Supreme Court judge gunned down
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - Fears are growing that Nepali politicians and state officials might come under attack because of the country's ongoing political impasse and parliament's failure to adopt the proposed constitution. Yesterday, two gunmen on a motorcycle killed a Supreme Court judge, Rana Bahadur Bom, near the Bagmati River in the Kathmandu's Lalitpur district. He was on his way home; his personal security guard and a friend sustain serious injury.
According to police reports, the two killers belong to the Nepalbad Party, an extremist movement led by a certain Amar Lama Nepal. Leaflets with the party logo were found; they blame judges, government officials and politicians for the country's institutional, economic and social mess.
When he died, Justice Bom was on trial for corruption, even though the case against him was on hold because of the dissolution of the constituent assembly. His death follows that of another government official, Railway General Manager Sures Yadav, was killed on Wednesday.
"This attack is not only against Bom also against the power of the state," Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai said, who insisted that the government would protect its officials.
On 28 May, the constituent assembly elected in 2008 was dissolved amid recriminations from its warring parties who could not agree on a new draft constitution.
For days, hundreds of demonstrators have been outside government buildings, accusing politicians for pursuing their own interests rather than those of the people.
Now the authorities fear more attacks will follow, with people and sites associated to the government as the prime targets.
To prevent riots and protests, the authorities have deployed thousands of police officers and soldiers in the country's main cities.
Today, thousands of Nepalis have also taken to the streets for another reason. It is the 11th anniversary of the royal palace massacre. On 1 June 2001, nine members of the reigning family, including King Birendra Shah and his wife Aishwarya, were shot dead by their son, the heir to the throne, Prince Pirendra.
Doubts remain about what really happened. Some believe the multiple murders were not the action of a madman, but a planned execution of the entire royal family.
After the bloodbath, which came at time of civil war between the royalist government and Maoist rebels, the country plunged in even greater chaos.
Eventually, Maoist guerrillas were able to overthrow the Hindu monarchy in 2007 and turn Nepal into a secular state in 2008.
Still, with the present constitutional reform process a shamble, many regret the death of the king.
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