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Kathmandu Wednesday June 06, 2001 Jestha 24, 2058.
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Healing
touch
As we mourn the death under- tragic circumstances of two
kings, a queen and prince and princesses, the need to exercise calm and fortitude at this
hour - even if it is a national calamity - should be uppermost in our minds. We Nepalese
would be doing a disservice to our late dearly beloved monarch, King Birendra, if we for a
minute forget to keep the interest of Nepal and the Nepalese people uppermost in our minds
and act accordingly. King Gyanendra in his first Royal Proclamation, which was sober and
reasoned, has rightly noted that the time had come for all Nepalese to fulfil their duties
and responsibilities with restraint by bearing all the tragic circumstances that had
befallen the nation. The monarch has reminded the people to remain "conscious and
united as attempts could be made to undermine our national unity, sovereignty and
nationality by taking undue advantage of this unimaginable event in the history of
Nepal". This needs to be borne in everyone’s mind as rumours and false and
inflammatory propaganda can not only lead to disinformation among the people but could
also pose a threat to the very survival of Nepal as an independent and sovereign country.
This is no time to be disruptive but one to be united to tackle the Himalayan task that
lie ahead. It is understandable that the people should be confused and puzzled over the
circumstances leading to the tragic demise of their beloved monarch King Birendra and
Queen Aishwarya. It is also equally true that none should be allowed to take advantage of
this situation to mislead the monarch loving people.
The fact that King Gyanendra formed a high powered probe
commission comprising the Chief Justice as the convenor and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the Leader of the Opposition as members, is a move in a welcome
direction to untangle circumstances surrounding the Friday night tragedy. A more neutral
and impartial probe body is difficult to conceive composed as the body is of a member of
the ruling party and that of the main opposition party with a impartial non-partisan
person heading it. Our only hope is that the two political personalities whose parties
have been calling for an early disclosure of the truth about the tragedy do not politicise
the matter and try wriggle out of the committee for one reason or the other. Because that
would be shirking responsibility and duty to the people who want to know the truth in a
time of grave national crisis. The UML has issued a statement questioning the
"constitutionality and legality" of the probe body. Being legalistic and
adopting time wasting tactics in normal times is fine and is an attitude of political
parties not excluding the UML but for a party which is clamouring for truth and whose
commitment to the constitution is "critical", such an excuse to shirk
responsibility cannot but be termed highly irresponsible and opportunistic. The
Michavellian attitude helps no one, least of the country. Yet for the country, the truth
must come out in order to restore some normalcy. The new king has set a three-day deadline
for the committee to present its report so that the truth is revealed to the people as
early as possible. This will be a major step towards winning back the confidence of the
people. The King Gyanendra’s reiteration of commitment to the present political
dispensation, that encompasses parliamentary system of democracy and constitutional
monarchy, is also a major thrust in this direction. The new king in unison with the
elected government must now provide the healing touch to a people shattered by the loss of
their beloved monarch King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya. All political parties and others
in the national scene should remain loyal to new monarch and for this endeavour, we must
now put the nation back on track.
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