Indepth Analysis

Maoists to break the stalemate!

Kathmandu: Government intends to take advantage of the current climate to clamp down on the excessive street activities that politics has preferred of late. The timely imposition of curfews and demonstrations of strength which helped to restore calm in the capital amidst a volatile climate of disbelief and shock must be cashed in upon by government too. The manner with which the government reacted to Yubaraj Ghimere, editor of Kantipur, regarding the much-talked about publication of a Maoist article is merely one manifestation. And so government must issue notices regarding the frequency of bundhs and street demonstrations.

In another manner government is preparing for the immediacy of the inevitable opposition activities that were sure to come. The House is to sit for its budget session. The opposition UML has yet to renege on its demand that the Prime Minister resign. The UML is publicly committed to respect its strategy paralyzing parliament. It is also committed along with seven of the other left parties to step up its street activities demanding the resignation. But after a three day continuous bundh?

The inevitability of politics taking its course is also manifest in the activities that had already begun regarding the elections to the Upper House. The UML has a majority there. The Congress has a majority in the Lower House and thus must erode the presence of UML in the Upper House. Already much give and take appears to have taken place between the Congress and the RPP and between UML and RPP raising serious questions on RPP candidacy. Also the ML which has no presence in the Lower House but is represented in the Upper House has a stake in continuing its presence now challenged by both the Congress and the UML.

The likelihood that these events will filter down to the streets given the environment of the stalemate in the parliament is high. The Prime Minister has demonstrated his unwillingness to resign as long as his majority in the parliament is intact. There is no indication that his hold over the Congress has weakened. Indeed, there are indications that the Prime Minister may have eroded the strength of his opposition within the Congress to the point that ensures that a no-confidence motion to be brought by the UML is now unable to materialize. The answer again points to the street for opposition activities. Girija babu finds the current climate of change suitable to prevent the opposition from taking to the streets.

If, then, paralysis in parliament is inevitable and the streets are to be closed down upon where is the outlet. It is here that public eyes turn to the Maoist opposition. It is not for nothing that the entry in Kathmandu of a sizable number of insurgents has been circulated in various sectors. The Maoist problem is then likely to be the catalyst in breaking the stalemate.

CJ report nothing more than compilations of events of June 1 massacre!

Kathmandu: The anxiously awaited report submitted by the Royal Probe Commission headed by Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya last week instead of convincing the lay men regarding the reasons behind the massacre of June 1 at the Royal Palace has compounded the whole affair through contradictory statements contained there in the report.

The report thus could only be called as the compilation of the events as seen by the eyewitnesses.

To cut it short, the Nepali population finds it very difficult to digest the theory that Crown Prince Dipendra was the man who summarily wiped out his own family members first and later shot down other royal relatives.

Consider the report, which at one point says that Crown Prince Dipendra was heavily drunk and hence four persons carried him to his shelter. The report also admits that Dipendra used the bathroom for vomiting whose sound some of the attendants heard. It also says that Dipendra was lying unconscious on the carpet and was seen making efforts to take out his clothes of the upper portion of the body. The report finally concludes that it was Crown Prince Dipendra who later within minutes came out in combat dress with four heavy lethal weapons and indiscriminately fired at his father and the rest of the relatives.

It is unimaginable as to how a person under drunken spell who can't take out his clothes on his own and has already vomited could collect that much of strength and courage as to suddenly change the dress on his own and carry such heavy lethal weapons and shoots his entire family members after travelling some distance from his personal shelter?

We are told that a drunken person prefers sleep. We are also told that a person after vomiting again would wish to go to the bed. We are yet again told that a person under heavy intoxication of the sort of Crown Prince Dipendra becomes pretty weak who finds it difficult to stand on his own. Question arises now how Dipendra could gain Himalayan courage and where from he collected that much of the strength which enabled him to withstand the entire load of the four weapons which total some where about thirty to forty kilos?

Question also arises as to why Princes Shobha Shahi did not allow King Birendra to fire at Crown Prince Dipendra when the latter had already fired the first shot at the former? This means that had King Birendra been given the opportunity, he would have subsided or even reduced the number of killings inside the Palace on that fateful evening.

The report very mysteriously does not touch upon the figure that could impress upon the doctors at the said hospital not to go for any sort of post mortem? In our opinion, this was very important.

The report in essence compiles the version of the incident from the survivors of that tragedy who summarily converge and accuse Crown Prince Dipendra. How could thirty different brains say almost the same thing.

Forensic and medical experts opine that had the post mortem of the dead bodies carried out, the killer could have been easily traced through the tests of the blood, hairs and the likes.

More horrible was the manner in which the report was presented before the weeping population.

Speaker Tara Nath Rana Bhat took the whole affair as if it were a gathering of politicians at his private residence wherein he wished to impose his version of the scheme of things to the attending media men.

The irresponsible manner in which he submitted the details of the ghastly killing was simply unacceptable.

In essence, the TV watching population lost their temper the laughing manner Speaker Bhat tried to explain the whole event last Thursday evening. The whole affair was yet another shock to the nation in the fashion the honorable Speaker very lightly took the event that visibly made the entire nation to go in for a state of sleeplessness for at least two weeks.

The report in essence should have answered all the W's! Should we expect yet another probe Commission to get the answers of yet unresolved mystery behind the killing?

All is not well with security system inside Royal Palace

Kathmandu: The national population were given to understand that the security system in and around the Royal Palace were more than strict. Likewise the common Nepali citizens guessed that the Nepali Royalty inside the Palace were pretty safe and that no force on earth could dismantle the existing security systems there. However this was not.

Similarly, the Nepali people considered or even took the relation in between the Nepali Royales to be simply excellent worth emulating. The common laity had a firm belief that Nepali Royalty were in essence a very cohesive force and that their personal relations with each others were par excellence.

However this was not the case as has become evident from the calamitous episode that happened inside the ramparts of the most secured place-the Royal Palace-on June 1 early evening.

Two things now remain exposed regarding the Palace.

Firstly, that the security system inside the Royal Palace is unpredictably weak and that the managers of the security apparatus inside the Palace exhibit utter negligence as a result of which such unimaginable incident took place that evening. This also exposes that should a grave crisis occur of the sort of that evening, our security men will come to know about the incident when every thing will finish or come to a miserable end.

This has got to be changed. How a change for the better is made is perhaps the job of the concerned authorities. All that we can advise is that a major shakeup awaits the Palace security system at the earliest.

Secondly and most importantly, the internal or say the private relations in between the Royal family members too appeared fragile. However, what was visibly clear is that all the members possess tremendous love and respect for the late monarch. If Crown Prince Dipendra is the real killer then also it could be guessed that he had developed some sort of allergy with his parents and for the rest of his own family members.

We wish that such negative impressions faded away from the minds of the general populace at the earliest.

A happy and united Royal family members could be an asset for all who Nepali monarch to continue for long time to come in this nation.

Reports have it that King Gyanendra has already authorized Shant Kumar Malla to take stock of the lapses in the Palace security system and prepare a detailed report on how to improve the system so that such ghastly killings could be averted.

Intellectuals opine that henceforth the new King must impose a ban on all Royal family members carrying lethal weapons on such family gatherings to avoid untoward incidents.

Good suggestion indeed.

Telegraph adds: Fortunately enough, there has been an unconfirmed report of the major shakeup in the existing Security Officers of the Royal Palace already. However, sources maintain that till now none of the officers on duty that evening have been awarded penal actions. The Committee under Malla will undoubtedly supply some names to be awarded stringent penal actions.

Democratic rights to be curtailed?

Kathmandu: Hardly had the Nepali citizens come out of the trauma caused by the killing of the Nepali Royales on June 1, 2001, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has been kind enough to put onto the heads of the common men yet another shock that has come in the form of enactment of some laws and the rules that practically caps all the existing privileges the people had been enjoying in democratic system.

The stringent draconian measures have already come into effect since June 4 last month which interestingly coincides with the date when His Majesty King Gyanendra had been declared the King of this Himalayan Kingdom.

The measures now brought into effect will henceforth not permit the political parties or for that matter groups or associations to come out in the streets demanding the redressal of their grievances and the likes.

Some newspapers guess the new restrictive rules brought by Prime Minister Koirala were solely to defame the new King.

The General Security Laws and regulations", as it is called is aimed at containing the threats of the Maoists.

This law now summarily restricts the citizens to gather at a place without weapons, expression of one's views freely and also caps the rights of coming into the streets, The law also does not allow for calling a Nepal closure.

In essence, if this law comes into total effect, it would remind many a brains to have been the revival of the erstwhile regime.

Constitutional experts say that the new laws and regulations brought into effect by the government would end the beauty of the democratic system.

However, the competent political forces currently active in national politics, other than the ruling party indeed, are yet to furnish their comments regarding this new draconian measure of the government.

Staunch democrats expect that various sectors would react to these new overtures of the government.

Critics say that Girija Prasad has almost revived the good old days of the Panchayat through the enactment of the laws which are generally considered not fit for a system what we have now.

Davidson takes up as Radisson GM

Kent Davidson, General Manager has been part of Radisson Hotels & Resorts since 1998. In his role with Radisson Hotel Kathmandu, he is responsible for all aspects of operation of the Hotel.

Radisson Hotel Kathmandu is part of Radisson Hotels & Resorts, which is the world's fastest growing upscale companies, and the only hotel chain to have properties in all seven Continents. This formidable giant is parent to some of the leading names in the world's hospitality and travel industries.

Kent Davidson completed his Bachelor of Business- Marketing Major from Charles Sturt University, New South Wales. He started his successful career as Corporate Sales Manager with Fairmont Resort , the multi award winning & leading regional resort in NSW. He excelled in all areas of direct responsibility and joined the Royal Pines Resort, one of Australia's largest Resort/Convention facilities, as NSW Regional Sales & Marketing Manager.

In 1997, he was appointed GM of Seven Spirit Bay Resort, an exclusive eco-tourist retreat which in 1992 was voted for Resort of the Year at the Australian Tourism Awards. During his tenure, Kent Davidson directly contributed and managed financial interests most effectively, producing the best results that the Resort had achieved since its opening.

His fortuitous experience in Sales and Marketing provided the perfect opportunity to take on the leadership of Radisson Hotel Kathmandu, a relatively new 5-star property in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Mr. Ian Barrow , the former General Manager has been appointed GM of Radisson Bali and will be supervising all operations of the 329 rooms and 84-suites properties.

Lauda back in Austria; Court might interrogate Koirala

Kathmandu: With the sudden and the sad demise of King Birendra and his entire family members on June 1, 2001, the entire grief stricken nation had almost forgotten the most infamous Lauda affair which itself had caused tremendous loss to the nation both politically and economically.

Save a few prime accused ones in the Lauda bungling, the rest of the RNAC officers have been released on bail by the Patan Appellate Court.

However, the then minister Tarini Datt Chataut and marketing manager Ram Raj Upadhyaya are still at large despite the order of the court to present themselves at the premises of the court within one month.

Those who have been closely watching the Lauda air deal from close quarters opine that when an accused person absconds and does not show his presence at the court testifies that he or she could be accomplice in a said embezzlement.

Minister Chataut and Upadhhyaya's whereabouts is still a mystery. But then their "grand escapade" forces the national population to believe the theory that some one at the higher political echelons might have told them to "vanish" from Kathmandu.

Pitifully, the Nepal Police force is tight lipped regarding these two missing gentlemen.

Be that as it may, reports leaking from the Patan Appelate Court reveals that sooner or later Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala too would be dragged to the court for a sort of interrogation.

To recall, the CIAA found blunders to have been committed by Girija's cabinet and preferred to serve a sort of warning onto the Prime Minister suggesting Koirala to remain alert henceforth.

The indirect warning served to the Premier of the nation, intellectuals opine, is a clear signal to all and sundry that the CIAA too considers Girija's hands in the finalization of the Lauda air deal to which the latter refutes.

Law experts maintain that the interrogations at the Patan Appellate court will remain incomplete till the Prime Minister is not brought for needed interrogations.

However, when the court will invite him for this "cross-question" session is not yet decided.

The Opposition which had brought heaven down to earth a few weeks back is yet to announce its posture regarding the Lauda affair in the next parliament scheduled for next Monday, June 26.

Reports have it that since the course of the politics of the nation got a sudden brake due to the ghastly killing of Their Majesties the King and the Queen, the opposition led by the UML is yet to arrive at a meaningful conclusion on how to appear in the impending budget session.

Those who have been freed by the Court on bail will have to reappear at the court as a final decision has not yet been taken by the court on which officers caused colossal loss to the RNAC while finalising the Lauda air procurement.

The fact is that the airliner that has created havoc in the nation has reached its final destination that is Austria leaving all to guess what happened in the meantime, which forced the airliner to wind up their contract with the RNA so unceremoniously.

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