| gundruk |
Posted
on 03-Jun-01 02:21 PM
We have been bombarded with statements. It may be a worthwhile exercise to create several categories, to help us determine what needs investigation. Please comment/discuss.
1. UNDISPUTED FACTS:
* That there was a funeral procession from Chhauni army hospital to Arya ghat, and a funeral attended by Gyanendra and the PM.
* That thee PM and the Raj parishad have said that the king, queen, Nirajan, Shruti, and several of their relatives are dead.
* That at least one of the bodies in the funeral procession had a face partially visible, and appears to be of the king.
* That Ram Chandra Poudel said Dipendra shot them, then retracted his statement.
* That CNN reports Gyanendra claiming it was an accident.
* That the government has done A VERY POOR JOB of keeping people informed.
* That the Dixit journalist brothers (owners/editors of Nepali Times, Himal Media (Himal, Nepali Himal, Wave etc.) have been filling the partial vacuum of information with interviews and quotes on CNN, BBC etc. that generally point the finger at Dipendra.
2. EASILY VERIFIED FACTS (i.e. truth known by a large number of people)
* That the king, queen, Nirajan, Shruti, and several of their relatives are indeed dead.
* That they died from gunfire at Narayanhiti on Friday night.
* That Gyanendra was one of few people not to attend the family gathering.
* That Paras left early, and survived.
* That Dipendra is at least brain-dead.
3. ASSUMING (2) IS TRUE:
* That Dipendra's life is in Gyanendra's hands.
* That Gyanendra could become the next king whenever he chooses, and Paras the next crown prince.
4. GENERALLY KNOWN STATEMENTS, BUT NEED VERIFICATION
* That Gyanendra has a large share in Surya Tobacco (and thus in lung cancer among the people of Nepal)
* That Surya Tobacco has been the single largest advertiser in the
newspapers and magazines run by the Dixits/Himal Media. That it even runs back-cover ads on the youth magazine Wave.
5. SPECULATIONS AND RUMOURS TO INVESTIGATE
=> Thus, that there is a serious shortage of neutral news sources for the international media. (HEY, CNN'S # IS (404) 827-2600)
* Who, if anyone, in the royal family has anything to gain from this whole thing!
* The Gyanendra-Maobadi linkages: is it true, as rumours in Kathmandu go, that Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai live(d?) in Gyanendra's residence?
* Whether Dipendra was shot from the back. (if so, by what kind of gun, and who carries that kind of gun?)
* Whether there were no royal palace staff, wait-staff, guards, etc. present at the time of the shooting.
6. POINTS WORTH PONDERING:
* Is there anyone left in the royal family who has both the respect, and the track-record of goodwill towards the people of Nepal, who could serve as an effective king?
* If not, then are we better off switching to a presidential system?
* BUT, if we do think so, HOW do we get from now/here to that point?
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