CoAS Thapa appears in Rayamajhi Commission

The High-Level Investigation Commission headed by former Supreme Court Justice Krishna Jung Rayamajhi today grilled the Chief of Army Staff Gen Pyar Jung Thapa for his alleged role in suppressing the Jana Andolan II.

Testifying before the High Level Probe Commission (HLPC) in connection with his alleged role in suppressing the April movement, Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Pyar Jung Thapa said on Thursday that the Nepal Army (NA) was not mobilized to suppress the democratic movement.
"We tried to help to restore peace and maintain law and order," CoAS Thapa said after the grilling. "It is the state's duty to maintain law and order."

Questioned on the operations of the Unified Command during the movement which left 21 dead the CoAS said, "It is sad that people lost their lives but 900 lives were lost on our side (army) too."

We were also fighting the Maoists during the protests, Thapa added. The CoAS was the head of the Unified Command during the April movement.

Thapa reached the commission office at 11:30 am to record his statement."I am attending the commission to record my statement", he told reporters present at the premises of commission's office. Media persons could not speak to CoAS as security forces did not allow journalists to come near Thapa. The commission had sent a second letter to Thapa asking him to attend the commission after he deferred summon of the panel citing official trip to Pokhara last week.

Thapa faces accusations of aiding the king in his autocratic rule by distorting the reports received from different security bodies.

This is the first time the army top brass has been to the HLPC for interrogation, though former and incumbent IGPs of the Armed Police Force and the Nepal Police, and over four dozen others including ministers and administrators of the erstwhile royal government have already been quizzed over their alleged roles in the atrocities committed during the pro-democracy movement.

The high level commission has also already interrogated former Speaker Taranath Ranabhat, former Chief Justice Hari Prasad Sharma and other royal advisors.