana Buddhist tradition Village Resort. Adults Rs 600, children Rs 350. Taxes extra. 560675, 560775 composed in north-east India in the late eighth century. This text constitutes the essence Mango Tango Exotic mangoes desserts Hotel de l’ Annapurna. All day, all food and of sophisticated, but controversial, tantric methods and is an authoritative account of beverage outlets. the classic tantric period of India in religious history (5-13 century). Movenpick Exotic desserts at the ice-cream lounge, Darbar Marg. Great Eastern Sun: The Wisdom of the Shambhala MUSICMUSICMUSIC Chögyam Trungpa 2:001 For the Love of Rock Vibes Entertain- Shambhala Publications, Boston, 1999 ment presents the third annual rock festival with Rs 1,875 Robin and Looza, Flower Generation, Axata, The follow-up to Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior. Trungpa addresses our deepest Albatross, and Hybrid Pressurize. Scout Headquar- fears: the alienation of modern life, depression, materialism, aggression, anger, anxiety, and lack ters, Lainchour. Rs 200. 2 June. Win free tickets of self-worth. He says we are all powerful and genuine individuals who need to ignite the online at www.vibes.com.np warrior within. Cadenza Jazz at the Upstairs Bar, Lazimpat, Wednesday, Friday 7.30pm. Rs 200 Teachings from the Vajrasattva Retreat: Land of Medicine Buddha, February-April 1999 Lama Zopa Rinpoche DANCEDANCEDANCE Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, Weston, Mass., 2000 Sounds from the Underground Dance party at Simply Shutters Bistro, Baber Mahal Rs 1,500 Revisited. 1 June, 8pm onwards. Rs 300. “Doing Vajrasattva retreat is not simply about reciting the mantra and saying some prayers. It is about making the practice effective for your mind, making it the EVENTSEVENTSEVENTS quickest, most powerful way to transform your mind.” Lama Zopa Rinpoche Fanta Grand Fun Fair Live music, games and food. Godavari Alumni Association and Cohort 1,2,3 June. Jawalakhel Grounds. Courtesy: Mandala Book Point, Kantipath Stress Free Weekends Overnight stay at the Hyatt, dinner for two at the Rox Restaurant, use of pool, health club, spa and outdoor jacuzzi, ayurvedic massage for two, weekend brunch, late check out Sunday. Rs 9000 plus tax. Hyatt Regency, Kathmandu. 491234 CLASSIFIED Free airfare, room, breakfast, airport transport, use of health club Pheri Jaun Hai Pokhara ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ and lots more. Rs 1500 for Nepalis, $45 for expats. Shangri La Hotel & Resort; Visit The New Bishalnagar Nursery To let [email protected], 412999 for flowers you will not find elsewhere! Just Fully furnished apartment, three two minutes from Bishalnagar Chowk on the bedrooms, two baths, spacious living- Spiny Babbler Museum Readings and presentations of contemporary Nepali literature and art, Sundays 5-6pm Kathmandu Guest House, Thamel; Tuesdays 4-5pm Kathmandu Dhumvarahi Road. Specialties of the dining, kitchen, phone line, terrace Environment Education Project, Thamel; Thursdays 7-8pm Bamboo Club Restaurant, season: Fuschias in many colours and overlooking garden. Peaceful Thamel, Saturdays 5-6pm New Orleans Café, Thamel. [email protected]. 542810, varieties, young plants of early-fruiting surroundings, near Jawalakhel Zoo. 546725 German vine, and many others. 524389. Poetry, Meditation, Music Learn practical techniques of meditation to find peace for positive livingLive meditative music, poetry, short lecture on spirituality. Sri Chinmoy Centre Mountain Biking HMB Reflexology and Budhanilkantha School. Buhanilkantha School Assembly Hall. 2 June, 9am-11am. Free. for all your mountain biking needs—full Professional US, Europe-trained workshop, repair facilities, all models. Pick naturopath, therapist. Improve your Discourse Swami Subodhananda, Jain Mandir, Kamalpokhari. Chinmaya Sangh Nepal, in Hindi. 1-7 June, 7.30am-8.30am (Driga Drishya Vivek), 5.30pm– 7pm (Ram Charitra Manas). up, delivery, professional mechanics. Bike blood circulation, energy flow. Perfect 521379 clothing, spare parts, accessories. Hire, buy, preventive therapy and also for specific sell, new and second-hand bikes. ailments. 416118 (11am-5pm) or email The Club, Bhatbhateni Rusty Nails play Friday nights, 7pm, free. Saturday poolside BBQ, bingo, music. Rafting, 2 June. Includes one night at the Riverside Spring Resort, BBQ, Himalayan Mountain Bike. [email protected]. breakfast. [email protected]. 426238, 416430 www.bikingnepal.com. 437437. For insertions ring NT Marketing at 543333-36. EXHIBITIONEXHIBITIONEXHIBITION If Bodies have Voices From the Street: Kathmandu 1985-1995. Photographs by Wayne Amtzis. 25 May-11 June. Amtzis reads from his collection City on His Back. 3 June, 4pm. YAK YETI YAK by MIKU Siddhartha Art Gallery. 411122 Mani: Jewelled Words of Tibetan-Buddhism on Flags, Wheels, and Stones Fulbright Scholar Katherine Anne Paul’s research on the popular use and manufacture of Tibetan religious artefacts in Nepal. Until 2 June. Bamboo Gallery, Panipokhari. 412507

MARTIN CHAUTARI Formal and Informal Judicial System and VDC’s Judicial Rights Pundits: Advocate DN Parajuli, Dinesh Prasai CVICT. Unless otherwise noted all discussion are in Nepali. 5 June, 5.30pm Martin Chautari. Thapathali.

For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected]

NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL This satellite picture shows a fine series of southwesterly trade winds building up from the southern Arabian sea right up to the east coast of on FM 102.4 Thailand—indicating that the monsoon is off to a healthy start. These winds will in the next weeks head Mon-FriMon-FriMon-Fri 0615-0645 BBC WWBBC orld TTorld oday DSES- 3-05-2001 0400 GMT towards Bangladesh and take a sharp left turn to be over eastern Nepal by 10 June. Till then, we will see a SatSatSat 0615-0645 BBC Science in Action series of weather cells moving from west to east bringing thunderstorms and occasional heavy bursts SunSunSun 0615-0645 BBC Agenda of rain characteristic of pre-monsoon showers. Finally, monsoon winds will chase the westerlies DailyDailyDaily 2045-2115 BBC g]kfnL ;]]]]]jf away and that is when the rainy season will officially start. (See “Monsoon moods” p. 10-11). So far, the DailyDailyDaily 2245-2300 BBC g]kfnL ;]]]]]jf onset of the monsoon is right on schedule. Long-term forecasts also show a healthy advance of the monsoon over June and July. Radio Sagarmatha KATHMANDU PPP.O.O.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, LaliLali, tpurtpurtpur, NepalNepal, TTTel: ++977-1-545680, 545681 Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue E-mail: [email protected] wwwwwwwww.radiosagarmaarmaarmatha.orgtha.orgtha.org 30-19 29-18 29-19 30-18 30-19 ARTS 15 - 21 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES 191919 ART REVIEW by NINA BHATT If bodies have voices KIRAN’S WINDHORSE elders whose furrowed brows bear testament to their struggles to earn Kiran Manandhar, a strokes cannot a daily wage. prolific and break free of. What is remarkable about this versatile painter These new limits ten year retrospective is the known for his set on the artist’s intimate engagement between the celebratory use of freedom of artist and his subjects. Those color and stroke, expression allows photographed are aware they are has taken a new for an honest objects of the camera’s gaze, yet departure. A recent contemporary there is an unusual degree of stay in Tibet, reading of place. consent, albeit momentary, to allow traveling and The brooding Amtzis to penetrate their lives. leading workshops figures of woman or Both parties tacitly acknowledge in painting has lovers that appear that a kind of intrusion is occurring, introduced a in many of Kiran’s but somehow appear to recognize collage-like canvasses are here that this intrusion, on this occasion, element to his as well, and their with the sympathetic nature of this work. His current juxtaposition to the camera lens, must happen. Thus do exhibit at the prayer flag adds a oet Wayne Amtzis’ the subjects engage directly with Contemporary Art personal p photographic the viewer, unapologetically offering Gallery in Thamel incorporates in each dimension. In #6 and in # 26 we see exhibition currently a piece of their troubled lives. This painting a Tibetan prayer flag with a these figures with the prayer flags. In on display at the Siddhartha frankness reveals itself more the windhorse and a wish-fulfilling jewel one, a woman turns towards the flag and Art Gallery compels its longer one spends on each rising from its back. the viewer senses encounter; in the other, viewers to acknowledge the photograph. At first glance, much like many two figures, mutually engaged, seem not to difficult socio-economic Take for instance, the Youth at western artists, he seems to be utilizing notice the flag’s presence. Interest and circumstances experienced Indrachowk (#9). This handsome an artifact from a culture even more indifference, an emotional opening towards by Kathmandu Valley child boy is seated for a brief respite from “exotic” than his own. A more thorough commitment and a troubled emotional laborers, abandoned his work as a porter. At any viewing indicates the boldness of his entanglement, set the parameters of women, petty traders and moment, his name will be called attempt. The dominant image, whether it engagement with a wider world. porters. The collection of out to haul a load probably beyond is integrated into Kiran’s vocabulary of Kiran is persistent in his use of the 43 black and white his capacity. His facial expression is evocative color and energetic stroke or Tibetan prayer flags. Whether the photographs is an uncom- one of explicit engagement. He not, makes itself known throughout the windhorse flies above, or lies promisingly harsh portrayal seems fresh, still innocent, but his exhibit. So close to Tibet’s borders, a submerged, or even fails to enter into or of the vicissitudes of eyes have begun to ask “why me?” flag of Tibetan origin is raised in the modify Kiran’s abstract landscapes, their modern urban life. It As viewers, we can weave a landscape of Kiran’s work. presence must be accounted for in depicts the drudgery of narrative as we move on to the These paintings are more contained whatever aesthetic conclusions the physical labor, moments of young man in National Refrigerator, than Kiran’s previous endeavors. viewer may draw from his work.  hopeless respite from work, Gairidhara (#12). He seems to Though drawn from the openness and solitary mad women, designate the future of the boy from power of the Tibetan landscape, there is Kiran Manandhar, Everest dejected street vendors, and #9. Yet a sense of determination a sense of enclosure that even Kiran’s Contemporary Art Gallery, Arcadia still emerges in his face and eyes. color-rich palette and free flowing Building, Thamel. This young man knows his life is HAPPENINGS hard, but he hasn’t succumbed to resignation and despair. The people whose portraits appear in this exhibit are cornered by the walls and streets of Kathmandu. The barbed wire they hang to, the ropes looped around their bodies and hands tell

MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN us how bound and limited are their lives. Representing “everyman”—they symbolize the drudgery carried out daily by millions of Nepalis. In a wider sense Amtzis’ photographs DAY ONE: Tourism entrepreneurs fielded Volkswagen Vans with “Tourist” provide a global commentary of banners to ferry tourist groups to and from the airport as the strike got underway on-the-edge urban workers and on 27 May. For individual travellers, rickshaws were the best (and most denizens of the street. Giving expensive) way to get to town. The cheapest way was to walk. themselves the time these portraits deserve, the viewers can move beyond cursory impressions and appreciate the exhibition’s complexity and subtlety. With patient scrutiny, what emerges are highly personalized “voices” which convey narratives specific to each individual.

MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN The serendipitous timing of the taking of these photographs (1985-1995) makes for disheartening political commentary. In today’s DAY TWO: Bhaktapur shops wear a deserted look as tourists stay away on Kathmandu “democracy” has the second day of the strike. arrived. Civil sector groups and NGOs flourish; politicians wax eloquent while expatriate and local development wallahs continually reproduce new ‘agendas.’ Meanwhile, life for those depicted here remains unchanged. As a complement to this exhibit, Amtzis will read at the MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN gallery from his poetry collection, “City on his Back” at 4 PM on Sunday, June 3.  From the Street: Kathmandu 1985- 1995 Photos by Wayne Amtzis DAY THREE: No one is left out of this public meeting organised by the Siddhartha Art Gallery May 25-June organisers of the bandh. Ratna Park on 29 May. 11, 2001 Babar Mahal Revisited 202020 15 - 21 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES Under My Hat NEPALI SOCIETY

by Kunda Dixit i

Suef excel

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