Crown Prince Dipendra gunned down his entire family: Himalaya Shumshere

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 19 Feb.: An independent with close links with the former royal family and the first governor of Nepal Rashtra Bank Himalaya Shumshere said Crown Prince Dipendra gunned down his entire family in the Narayanhiti royal palace massacre amid suggestions former King Gyanendra was the main plotter.
He said this in his just released book entitled: Samjhana and Chintan.
Himalaya Shumshere was finance secretary for four years after 2007 and the first governor of Nepal Rashtra Bank as well.
After he joined UN service in 1960, he served as UN resident representative in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Myanmar and Pakistan.
Excerpts from his book.
“Around four or five persons, including the elder brother of Queen Aishwayra Suraj Shumshere, were playing bridge at my home on the day of the royal palace massacre.
“Suraj Shumshere was asked to report immediately to the military hospital in Chauni saying a major accident had happened at the royal palace.
”I met Kumar Mohan Shahi the day after the massacre.
“Assassin Dipendra repeatedly asked me in meetings before the party to be present but I couldn’t because of a knee problem Kumar Mohan told me.
“I am clear on the perception of the massacre because of my close link with the family of Kumar Gorakh [son-in-law of King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya].
“I’ve read reports of the massacre.
“In the future, there’ll be perceived stories on the royal massacre as with the assassination of President Kennedy.
“There’s no doubt on the recollection of living survivors Dipendra was the killer.
“Dipendra killed his father Birendra and opponents of the marriage [with Debyani] to become king with the intention to marry.
“Royal survivors of the royal palace massacre quote Dipendra as saying after the slaughter,” I am the king.”
Shumshere suggests Aishwarya and Prince Nirajan might have survived the massacre.
“After completion of the massacre, mother Queen Aishwarya pursued Diprendra to his bedroom along with Prince Niranjan.
“Kill me,” she said.
“Dipendra shot them dead in a fit
“I’ve heard reports of international players involved in the murders.
“Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction.
“Many in the country and my foreign friends don’t believe Dipendra killed his father, mother, sister, brother and aunts.
“Brain dead Dipendra was declared king after an unbelievable claim of a royal palace secretary who said the rifle carried by Dipendra went off automatically to declare Dipendra king.
“This caused an irreparable damage to the king and royal family members,’ Shumshere said.
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Peace Minister Chemjung said govt. allowances to Maoist combatants will be stopped

Kathmandu, 19 Feb. Peace Minister Rakam Chaemjung said Friday allowances to 19,000 Maoist combatants will be stopped temporarily.
The threatened stoppage comes at a time when Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said half the 19,000 combatants in camps under UNMIN watch have deserted the camps.
UNMIN said it is not accountable for the desertions.
Maoist Vice-president Dr Baburam Bhattarai said stoppage will have serious consequences
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HLPM meets again Sunday

Kathmandu, 19 Feb.: The HLPM will meet again Sunday,
It’s meeting Friday was inconclusive.
Friday’s meeting asked a task force to present a formula for an outlet to the prolonged crisis.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, only an invited member to the mechanism, wasn’t present at the Friday meeting.
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