Nepalese king defends royal coup
Nepal’s King Gyanendra shrugged off suspension of military aid by India and Britain today, saying he has the same goals as the democracies that slammed his royal ‘coup’ but different means.
“They must say what they must say and we must do what we must do,” he said in his Kathmandu palace.
The king was speaking to Nepalese newspaper editors for the first time since he sacked the government early this month, declared a state of emergency and suspended civil rights in the Himalayan kingdom, provoking an international outcry.
Britain and India, two of Nepal’s closest allies, have suspended military aid and demanded a return to democracy.
The king says his main goal is to fight Maoist rebels, who have been waging an insurgency against the monarchy for nine years, leaving more than 10,500 people dead.
“When we have chosen to uphold democracy and fight against terrorism, why are they shying away from helping us?” he was quoted as saying.
“I can see one thing clearly emerging out of it. Our objectives are the same. We are going to meet somewhere. But we have chosen may be different paths in attaining that objective.”
