[a kingdom in crisis]

Topic: Nepal

As you may know, King Gyanendra of Nepal recently sacked the government of Sher Bahadur Deuba and put himself in charge. When I first read about the move, I had a feeling of deja vu: The king had done the same thing — to the same prime minister — in 2001, just days after we’d arrived in Kathmandu.

I don’t have all that much to add to the international coverage. But I’m subscribed to the mailing list for the CIWEC Clinic, the best source of Western medicine in Nepal, and today they sent out this email:

The king has taken over in Kathmandu. Immediately after his
announcement all phone lines and internet connections to Nepal were cut.

Many flights are now operating, but the phones and internet are still out as of 4 Feb morning and newspapers and television in Nepal is censored.

Please check http://www.nepalbbs.com for news and information about the situation in Nepal.

Phone lines were never before cut, even during the 1990 revolution or the Royal Massacre in 2001. This is an ominous sign.