Nepal's New Regent Says Royal Massacre An 'Accident'

In the first palace statement on the shocking deaths of King Birendra, Queen Aisharya and six family members, the regent Prince Gyanendra said the incident "took place after an automatic weapon suddenly exploded".

"The injured were taken to (an) army hospital following the accident," he said, adding that eight of the royals had succumbed to their wounds despite the best efforts of the medical staff.

Such accounts of Friday night's massacre at the royal palace in Kathmandu have only served to fuel speculation and deepen the confusion and resentment of ordinary Nepalese at being kept in the dark.

Prince Gyanendra is not a particularly popular figure and most greeted his statement about an "accident" with derision.

"It's just absurd," snorted one secondary school teacher. "Are we really meant to believe that a semi-automatic gun accidentally went off repeatedly, spinning around a dinner table until the royal family had been wiped out?"

There were signs of increasing anger in Kathmandu, as angry demonstrators, including a convoy of more than 500 motorcycle riders, took to the streets demanding a full explanation of events.

The protestors' anger appeared to have been fuelled by their own government's reluctance to offer a full and credible account of the circumstances surrounding the deaths at the royal palace.

The most widely-believed version of what happened -- partially confirmed in comments later retracted by Home Minister Ram Chandra Paudel -- has all the elements of a Greek tragedy.

Official and palace sources said the king's eldest son and heir to the throne, Crown Prince Dipendra, gunned down his parents, brother, sister and four other relatives with a semi-automatic weapon before shooting himself.

His actions were believed to have been triggered by a bitter row during a family dinner over his parents' refusal to sanction his choice of bride, and threats he would be passed over in the line of succession if he did not bow to their wishes.

Despite his alleged role in the killings and the fact he is reportedly on life support in a military hospital, the crown prince was declared the new king on Saturday. Prince Gyanendra, his uncle, was appointed regent in his absence.

In his message to the people on Sunday, the regent wished the new king a "speedy recovery" in hospital and called for public unity at a time of national sorrow.

"I believe I will receive the full support and cooperation of the Nepalese people," he said.

But public sentiment seemed to be swinging the other way.

"The people's expectations are that there should be an investigation into the killing of the king and his family," said the City Times Evening Daily.

The tragedy has rocked the Himalayan kingdom, raising concerns about future political instability as well as questions about the future of the constitutional monarchy.

The monarchy in Nepal enjoyed absolute rule until 1990, when the late king agreed to take on a purely constitutional role in the wake of a popular movement that introduced parliamentary democracy.

Following the state funeral Saturday of the king and queen and three other royals, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala appealed for calm and pledged that the full facts would be made public in due course.

"The truth about the whole thing will be known to all soon," he said.

For the moment, five days of national mourning have prevented any mass protests, but analysts say the sense of grief could translate into public outrage if the many questions over the events of Friday night remain unanswered.

Kathmandu appeared almost deserted Sunday, the exception being outside the main gates of the royal palace where thousands of people, some weeping and holding flowers and portraits of the late king, queued for hours to sign the official condolence book.












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