| JIM LEHRER: The royal
massacre in the South Asian kingdom of Nepal: It happened Friday, but
exactly how is still not clear. Our coverage begins with three reports
by Julian Manyon of Independent Television News, filing from Katmandu
as the story unfolded.
JULIAN MANYON: Thousands of mourners jammed the streets of Katmandu
this evening as the victims of the palace massacre were carried through
the city to be cremated. Following Hindu belief, the authorities ordered
that the funerals take place immediately. Lines of Gurkha soldiers and
marching bands escorted the bodies of the king and his queen, who officials
say were killed by their own son in a fit of violent rage. Some of the
onlookers were convulsed by grief; others seemed angry at what they
see as an unexplained murder plot. But according to officials, what
happened inside the palace was simply the result of an extraordinary
family row. The heir to the throne, Crown Prince Dipendra, who was educated
at Eaton, is said to have become enraged by his mother's opposition
to his choice of future bride. He produced a gun and opened fire, killing
his father, the king, the queen, and six other members of the royal
family who were gathered at the dinner table, before turning the weapon
on himself. The crown prince is still alive on a life-support machine.
Another surviving prince has been appointed regent. Today thousands
came to pay their respects at the cremation site and long lines of people
waited outside the palace to sign books of condolence. But as they did
so, confusion mounted over how virtually an entire royal family met
its violent end. Crown Prince Dipendra, who showed an interest in firearms
during a visit to Pakistan, is accused of shooting his relatives and
then himself while in a rage. The crown prince is now critically ill
on a life support machine, but has officially inherited the throne.
This morning, the new regent, Prince Gyanendra, declared that the crown
prince was not in fact responsible for the deaths, which had happened
by accident. A spokesman attempted to explain.
SPOKESMAN: It was an accidental burst of fire from an automatic weapon.
REPORTER: But it was at the dinner table, I believe. How could this
have happened?
SPOKESMAN: Well, it happened -- these accidents happen, you see.
JULIAN MANYON: Rioting broke out within an hour of the enthronement,
and police responded with tear gas and shotgun rounds. Gangs of youths,
many of whom shaven headed as a sign of mourning clashed with the police
in several parts of Katmandu. The protesters believe that the crown
prince, who died in hospital this morning, was innocent of the royal
killings, and they see the enthronement of the region, Prince Gyanendra,
as a parody of justice. Since early morning the protesters have been
accusing Gyanendra, who was the only important royal not in the palace
during the massacre, of murder. But that did not halt preparations for
his enthronement. Thousands of soldiers were deployed, and Gyanendra,
himself, swept past them on his way to be confirmed as King. The feathered
crown of Nepal was placed upon his head, and then the new monarch boarded
a horse-drawn coach for what in happier times would have been a triumphal
ride through his capital. He remained composed and dignified as the
royal procession moved on under heavy guard. But he must have seen that
his new subjects stayed largely silent, and there was no sign of jubilation
as he passed.
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