Remembering King Birendra

Nepal lost under tragic and unimaginable circumstances, such a person that will leave a permanent scar in our history not to speak of the erosion of national confidence and self-esteem, writes Bhekh B. Thapa

When words came to me of the unimaginable tragedy that struck Nepal on the night of June first, that too in the heart of the Kingdom, I hoped against all hopes that it was a nightmare from which I will wake up to the real world. The numbing effect of the news left me incapable of doing anything and its effect lingered on. What flashed through my mind repeatedly were the moments of my encounter with late King Birendra during good and difficult times, on ceremonial and sober occasions and the few social encounters in which late King Birendra was always on the side of dignity and maturity. In the light of these interactions that covered almost three decades, the words that come to me to describe the personal and image of late King Birendra is that of " the Ultimate Gentleman". Late King Birendra always behaved, looked and conducted everywhere on every occasion regal. That Nepal lost under tragic and unimaginable circumstances, such a person will leave a permanent scar in our history not to speak of the erosion of national confidence and self-esteem. Nepal, during its modern history of nearly three centuries, had not faced the challenge of this scale and that is something that a haunted me during those moments and continues to haunt.

The restless night passed and with a dawn came the reality, to face the world and deal with the unusual situation of the responsibility of explaining to the Indian public and the media, what I had myself not understood or wanted to believe. Early in the morning the Embassy gate was crowded with a very inquisitive media demanding that someone explain the event that the authorities in Kathmandu had, for purpose unknown, refrained from issuing authoritative news related to the loss of royal lives that included the King and the Queen. Representing Nepal in a friendly neighbouring country with which social, economic, cultural ties that are open, limitless and as old as the history of civilization is demanding and challenging. I tried to contact the related agencies and prominent personalities in Kathmandu to see whether I could get some guidance to explain the situation. In those agonizing hours following the tragedy there was a conspicuous void in the conduct of the state machinery. In pieced together information based on limited communications and decided that instead of waiting for direction one had to share information as was available and deal with and respond to the personal and institutional initiatives in India in an appropriate manner.

I invited the entire media troupe inside the Embassy compound and met them in block. There was a palpable sense of hunger for news as I looked at the very eager and aggressive group of media people. I sat facing microphones and cameras in numbers I had never done and with the portrait of late King by the side. I suddenly felt sense of numbness. At that moment my silence and whatever emotion there was spoke louder than my words. After a few moments I made attempts to talk about the event and the personality of late King Birendra. The repeated flash of my silent face and whatever expressions there were was projected by the Indian electronic media. The viewers told me that the extent of tragedy Nepal faced and Nepalese felt was very vividly conveyed in silence.

Just explaining to them of the tragic event would be inadequate. I also felt the need to explain to them that the sacred institution of the Nepalese Monarchy that is enshrined in the Constitution and beyond, in the minds of the people, has a history of nearly three centuries and its centrality in Nepalese affairs. I also assured that Indian public through media that no stone will be left unturned to uncover the truth and that every Nepali citizen is entitled to full knowledge of the event of the tragedy through a responsible, open and transparent investigation. As I recall there were more questions than I had answered for. The nature of the tragedy and limited information that had trickled through the rumour mill had given rise to imaginative suspicions that perhaps was natural and unavoidable under such most unimaginable circumstances.

Dealing with official India was both sober and touching. From the President and Prime Minister to most responsible leaders of all political parties and the countless friends of Nepal and the Nepalese living in India, the Embassy received mourners and admirers almost endlessly. One could detect the kind of emotional response of the leaders of India and the degree of respect in which King Birendra was held. What I felt during those three days of encounter with the people of India is that the level of grief felt by the people of India towards Nepal and institution of Monarchy was deep and almost beyond expectation. In one of my talk programme I said India cried with Nepal "just as much".

In the subsequent days, the Indian media and indeed the major international media devoted almost their news time to Nepal to cover the tragic event. My colleagues and I were asked to appear before the television and grant interviews to respond to the speculative hunger of the media almost endlessly. Once the public inquiry commission was set up by His Majesty King Gyanendra, the focus turned away from the Embassy to Kathmandu. One also had to make efforts to restrain the media from the excess. Some started piecing together flashes of destructive and grief driven reactions in the streets of Kathmandu to convey the impression that he country was falling apart.

Close to a year after that event as I reflect on those moments, my thoughts for late King Birendra remain unchanged, a deep thinker and a cautious practitioner. I served as Minister of Finance for nearly five years and His Majesty’s Ambassador to United States of America and India for longer than a decade under two different constitutional arrangements. Whether I was preparing a National Budget or working on a state visit, I had to be on my toes to convince King Birendra that the exercise at hand related to the objectives that King championed the thrust areas of which were the promotion and maintenance of dignity of Nepal and the welfare of the people of Nepal. While I can cite innumerable cases and issues to prove the point, one encounter I had following my return to Nepal after working for the United Nations (at a time that the new Constitution and new political order was in place in Nepal) is memorable.

Having been abroad during the late eighties and early nineties, I ventured a question with changed political order in mind which was rather broad and suggestive "What happened, Your Majesty?". King Birendra with a dignified regal look and a smile on his face (a pipe in his hand), said, "I responded to the wishes of the people. Monarchy listens to the people and responds to their voice". The answer was simple in sound but deep in content.

I left the room overwhelmed and confident that King Birendra was just as comfortable with the changes and the new equation between the Monarchy and the people was firmly in place. To me the image of late King Birendra, remains as one of a peace-loving nationalist who dedicated his life championing for the dignity of Nepal and welfare of the Nepalese people. In short, I picture him not just a King but beyond - a Perfect and Ultimate Gentleman.

If only time could be erased

It all began on a day that will be embedded in the minds of every single citizen of Nepal, permanently. June 1st, even the thought of that day brings back memories that one just wants to forget. In one unbelievable incident, in a matter of just a few hours, the entire members of the Royal family of Nepal were wiped out.. The nation plunged in a deep mourning. It was difficult to come with this reality and as the days unfolded, Nepal was never to be the same again.

As Nepal and its citizens braced this hard truth, the throne could not be kept vacant. With no other successors left, it was the call of the hour for then Prince Gyanendra to ascend the throne and become the King. He was enthroned at a time when the whole nation was still in shock. As the crown was placed on his head, this responsibility heavily weighed upon the new King.

King Gyanendra was to lead a nation which was already in a state of immense sorrow, confusion and anger. The people were mourning at the loss of their dear Royal family in which hardly anyone was spared. People were furious and searching a reason for these deaths.

So, as the first task of the new King who was still stunned due to the loss of his dearest brothers and other family members, he set up a team to find out what happened on that fateful night. The answers were just too hard to believe, the probe committee announced the findings pointing to the then Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev as the killer. In a state of utter disbelief, the Nepalese tried to embrace this answer.

As the days wore on, life continued for the citizens of Nepal. The congress parliamentary committee replaced PM Koirala by Sher Bahadur Deuba.

When the festive season began, the people felt certain hollowness inside them. The spirit in which the festivals were celebrated in the past years lacked this year. Nevertheless, the festive season passed and as winter set in this year, the leaves from the trees withered and the situation in our country worsened. This winter was when Nepal was declared to be in a State of Emergency. The lives of each Nepali suddenly took a different turn. Each individual now closely watched and waited to see what would come next. It was as if a time bomb was ticking somewhere waiting to be set off. I still remember how the days started to become colder as if mocking the new situation of the country.

The streets of Kathmandu, which in the past years were dotted with tourists, seemed to be bare, reminding the city of the failing tourism industry. Instead of the tourists, the army and police on duty were seen carrying guns and patrolling the streets day and night. Many hotels are on the verge of closure due to lack of tourists. The unstable state of the country has badly affected tourist and manufacturing, retail and garment industries. News of people being killed both Maoists and police, petrol bombs, pressure cooker bombs and hanging bombs are everyday events.

It is sad to say that people are already used to the news of severe encounters around the country. The looting from banks, bomb blasts, bomb defused, kidnapping of an industrialist or politician are now a part of life. The tolls in double digits continue to capture the headlines. The people have become familiar with the blackmailing of ordinary citizens, optimistic but unbelievable slogans and speeches by a politician, massive corruptions and ill-gotten wealth earned overnight by some dishonest people.

As a young adult living in Kathmandu, I find that some of the rich youth have already left Nepal to study abroad. Several more youth are deciding to leave the country because of unemployment, lack of opportunity and frustration. It is only the ones who are either unable or cannot afford to go abroad that remain here. It is sad to see that education in Nepal has become more of a last resort instead of a priority.

Schools, colleges, universities and the country are used to organise closures and bandhs that occur frequently. Educational places, public and government properties and utilities are constantly burned, looted and vandalised. Slowly well to do families are opting to migrate overseas as they foresee further deterioration in the situation of our country. It is only natural that people are trying to avoid the economic crisis, violence, terrorism and insecure future that may engulf our country in a matter of time. The SAARC summit that was held during this winter brought some long wanted glimpse of happiness.

To see various high personnel from across the region of South Asia together in a room brought hope to the people of Nepal. The few days of the summit brought changes around the capital with streets being reconstructed and beautified, houses painted, attractive banners put up welcoming guests, narrow roads widened, overnight innovative beautiful gardens and various places cleaned up.

However, after the end of the summit ended. Kathmandu went back to its normal ways and the hope died out as the weather became colder. The slight glimpse of optimism the people had just faded away.

As the winter ended, the people hoped that their lives would blossom with new hope as the flowers began to bloom. The days grew warmer and the Nepalese expected life to go back to normal but this thought was short lived. Once again, the headlines splashed news about fresh encounters of both the Maoists and the army personnel. This time the number of people killed soared to record highs often in triple figures. In just six months in which the emergency was imposed, 2883 people were dead and several more missing.

Just a few days before the State of Emergency expired the nation was in confusion once more. The third congress conflict "Deuba-Koirala War" broke out. In what seemed like a bizarre turn of events, the parliament was dissolved and fresh mid-term elections were declared in November. Then just in a matter of few days, three senior ministers resigned and the Congress Central Disciplinary Committee expelled PM Deuba from his party membership for three years. He vowed to fight back. Instead of uniting in the fight against Maoist, the political parties launched war amongst themselves. In the meantime, however, the State of emergency for the third time was re-imposed.

As a year passes by from the tragic day of June 1, the Nepalese have been on a rollercoaster ride. What a year, what a journey. As every citizen of Nepal looks back into the past, I am sure many have an urge to grab an eraser and erase the year that has gone by. But, the truth bites. If only, it was that simple!.