(1) King Dipendra�s condition deteriorating...
(2) CPN (M): Issue 6 of The Worker
(3) Times of London: Maoists gain most in Nepal
(4) As Nepal Mourns Royals, Mystery and Confusion Linger. Excerpts.
-----
Reuters; Kantipur; Nepal News. 3 June 2001. King Dipendra�s condition
deteriorating; Demonstrators calls for investigation; etc. Combined
reports.
KATHMANDU � The Maoists, who are fighting to replace Nepal's
constitutional monarchy with a one-party communist republic, said Sunday
they wanted an inquiry into the palace massacre.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) chief Prachanda said in a
statement that King Birendra's death was "the result of a serious
political conspiracy."
The UML, the main opposition in parliament, also called for
investigations assured by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.
Nepal's newly proclaimed king barely clung to life Sunday as confusion
swirled around the palace massacre of his parents and six other members
of the royal family.
According to doctors attending His Majesty King Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah
Dev at Army Hospital, His Majesty's condition is very critical.
Statement issued by Secretariat of His majesty King has stated that the
newly appointed King Dipendra is in a critical condition. It says his
blood pressure along with his heartbeat are erratic.
The radio earlier sought to douse talk that Dipendra, 29, had shot his
parents and other family members after a row over his choice of bride,
and then turned the gun on himself.
But its explanation of what happened left people even more puzzled.
"According to the information received by us, they were injured when an
automatic weapon suddenly exploded," it said.
One ballistics expert said the scenario was impossible. "It cannot go
off on its own. Someone has to pull the trigger first. After that, it
can continue to fire automatically," an Indian army colonel, who did not
wish to be named, said.
As speculation swirled round Kathmandu that the new king might already
be dead, sporadic protests erupted over what many saw as an official
failure to explain what really happened.
Youths, their heads shaved in a Hindu mark of mourning, scuffled briefly
with police outside the royal palace. Others blocked traffic and shouted
slogans demanding the truth.
Baton wielding police charge the crowd of about 100 people in front of
the Royal Palace. They hurled stones and other missiles at the police.
The situation did not get out of hand the calm was restored quickly. The
demonstrators chanted, "Koirala, Paras leave the country. You are the
criminals."
Eyewitnesses also said demonstrators tried to attack news crew of the
Indian satellite channel Zee TV for reporting what they believed to be
false and malicious reports liking King Dipendra with the massacre.
Police also used mild force to disperse protestor trying to take out
rally at New Road. Similar protests were also reported from Bhaktapur.
There have however, been no major violence till now.
A group of desperate people hurled stones at the Prime Minister�s
vehicle right at the Swoyambhu gate today at 5.45 , at the beginning of
the royal funeral. The car had its windscreen and other glasses broken
and was dented from both sides. The security guard was seen all alert
with the revolver in his hand.
The group attacked the same vehicle again at Shova Bhagwati. Police had
to lathi [?] charge at the group and the driver of the Prime Minister
vehicle took it away from the funeral, eye witnesses said.
The police have arrested few people who pelted stones at them. Reports
say that many small demonstrations have been staged in the capital
today. Some rallies are still taking place at the time of filing this
report.
There is heavy police presence in Kathmandu today.
There are growing concerns here in Kathmandu that the situation might
explode into violence if the truth is not made public very soon.
Political observers say today�s minor clashes and rally are just prelude
to what are to come and that there is a grave danger if detailed
official reports about the incident is not made public very soon.
-----
http://www.humanrights.de/n/nepal/the_worker6/w_content2.htm
-----
http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/2001/06/03/stifgnfar01010.html?
Maoists will gain most from death of 500-year regime
WITH guerrillas controlling some parts of Nepal, a prime minister under
investigation for corruption and a prince regent who was never expected to
rule, the future for the country is perilous and unknown.
The natural reaction on hearing of the massacre of the royal family would
be to assume it was the work of the Maoist groups that already control some
areas of the country. Two of their primary aims are the abolition of the
monarchy and the establishment of a republican state.
The ruling Shah dynasty's key members were nearly all wiped out on Friday
night. To many, King Birendra - a quiet and cautious man, but also a
political pragmatist - will seem irreplacable. He was regarded as having
moral authority and being politically neutral. He was never suspected of
being biased or corruptible.
The royal family is fundamental to the lives of the Nepalese. Almost every
business and many homes have a picture of the king and queen, who could
trace their roots back to the hill kingdom of Gorkha. The first king was
crowned in the 16th century.
Even in colonial times Nepal managed to preserve its sovereign status while
princely states across the rest of the subcontinent were swallowed by the
British Empire. An important part of the Anglo-Nepalese relationship was
the supply of Gurkha troops to the British Army.
Nepal's first elections were held in 1959, but the next year King Mahendra
dismissed the government under emergency powers. His claim was that it was
failing to maintain law and order, and most politicians were imprisoned or
exiled.
When Birendra succeeded his father in 1972, he proved a shrewd ruler
willing to compromise when necessary. In 1990, after protests by a
democratic movement, he agreed to relinquish most authority. The king
remained constitutional head of state, but handed over his powers to
parliament.
Many hoped democracy would improve conditions for Nepal's 23m citizens, but
poverty and inequality have persisted; 1,600 lives have been lost in the
"people's war" waged since 1996 by the Maoist Communist party of Nepal.
The problem has worsened recently and parliament has been paralysed by
strikes and calls for the resignation of the prime minister, Girija Prasad
Koirala, on grounds of alleged corruption. In April, nearly 100 police
officers were killed by Maoists in three separate raids.
The monarchy was the only remaining stable factor, with Birendra himself
beyond reproach. The crown prince appeared to be well thought of.
Birendra's successor will also need to maintain the country's delicate
relations with its giant neighbours, India and China, a situation described
by a past king as being like "a yam between two boulders".
Birendra's body was cremated, as is the tradition, on pyres on the banks of
the holy Bagmati River, which runs through the Kathmandu Valley. A lot of
the older people in Nepal will think that their world has come to an end.
Michael Hutt
Michael Hutt is reader in Nepali and Himalayan studies at the School of
Oriental and African Studies, London
-----
New York Times. 4 June 2001. As Nepal Mourns Royals, Mystery and
Confusion Linger. Excerpts.
KATHMANDU � Nepal seems united only in its confusion.
To many, Gyanendra's version of events seems preposterous. "How can this
weapon have exploded by itself?" scoffed a soldier, Damodar Adhikary.
"There may be a conspiracy at work," said Nabin Dangol, 19, an
engineering student. "Neighboring countries could be involved."
Conspiracy theories are moving in a mad rush, with distrust of Dipendra,
Gyanendra, the military, the government, the news media and neighboring
countries � particularly India � racing neck and neck.
"Who is the main culprit?" The Sandhya Times asked in a plaintive
headline. It added, "The people are impatient to know."
While the exploding weapon explanation carries little credibility, the
idea of a suddenly berserk crown prince is also facing skepticism.
"I refuse to believe that an intelligent, outgoing young man � and until
yesterday no one even insinuated he was crazy � would kill his parents,"
said Mana Ranjan Josse, a political commentator. "And even if the boy
was hopping mad, and even if his parents opposed his marriage, he could
have just said bye-bye and married her anyway. He had his own
resources."
Tonight, the country's Maoist insurgents took time out from terrorizing
the government authorities in the countryside and registered their own
doubts.
"Our party does not take this massacre as a nonpolitical issue or a
family feud," read a statement from Prachand, the nom de guerre of the
rebel leader. "It sees the incident as the result of a serious political
conspiracy."
The conspirators were unspecified, but in praise of the dead King
Birendra, the Maoists commended him for "patriotic stands" and "liberal
political behavior."
The current prime minister is Girija Prasad Koirala of the Nepali
Congress Party. [H]is government seems disinclined to get too involved
in the country's crime of the century. One of his cabinet members said:
"We very much want the details out, but there are some technical
problems because of the royal family's laws of succession. The military,
working in its security capacity at the palace, is investigating."
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Independent News (UK). 4 June 2001. Foreign Office urges travellers not
to go out after dark in Kathmandu. Excerpts.
The Foreign Office warned tourists travelling to Nepal to exercise
"extreme caution" because of the massacre of the royal family.
The Himalayan kingdom, a popular destination for backpackers and
trekkers, has already been shaken by months of political turmoil as a
Maoist insurgency spreads.
Kate Phelps, a student from Wimbledon, south-west London who spent part
of a "gap year" teaching in Nepal, said that in the western hill town of
Gorkha a Maoist guerrilla entered the school playground firing his
sub-machine-gun into the air to protest against a visit by a
councillor. "It was scary, but we weren't ever in danger," said Ms
Phelps, 19. "They weren't targeting foreigners but government officials
and police."
She said her group received no warning before leaving England in
October.
The Foreign Office said yesterday: "British nationals should exercise
extreme caution when moving around the city and should not venture out
after dark. We are not advising people to change their travel plans, but
it is a sensitive time right now and they should be cautious." This
stance stops short of advising against "non-essential trave," at which
point British tour operators usually bring back holidaymakers and cancel
forthcoming trips.
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