Betraying the American Revolution in Nepal:
The Hypocrisy and Harm of US Policy
By Ramesh Burathoki
Student, Tribhuvan University
Nepal

Few Americans are aware of Nepal, much less that it is the site of a civil war. The American media, when they report on my country at all, serve up misleading propaganda in support of US imperialism. Nepal is not, as reported, a democracy. The army and police answer only to the King, who has the power to dismiss the democratically elected parliament and, did so in October 2002. There has breen armed struggle between the Royalist Forces of the Shah dynasty and Maoist rebels. George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, Christine Rocca and the other architects of US foreign policy would like the world to believe that the King and his forces are the 'good guys' and the Maoists the 'bad guys.' For those who wish to see through the distortions, simplifications and self-serving lies, here is the truth.

A ceasefire is now in effect and negotiations between the Maoists and the Palace are ongoing, but the constitutionally elected officers dismissed last October are not permitted to participate.

His Royal Highness King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev took the throne a year and a half ago after his brother, King Birendra, his wife, sons, daughter and dog were slain at the palace. Gyanendra's son Paras, himself previously implicated in several murders and rapes and having been dismissed from university in the UK for drugs offences, and his mother were present but miraculously survived the carnage that killed Birendra's entire family. The official version is that Crown Prince Dependra slaughtered his family and shot himself in the left temple, although he was right handed, then hid the pistol 10 metres away; no Nepali believes it. Gyanendra then obtained the crown and the family's estimated $650 million private fortune, as well as
the 20% of our national budget devoted to his stylish upkeep.