More than a month of being away from the center stage of national politics has started generating strong yearnings to get back home soon. Even though there is absolutely nothing anybody except King Gyanendra can do to arrest the trends of catastrophe the country is sliding headlong towards, only a few would understand and appreciate the intensity of the pain and misery patriotic person would suffer from to stay away from their dear homeland at such a critical time. Still facing restrictions on travel we have been doing our best to gather all important information from back home and what Nepal’s friends and well-wishers in this great country think about the present political development there. Reports that we receive from home are most of the time gloomy. Average American does not know much about Nepal and does not care even what happens to her. Those few that know and ought to know have more pressing national interests that outweigh all other consideration and make them sideline or ignore Nepal’s predicament. And the Nepali statesmen are so much obsessed in promoting their personal interests that they are least bothered by such behavior of their friendly foreign governments. And unless, Nepal can be blessed with an honest, efficient and patriotic government, to expect any kind of improvement and progress in her current situation would be not only naïve but foolish.

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India ’s soaring ambitions of usurping the position of her imperial colonial master, especially in her immediate neighborhood, has failed to win the goodwill and sincere friendship of all her smaller neighbors in the South Asian sub-continent. And India-locked tiny Nepal, despite her severe constraints due to her physical vulnerability vis-à-vis India, should have been able to establish a strong mutually beneficial diplomatic relationship with her. But, unfortunately, it has always been either too submissive even sacrificing her national interests or too confrontational inviting great hardships. As a consequence she is facing the greatest political uncertainty in history due to the most violent Maoist terrorism that has been plaguing her for over a decade. That it cannot be resolved without India’s unstinted cooperation is there for anybody to see if they want to. Nepali people’s expectations that King Gyanendra would chart a course that would restore normalcy in the country and give the people a new stimulus have started to peter out in grave frustrations. As such King Gyanendra has not only to win the confidence of his own people but also that of the international community, friendly donor countries and the traditional friends of Nepal like the United Kingdom and United States of America, besides India which, indeed, occupies the prime position.

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China , of course, has persistently vouchsafed her cooperation and support to Nepal. But, it is still to be tested. But the present setup of the royal advisors and the governmental machinery are only contributing towards compounding the misgivings of the genuine well-wishers of the institution of monarchy and alienating them. The erosion in the image of the monarchy that has started creeping in is sure to inflict irreparable damage on the institution if not nipped in the bud. King Gyanendra can no more afford to stay complacent at the orchestrated show of popularity. Since time is running out for him, we do trust he will act most expeditiously to install a government that will be able to work for the restoration of democratic government at the earliest.