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[World News]: Kathmandu, Feb 16 : King Gyanendra's royal coup in Nepal and the subsequent political turmoil in the Himalayan kingdom are affecting Nepalese artistes as well with a troupe last week being denied visa to perform in New Zealand.

Ten Nepalese performers from a local cultural organisation, the Himalayan Cultural Eve, were scheduled to take part in the Fringe Arts Festival that opened in the New Zealand capital Wellington Feb 11.

Nearly 60 troupes from around the world are participating in the festival, whose theme this year is "Organised Chaos".

The Nepalese team, the first from the country at the festival, was scheduled to perform on the opening night.

However, when the delegation did not arrive in Wellington Feb 10 as scheduled, the organisers learnt that the troupe had been denied entry visa by the New Zealand high commission in New Delhi.

The incident came to light when Stuff, a Kiwi portal, reported the incident.

"A group of Nepalese dancers - one of the main draw cards in Wellington's Fringe arts festival - have been refused entry into New Zealand because of fears they would not go home," Stuff writer Matthew Davis reported.

Full story here