Oct 13, 2006

Huge Setback To Nepal ’s Conservation Efforts

In one of the most tragic incidents in Nepal ’s aviation history, all 24 aboard the Shri Airlines helicopter have been killed in a crash. The chopper, which had gone missing since Saturday (September 23), was located by a team of rescuers including mountaineers and officials of World Wildlife Fund (WWF-Nepal) around two kilometers southwest of Ghunsa on Monday (September 25).

Initial reports suggest the chopper crashed moments after it took off from Ghunsa en route to Taplejung airport. It is reported to have hit a high hill.

The ill-fated helicopter was carrying renowned personalities including a minister, acting secretary, foreign envoy, experts and donors. “This is an irreparable loss to the nation,” said Pradeep Gyawali, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. The Ministry has formed a committee headed by Appellate Court judge Keshari Raj Pundit to probe the incident and submit preliminary report within two weeks.

The fatal crash of Shri Airlines helicopter was a huge setback to the nation, particularly to the field of nature conservation as the nation lost a number of experts and intellectuals. “Those who worked tirelessly to hand over the issue of conservation to the local people have disappeared. A day after they handed over Kanchanjunga conservation area to the local people, they died in the lap of Kanchanjunga,” said renowned botanist Dr. Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha.

Ukesh Raj Bhuju, archaeology and conservation expert, said the nation would require more than three decades to produce such expertise in conservation. “We lost people renowned for their expertise in conservation, fund raising and mobilization,” he remarked.

Those who perished in the crash include State Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Gopal Rai and his wife Meena Rai; the charge d’affaires of Finland Embassy Pauli Mustonen; assistant director at the USAID Margaret Alexander; country director of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Dr. Chandra Gurung; noted geographic and social expert Dr. Harka Gurung; acting Secretary at the Ministry of Forest Damodar Parajuli; director general of Forest Department Sharad Rai; and director general of Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation Narayan Poudel. Likewise, Mingma N Sherpa, managing director of EHBC, WWF-US; Dr. Jill Bowling, country director of WWF-UK; Dr. Tirtha Man Maskey, co-chairman of ASRSG, WWF-Nepal; Jennifer Headley, regional coordinator of Eastern Himalayas , WWF-UK; journalists Hem Raj Bhandari and Sunil Singh were also killed in the same crash.

Furthermore, other passengers of the chopper who were also killed include Yeshi Lama, senior program officer of WWF-Nepal, Matthew Preece, programming officer of EHBC, WWF-US; Bijaya Shrestha of FNCCI; Dawa Tsering Sherpa; and Dr. Bijnan Acharya along with four cabin crew members.

Meanwhile, chairman and chief executive of Switzerland-based WWF Carter S. Roberts has said the accident was the most tragic loss in the 45-year history of the organization.

The government declared Wednesday (September 27) as the day of national mourning to mourn the deaths of state minister Gopal Rai and a number of national and international conservationists in a helicopter crash on Saturday.

Furthermore, the Director General of WWF James P. Leape issued a statement saying that it was a terrible time for WWF, for Nepal , and for conservation around the world. “These are dark days for Nepal , too. The country has lost its Minister of State for Forests and Soil Conservation, the Secretary of that Ministry, the Director General of National Parks and Wild Life Conservation, the Director General of Forests, several of its most distinguished defenders of natural resources and overseas specialists who were champions for conservation in Nepal. Nature conservation in the country will suffer a severe setback,” he stated.

BIBEK’S MURDER
Chargesheets Filed

The government prosecutor filed a charge-sheet at the Kathmandu District Court on Sunday (October 8) against the seven accused in the kidnapping and murder of 8-year-old Bibek Luitel.

The prosecutor has sought life sentence (which mean 20 years as per existing Nepalese law) for them. The charge-sheet demands life-term for Bhikhari Khan, Okil Ansari, Pappu Mandal, Pateni Lama, Shakhina Manandhar Khapung, and Mokhtar Ansari. Bhikhari, Okil and Mokhtar are Indian nationals. The police produced six accused at the court but could not produce the seventh one Akabar Ansari who is absconding.

Bibek was abducted from his residence in Koteshwore a month ago. Three weeks later his dead body was discovered near Chabahil. Apparently, he was murdered the same day he was abducted. Family members, neighbors and human rights activists have deplored police inefficiency in the investigation of the case.