Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03KATHMANDU1890
2003-09-29 09:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
AmCit Trekker Attacked and Robbed on Annapurna
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 290956Z Sep 03
UNCLAS KATHMANDU 001890
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR CA/OCS/ACS/NESA JOHN PETERS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC ASEC PTER NP
SUBJECT: AmCit Trekker Attacked and Robbed on Annapurna
Circuit
REF: 02 Kathmandu 2259
UNCLAS KATHMANDU 001890
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR CA/OCS/ACS/NESA JOHN PETERS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC ASEC PTER NP
SUBJECT: AmCit Trekker Attacked and Robbed on Annapurna
Circuit
REF: 02 Kathmandu 2259
1. SUMMARY. On Saturday, September 27, 2003, American
citizen Sean Gamble called the Embassy reporting that he
had been attacked, injured and his passport stolen by a
group of four assailants while trekking on the eastern
portion of the Annapurna Circuit, near the village of
Tal. The attack apparently occurred September 25 or 26.
Information on the incident is sketchy as his telephone
call was interrupted and contact with Gamble has not yet
been re-established. Apparently suffering only minor
injuries, Mr. Gamble appears to be continuing with his
trek as planned. One of the robbers, carrying Maoist
pamphlets, has been arrested and has confessed. As the
trekking season begins, the Embassy is beginning to
receive new reports of Maoist extortion of foreign
trekkers, even on some of the popular, well-traveled
trekking routes. ConsChief recently hosted Consuls from
the British, Australian, Japanese, French, German and
Israeli embassies to discuss and exchange information on
alleged Maoist extortion incidents and other security
concerns on popular trekking routes. Post's Emergency
Action Committee will meet tomorrow to discuss this
incident, as well as reports of alleged Maoist extortion,
threats and an alleged recent attack on a French trekker.
END SUMMARY.
2. American Sean Joseph GAMBLE (DOB: Feb. 5, 1974, PPT
#: 084223172) contacted Post One by telephone on
Saturday, September 27 to report that he had been
attacked and robbed on the eastern portion of the
Annapurna Circuit. Gamble stated several assailants
attacked him in a wooded section of trail near the
village of Tal. He was beaten with a stick, suffered a
gash on his head, and he was treated by an Israeli doctor
(presumably also trekking in the area) in Dharapani. The
attackers rifled through his backpack stealing among
other items, his U.S. passport. It is unclear if the
attacks occurred September 25 or 26. Mr. Gamble has not
signed a Privacy Act waiver.
3. Information on the attack is sketchy because the
telcon was lost shortly after Post One transferred the
call to ConOff and we have yet been unable to re-
establish direct contact. Our police contacts have
informed us that one of the robbers has been arrested in
the case. He is 17 years old and not a resident of the
area. The boy was found with Maoist leaflets in his
possession and reportedly has confessed to the assault.
Reportedly, villagers of the area assisted local police
in tracking down the boy. Post has also asked the
Himalayan Rescue Association, which has a high altitude
health post in Manang, to keep an eye out for Mr. Gamble
and to have him re-contact us immediately via their
satellite phone if he comes through Manang.
4. We have not yet confirmed that the attacks were
Maoist or if Mr. Gamble was attacked because he is an
American citizen. However, with the beginning of the
Fall trekking season, reports are surfacing of Maoist
extortion of trekkers. On most occasions, Maoists
reportedly have demanded 1000 NRs. (USD 13.50) per
trekker and on occasion have issued receipts. There are
also scattered reports of a few trekkers being
interrogated during Maoist encounters about their
nationality and conveying verbal anti-American threats to
trekkers of other nationalities.
5. Consuls from the British, German, Australian, French,
Japanese and Israeli embassies met Friday, September 19
on ConsChief's invitation to exchange information
concerning the preliminary reports of Maoist encounters
received to date. We called the meeting after receiving
second-hand e-mail reports written by British and
Canadian trekkers, of a French trekker with head gash who
had been beaten by Maoists in the Poon Hill area after
reportedly refusing to pay the Maoist extortion demands.
We have established an e-mail distribution list with
counterpart embassies to facilitate regular information
sharing about alleged security incidents on trekking
routes and will maintain a database of reported Maoist
robberies and assaults and other trail security
incidents.
6. Post plans to hold an EAC meeting tomorrow to review
trekking security issues (particularly in the Annapurna
area),and to discuss possible changes to Nepal's public
announcement language in light of recently reported
incidents.
Malinowski
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR CA/OCS/ACS/NESA JOHN PETERS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC ASEC PTER NP
SUBJECT: AmCit Trekker Attacked and Robbed on Annapurna
Circuit
REF: 02 Kathmandu 2259
1. SUMMARY. On Saturday, September 27, 2003, American
citizen Sean Gamble called the Embassy reporting that he
had been attacked, injured and his passport stolen by a
group of four assailants while trekking on the eastern
portion of the Annapurna Circuit, near the village of
Tal. The attack apparently occurred September 25 or 26.
Information on the incident is sketchy as his telephone
call was interrupted and contact with Gamble has not yet
been re-established. Apparently suffering only minor
injuries, Mr. Gamble appears to be continuing with his
trek as planned. One of the robbers, carrying Maoist
pamphlets, has been arrested and has confessed. As the
trekking season begins, the Embassy is beginning to
receive new reports of Maoist extortion of foreign
trekkers, even on some of the popular, well-traveled
trekking routes. ConsChief recently hosted Consuls from
the British, Australian, Japanese, French, German and
Israeli embassies to discuss and exchange information on
alleged Maoist extortion incidents and other security
concerns on popular trekking routes. Post's Emergency
Action Committee will meet tomorrow to discuss this
incident, as well as reports of alleged Maoist extortion,
threats and an alleged recent attack on a French trekker.
END SUMMARY.
2. American Sean Joseph GAMBLE (DOB: Feb. 5, 1974, PPT
#: 084223172) contacted Post One by telephone on
Saturday, September 27 to report that he had been
attacked and robbed on the eastern portion of the
Annapurna Circuit. Gamble stated several assailants
attacked him in a wooded section of trail near the
village of Tal. He was beaten with a stick, suffered a
gash on his head, and he was treated by an Israeli doctor
(presumably also trekking in the area) in Dharapani. The
attackers rifled through his backpack stealing among
other items, his U.S. passport. It is unclear if the
attacks occurred September 25 or 26. Mr. Gamble has not
signed a Privacy Act waiver.
3. Information on the attack is sketchy because the
telcon was lost shortly after Post One transferred the
call to ConOff and we have yet been unable to re-
establish direct contact. Our police contacts have
informed us that one of the robbers has been arrested in
the case. He is 17 years old and not a resident of the
area. The boy was found with Maoist leaflets in his
possession and reportedly has confessed to the assault.
Reportedly, villagers of the area assisted local police
in tracking down the boy. Post has also asked the
Himalayan Rescue Association, which has a high altitude
health post in Manang, to keep an eye out for Mr. Gamble
and to have him re-contact us immediately via their
satellite phone if he comes through Manang.
4. We have not yet confirmed that the attacks were
Maoist or if Mr. Gamble was attacked because he is an
American citizen. However, with the beginning of the
Fall trekking season, reports are surfacing of Maoist
extortion of trekkers. On most occasions, Maoists
reportedly have demanded 1000 NRs. (USD 13.50) per
trekker and on occasion have issued receipts. There are
also scattered reports of a few trekkers being
interrogated during Maoist encounters about their
nationality and conveying verbal anti-American threats to
trekkers of other nationalities.
5. Consuls from the British, German, Australian, French,
Japanese and Israeli embassies met Friday, September 19
on ConsChief's invitation to exchange information
concerning the preliminary reports of Maoist encounters
received to date. We called the meeting after receiving
second-hand e-mail reports written by British and
Canadian trekkers, of a French trekker with head gash who
had been beaten by Maoists in the Poon Hill area after
reportedly refusing to pay the Maoist extortion demands.
We have established an e-mail distribution list with
counterpart embassies to facilitate regular information
sharing about alleged security incidents on trekking
routes and will maintain a database of reported Maoist
robberies and assaults and other trail security
incidents.
6. Post plans to hold an EAC meeting tomorrow to review
trekking security issues (particularly in the Annapurna
area),and to discuss possible changes to Nepal's public
announcement language in light of recently reported
incidents.
Malinowski