King at the 13th SAARC Summit: A Reaction

November 6, 2005
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By Sanjiv Upadhaya

Constitutional heads of states usually don’t represent their countries in international or regional conferences and summits. But King Gyanendra has assumed the distinction of being both the head of state and the government in the post February 1st Nepal which entitles him to accept credentials of incoming ambassadors as well as represent his country and his people abroad. After watching the live telecast of the 13th SAARC Summit proceedings here in Dhaka, I along with millions of South Asians that watched him speak at the inaugural have reasons to be proud of him. The stylish elegance, royal enthrall, regal grace and charm that he brought to the Summit was something everyone noticed and appreciated. Especially, his crisp British accent and the well-indented phrases along with the properly drafted speech full of meaning would obviously impress the regional as well as international viewers. People like me who live abroad very rarely get a chance to boast of being a Nepali.

His Majesty King Gyanendra addressing the 13th SAARC summit in Dhaka on Saturday …

Compare this with Nepal’s miserable participation in the yesteryears of the SAARC Summitry. Everyone remembers with amusement how newly elected Prime Minister GP Koirala added his own ridiculous axiom, “Love Thou Neighbor” after ending his speech and saying “Thank You” receiving not only applause but also laughter from the hall of diplomats, dignitaries and heads of states. How Sher Bahadur Deuba’s murmuring got the well deserved yawn and sighs from the audience, how KP Bhattarai’s dress sense was a travesty of its own and worse of all, how Surya Bahadur Thapa’s “Hinglish” at the 12th Summit could not even be comprehended by his less educated counterparts in the region. It is easy to boast of democracy with elected Presidents and Prime Ministers like Bush, Blair and Koizumi, or even the nominated ones like Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup representing their countries at important meets but with entertainers like we have, it is better if a convent educated constitutional head of state at least saves the red face of 28 million sovereign Nepalese while watching television along with their South Asian brothers and sisters. At least we don’t have to cover our faces unable to confront the embarrassment of being led by octogenarians in the midst of six other well-groomed and visionary leaders. Even the otherwise obstinate Bhutanese Prime Minister who has a record for snubbing off Nepalese requests for a bilateral meeting in the last 12 years of refugee impasse’ had to bow to the King with a traditional khada in his hand.

Nepal hasn’t produced a single Prime Minister who can be called ‘a man of letters’ after late BP Koirala who wrote his own foreign policy statements. In the period of post-1990, the foreign ministry portfolio was adjoined as an appendage to the Prime Minister who himself never found time to supervise, plan or prepare strategies for mega events such SAARC Summits let alone UN General Assemblies and NAM Summits. The result was observable; Nepal was neglected in international multi-lateral conferences and ignored by heads of states or governments. All we could do was nod with the tune set by others or blindly follow the routines set by the bureaucrats of Shital Niwas. This time, as a show of Nepal’s independent foreign policy, the candidature of both Afghanistan and People’s Republic of China into the SAARC forum was raised and pushed by Nepal. While some countries backed the candidature of only Afghanistan, as a matter of principle, Nepal stuck with the notion that if the logo and charter has to be amended, it is wise to bring both the countries into the SAARC family and not pick and choose suiting one’s own short-term interests. After all, China shares borders with four SAARC countries, has cordial relations with all seven of them and there is no reason why a country just recuperating from three decades of war has to be given preference over an economic giant that also happens to be the permanent member of the security council.

It is well known that King Gyanendra writes poems and songs in the pet name of “G Shah”. It is rumored that he also writes his own speeches. During this Summit speech he mentioned that the February First action was not intended to weaken democracy but rather proposed to “restore” it after the elected Prime Minister dissolved all the local elected bodies and also the parliament. He mentioned with punch that he had already announced municipality elections and the general elections would be held before 2007. “How could there be meaningful democracy without elections”, he rightly questioned. He outlined that the people have been benefited by a growing sense of confidence after his action 9 months ago and added, “We have been touring different parts of the country and have interacted directly with the common man so as to instill in them a greater sense of unity, especially against the malicious designs posed by terrorists. There is no place today in the Kingdom where security personnel cannot go at will.”

It was a good opportunity to exhibit Nepal’s international profile even with the huge toll that terrorism has taken in our country. And nobody would have done this better than the King himself. While he has called for fresh elections both municipal and parliamentary, it maybe wise on the part of the political parties and the new leadership that will surface in the foreseeable future to humbly request His Majesty to keep on representing Nepal at these regional and international meetings. He maybe a constitutional monarch but there is no faintest doubt that he is all that we have.