Editorial (Spotlight Weekly)

King Gyanendra's recent interview with Time Correspondent Alex Perry has made big news. Since it was the first foreign media interview to a prestigious international magazine by a person who came to occupy the throne through one of the most bizarre happenings, it has generated a great interest. And for all those who can read between the lines, King Gyanendra has made many things very clear and also given many points to ponder on. When he says, "the future of Nepal lies in constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy" he has tried to scotch all the allegations leveled by the interested politicians about his intentions of becoming an authoritarian monarch. This calls for more transparency in his day to day behavior and the role of his advisors specially at a time when the onus of ruling the country has fallen on his shoulders. Naturally the King cannot rule alone. He needs advisors and the nation has a right to know who are his advisors. He has not minced any words in exposing the politicians of their petty and nefarious selfishness when he says, "They are forgetting the most important component of any nation: the people" and "I wish the political leadership would understand this of me and speak to me more often about the nation and the people rather than issues which are irrelevant, which only concern their own betterments." We too have, time and again, emphasized about this aspect of the discredited political leadership and exhorted the King to find more upright and patriotic people to man the government. We would be failing in our duty if we quit exhorting King Gyanendra not to have any dealing with the antinational and corrupt leadership. Since they have been totally discarded by the twenty four million poor people of Nepal, installing these corrupt politicians again in power would be nothing but the betrayal of the poor people. King Gyanendra's statement that "no one wants to see a one-party proletariat state in Nepal" is the clear manifestation of his firm determination to root out the Maoist insurgency. Now, the problem for him is to successfully implement his determination as soon as possible. And for this he urgently needs a dedicated and honest government. Since road maps have become the order of the day we would also like to launch our two point road map. A caretaker government and holding the general election at the earliest opportunity. How this can be achieved will be taken up later.

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The Royal Nepal Army is a living legend of glorious past. The Gurkha (synonym for Nepali) soldier used to be the epitome of discipline, valor and honesty. It was the best fighting force in conventional warfare. And it has proved its worth in many an international battle field, winning unexpected victories and laurels. But then it never had to kill its own brethren before. Now, this famous army is facing serious problems. For the last few years, willy nilly, it has been forced to kill its own kith and kin while losing many of its valiant soldiers in the sinister civil war that has been plaguing the poor country. It is quite understandable how it must be affecting their morale when they have to shoot at their own countrymen, their brethren, their friends and their near and dear ones. And they are being criticized by certain politicians and a section of intelligentsia and certain media also whose loyalty towards the nation cannot be taken for granted. Indeed, the Royal Nepal Army, might have lost some of its grit and integrity on account of its disuse and degenerate leadership and some leaks could have developed in its armor of secrecy and efficiency due to growing indiscipline and thus, generated grounds for criticisens. But no one should have any doubts or misconceptions about its loyally to the nation which symbolizes the institution of monarchy. The demands of the politicians that the Royal Nepal Army should directly come under the control of the government is totally irrelevant, since the RNA is a constitutional body operated directly under the constitutional provisions. The politicians have to blame themselves if they have not been able to commands requisite respect from the Army. Those who are stinking with corruption and quislingism cannot be entrusted the responsibility of the defense of the country. It has to be in the hands of patriotic people who would not be swayed by any kind of undesirable alien pressure. And who is more qualified than the King in the present circumstances? Moreover, isn't it the practice in all countries that the Head of the State is the Supreme Commander in Chief? As such, instead of raising flimsy issues which might generate unhealthy ripples in the morale of our denfense forces, all patriotic Nepalis must cooperate to boost the spirit of the rank and file of our army so that they will be able to restore peace and normalcy in the country without delay.