Nepal king blamed for crackdown

A high-level panel in Nepal has held King Gyanendra responsible for excesses against pro-democracy demonstrators in April.

A panel member told the BBC more than 200 officials of the ousted royalist regime had also been implicated.

Twenty-one people were killed and thousands of others injured during the protests, in which people defied shoot-on-sight curfew orders.

The protests forced the king to end his direct rule and reinstate parliament.

"So many people were killed and injured on the king's orders, he should be tried for each and every one of these crimes"
Student Rajesh Shrestha

Should king be punished?

The details of the report have not been disclosed yet.

But after submitting the report to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Monday, a panel member confirmed that the king has been held responsible for the excesses.

Above the law

Harihar Birahi told the BBC that 200 others including senior ministers of the royalist government and top security officials had been indicted.

He said the king was found responsible in his capacity as head of the government.

King Gyanendra headed the cabinet during the 15 months of his direct rule.

Despite his implication in the excesses, the monarch cannot be punished because he is above the law under the present constitution.

The government will have to enact new laws to bring him to the book.

The prime minister earlier said the government would not spare anyone, but would make a final decision only after studying the report.

Two of the five members of the panel did not sign the final report, citing differences over the panel's conclusions.

Hundreds questioned

A retired Supreme Court judge, Krishna Jung Rayamajhi, headed the panel.

It had been mandated to look into the excessive use of force and the misuse of the government fund.

It questioned 300 officials including senior ministers of the royalist government and chiefs of the security agencies.

The popular uprising forced King Gyanendra to end his direct rule and hand over power to a multi-party government of the agitating parties.

The king has subsequently been stripped of all executive powers including the control over the 90,000-strong army.

There has been persistent call for the abolition of the monarchy since then.

A constituent assembly election is due to be held early next year to decide the future of the monarchy.

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