Our police and army extort money from villagers. They visit weddings and rape the brides. They gun down groups of children and summarily execute suspected Maoist collaborators, usually on the flimsiest pretexts. They torture suspected Maoists or collaborators, often by forcing them to watch soldiers rape their wives or daughters. All this is done to force upon the people a King and government that over 90% fear and detest. American and Belgian arms companies greedily supply the weapons used for such human rights abuses, and the US funds the King's attempt to maintain his hold on power and frustrate the will of the people. Now, the US and Nepal have signed an agreement to shield one another's nationals from the International Criminal Court, assuring that the torturers, murderers and rapists will never be brought to justice, giving further incentive to the brutal antidemocratic royalist forces. Over 150 journalists have been jailed or murdered to keep the world from knowing the truth. My writing this essay could lead to my imprisonment or death, but my silence would contribute to the veil of ignorance behind which those who exploit and abuse the gentle people of my land operate. Despite condemnation of the atrocities by Amnesty
International and the EU Parliament, westerners continue to support the oppression of Nepal. While the well-publicised use of adolescent soldiers and attacks on military personnel by the Maoist forces are regrettable, they pale in comparison to the large-scale, hushed-up atrocities of the Royalists.

The Royal Nepal Army has announced that it will "use any means necessary against those who insult the King." The police were ordered by the royally appointed Home Minister to "break the bones" of peaceful unarmed protesters, and recently shot down a group of students, provoking weeks of strikes and protests which were also dealt with cruelly.