Posted: Apr 21, 2006 09:12 am EDT
(MountEverest.net) “Curfew is on today from 9am till 8pm in Kathmandu... and we don’t know yet what will happen after that,” Billi Bierling just reported from Kathmandu. “The situation is a bit mad here… but I am hoping to get to Lukla on Sunday. I can’t wait to get out!” (Billi will be leading a climb on Island Peak).

Climbers expecting to leave town yesterday were unable to leave their hotels at all and domestic flights were cancelled altogether. Today, the day-long long curfew continue to keep everyone in house arrest - the Government has even forbidden ambulances to move in town.

King believes himself a living god

“Hidden away in his palace in the midst of a city in chaos, King Gyanendra of Nepal appeared desperate to cling to power - and prepared to shoot down his own unarmed subjects in the streets to do it,” reported NZ Herald today.

“Gyanendra does not just believe in the divine right of kings. He believes he is a living god himself - the incarnation of Vishnu.”

The NZ Herald even doubts the King’s controversial access to the throne, after most members of the royal family were murdered, reportedly by the Crown heir, who then shot himself. “On the streets of Kathmandu the people have always believed that Gyanendra somehow orchestrated the massacre to win the throne for himself - a belief that has been fuelled by the fact that almost the only male survivors were Gyanendra and his son, Paras.”

The push is on

The Seven Party Alliance has stated they will push on with the strike (today on its 16th day) until the King attends to the demands of democracy - or leaves the country.

Moreover, there is a serious shortage of basic goods in the capital. The time between curfews is spent by the locals to run between shops trying to find food and fuel. On Thursday, the authorities had imposed 18-hour long curfew, which was extended by another seven hours.

Hundreds of thousands of people defied orders and took to the streets of the capital, especially in the Ring Road area. Pro-democracy demonstrators clashed with security personnel and at least three demonstrators were killed and over one hundred others were injured.

Injured left unattended

“A number of rights organizations have denounced the government’s act of denying curfew exemption passes to media, rights groups, UN agencies and even ambulances. Dozens of injured personnel lay unattended for hours due to lack of transportation,” reported Nepal News.

The King is receiving serious warnings from foreign governments, US and India among them, to change his politic, but apparently the monarch listens to no one.

Today, state-run Radio Nepal reported that King Gyanendra will address the nation at 7:00 pm, local time. Stay tuned for further updates.

Nepal's King Gyanendra took absolute power in February 1, 2005. Since then, opposition has grown among off-parliament parties, who have formed a Seven Party Alliance against the monarch. The Alliance has organized a series of protests and called for a general strike three weeks ago. The king has tried to minimize the effect of protests by establishing intermittent curfews and using force against demonstrators.

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