Isn't it marvelous that in this day and age - when there are democratic elections even in Iraq - a King can still sack his entire government for failing to do a good enough job of running the country. It makes you wonder what the US would be like now if Bill Clinton could follow the lead of Nepal's King Gyanendra and sack George W for doing such a terrible job as his successor.
There's a disturbing side to events in my favorite country (Nepal has been completely cut off - no phone lines, no flights in or out) but most of the Nepalis I met in Kathmandu five months ago were telling me they wanted King Gayenendra to do something exactly as decisive as this.
Still, it's odd to think that all the taxi drivers, young monks and students whose company I enjoyed on my sabbatical are now living in a cocooned state of emergency.
Stranger still is the coincidental (?) news of the Chinese government 'welcoming' the "immediate closing of the local offices of the Dalai Lama in Kathmandu". This despite the fact that these offices have for decades helped thousands of refugees from Tibet resettle. Oddly, the government ordered the closure because it suddently realised the offices were not registered...or so they say. Oh, and apparently there was "no pressure" from the Chinese government.
Has China invaded Nepal? Would anyone care?
In slightly happier news about the Chinese government, one Tibetan's life was spared this week when Tenzin Delek's death sentence was commuted. The charges against Delek, a highly respected Tibetan monk renowned for his efforts to protect Tibetan culture and lifestyle, were never made public in the first place, so it seems only fair that he wasn't murdered for nothing.
Astonished yet? Maybe Michael Moore should make a movie about it all. Failing that, I recommend a visit to www.tibet.com and some letter writing to local politicians.
Comments