Do Away With The Confusion

I read with pleasure daily editorials on your paper in particular about mountain climbing and people who engage in such activities. As a climber myself with three Everest summits, I return every year for another try, this Spring will be my 5th trip to Everest, but actually its not me that I want to talk about. It is about the article on page two of The Rising Nepal dated April 2nd where I was struck to read something totally untrue. The article which was written by "a staff reporter" stated that Pemba Doma Sherpa will try to summit Mt. Everest for the second time therefore becoming the first on something." If she succeeds she will be the only woman to ascend the world’s highest peak twice", your paper stated. The irony of this is that on May 23, 2001 at 9:00am I was on the summit of Mt. Everest with Miss Lakpa Sherpa one of your nationals who in fact was the first Nepali woman who summited Everest twice. We were on the summit with dozens of climbers therefore with as many witnesses. It never crossed my mind that anybody has any doubts about it. Your own newspaper published a piece on the event last year. Lakpa reached the summit of Everest for the first time on May 18th 2000 as a member and leader of "Nepali Women Millennium Everest Expedition" sponsored by Susma Koirala Fund. Some time some people in the arduous drive to become famous do tell untrue stories but it is your duty to verify the facts. I was also amazed that next to Pemba was standing a honourable member of The Upper House, I was wondering if she was taken for a ride by Pemba or she knowingly kept silent. It is a shame that someone can use your paper for their own personal agenda and those who really lit the torch for Nepal are ignored and left behind. Because I feel injustice has being done for this young woman, I and all Nepalese will appreciate if you can get the facts straight and make a written correction in the next available issue of your paper. Mt Everest is a pride trophy for many climbers, people have given lots of time, money and lives in order to achieve this goal, foreign climbers come and go but the Nepalese are left with the memories and pride of your own climbers who make Nepal known to the world with a kind, gentle but tenacious people. They deserve what’s theirs. I hope you will give a serious consideration and vindicate Lakpa, after all she will be back on Everest. Here I attach a photo of Lakpa Sherpa on top of Mt. Everest dated May 23, 2001, on the Tibetan side of Everest, she is next to me on the right hand side with the oxygen mask. There are numerous sources where you can verify what I just stated, Miss Elizabeth Holly who is well known to the world as the person who keeps record of all Everest summiters, also "everestnews.com" can confirm Lakpa summit. Lakpa also was given a certificate from CTMA (Chinese Tibetan Mountaineering Association) and can provide it for proof I hope and pray that Pemba Doma Sherpa will summit Everest for the second time and give a much needed lift to all Nepali and mountaineering in general. Pemba Doma reached the summit of Mt Everest for the first time on the same day as I reached, May 19, 2000 and had the privilege to meet her on the mountain.

George Dijmarescu
Hartford, Connecticut (USA)