Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KATHMANDU304
2009-04-15 10:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
NEPAL: AMBASSADOR RAISES HANDLING OF ACCIDENT
how-toVZCZCXRO0323 OO RUEHCI DE RUEHKT #0304/01 1051029 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 151029Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0042 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 6903 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 7221 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 2543 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 5265 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 6415 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2969 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA PRIORITY 4557 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2281 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 3476 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000304
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC AMGT NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: AMBASSADOR RAISES HANDLING OF ACCIDENT
INVOLVING EMBASSY EMPLOYEE WITH MFA
REF: KATHMANDU 296
Summary
-------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000304
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC AMGT NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: AMBASSADOR RAISES HANDLING OF ACCIDENT
INVOLVING EMBASSY EMPLOYEE WITH MFA
REF: KATHMANDU 296
Summary
--------------
1. (SBU) On April 15, the Ambassador expressed concern to
Acting Foreign Secretary Madan Bhattarai about how members of
the police, the family and the press were handling an
accident on March 9 in Kathmandu in which an out-of-control
Nepali motorcyclist collided with an Embassy employee in a
private vehicle. The Ambassador expressed willingness by
Embassy staff to meet with the family, but stressed that such
a meeting would be dependent on continued suspension of
protests vilifying the Embassy employee. The Ambassador
explained that she was requesting a meeting with the Home
Minister and Inspector General of Police also. She noted
that she had requested permission from the Department for a
one-time contribution to toward the cyclist's medical
expenses on humanitarian grounds, but that the request was
still pending. Acting Foreign Secretary Bhattarai encouraged
the U.S. Embassy to meet the family and indicated he would
share the Ambassador's concerns and comments with the Home
Secretary.
Ambassador Expresses Concern
--------------
2. (SBU) The Ambassador requested a meeting April 15 with
Acting Foreign Minister Madan Bhattarai to convey her
sympathies to the family of the Nepali motorcyclist whose
cycle collided with the personal vehicle of an Embassy
employee on March 9 in Kathmandu (reftel),and also to
express concern about how the case had been handled to date.
The Ambassador, who was accompanied by the Deputy Chief of
Mission, pointed out that members of the Nepal Police,
including the Home Minister's nephew, had made statements to
the press which were patently false -- alleging for example,
that Embassy employee had left the scene of the accident.
The police had also leaked her driver's license to the press.
The picture had since appeared on placards used during
protests against the employee. The family had also
contributed to the false reporting, which the Nepali media
had sensationalized.
Prepared To Have Embassy Staff Meet the Family
-------------- -
3. (SBU) The Ambassador pointed out that Embassy local staff
had already been in contact with the family, but she was also
prepared to have more senior Embassy staff meet with the
cyclist's relatives. That meeting, she said, could be with
the Foreign Ministry (MFA) present or not. The condition was
that the family would not resume the public protests in which
groups of students and others had vilified the Embassy
employee specifically. Those protests appeared to have
stopped since April 10. If Nepalis wanted to protest against
the U.S., that was their right, but the Ambassador was
concerned about the personal safety of the Embassy employee,
and Mission employees in general, in light of further
protests.
Meeting with Home Minister To Be Requested
--------------
4. (SBU) In the near future, the Ambassador was requesting a
meeting with the Home Minister and the Inspector General of
the Nepal Police to discuss how to resolve the issues arising
from the accident, including the unhelpful and false
statements made by the police early on. The Ambassador said
she intended to ask the Home Ministry/Nepal Police to issue a
statement clarifying key facts about the incident based on
the police report. She stated she would also discuss if the
police were prepared to make a finding of liability in this
case, as it was our understanding that the accident took
place due to no fault on the part of the Embassy employee.
KATHMANDU 00000304 002 OF 002
Possible U.S. Payment
--------------
5. (SBU) The Ambassador explained that she had also contacted
the State Department about the possibility of a one-time
contribution to the family on humanitarian grounds to help
defray the cyclist's medical costs. She pointed out,
however, that the release of funds required senior-level
approval in Washington, that it might or might not be
approved and that a decision would not be forthcoming for
several days, at the earliest.
MFA Reaction
--------------
6. (SBU) Acting Foreign Secretary Bhattarai encouraged the
Embassy to contact the family directly. The MFA had no need
to work through the MFA. He took note of the Ambassador's
concerns and comments and said he would convey them to the
Home Secretary.
POWELL
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC AMGT NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: AMBASSADOR RAISES HANDLING OF ACCIDENT
INVOLVING EMBASSY EMPLOYEE WITH MFA
REF: KATHMANDU 296
Summary
--------------
1. (SBU) On April 15, the Ambassador expressed concern to
Acting Foreign Secretary Madan Bhattarai about how members of
the police, the family and the press were handling an
accident on March 9 in Kathmandu in which an out-of-control
Nepali motorcyclist collided with an Embassy employee in a
private vehicle. The Ambassador expressed willingness by
Embassy staff to meet with the family, but stressed that such
a meeting would be dependent on continued suspension of
protests vilifying the Embassy employee. The Ambassador
explained that she was requesting a meeting with the Home
Minister and Inspector General of Police also. She noted
that she had requested permission from the Department for a
one-time contribution to toward the cyclist's medical
expenses on humanitarian grounds, but that the request was
still pending. Acting Foreign Secretary Bhattarai encouraged
the U.S. Embassy to meet the family and indicated he would
share the Ambassador's concerns and comments with the Home
Secretary.
Ambassador Expresses Concern
--------------
2. (SBU) The Ambassador requested a meeting April 15 with
Acting Foreign Minister Madan Bhattarai to convey her
sympathies to the family of the Nepali motorcyclist whose
cycle collided with the personal vehicle of an Embassy
employee on March 9 in Kathmandu (reftel),and also to
express concern about how the case had been handled to date.
The Ambassador, who was accompanied by the Deputy Chief of
Mission, pointed out that members of the Nepal Police,
including the Home Minister's nephew, had made statements to
the press which were patently false -- alleging for example,
that Embassy employee had left the scene of the accident.
The police had also leaked her driver's license to the press.
The picture had since appeared on placards used during
protests against the employee. The family had also
contributed to the false reporting, which the Nepali media
had sensationalized.
Prepared To Have Embassy Staff Meet the Family
-------------- -
3. (SBU) The Ambassador pointed out that Embassy local staff
had already been in contact with the family, but she was also
prepared to have more senior Embassy staff meet with the
cyclist's relatives. That meeting, she said, could be with
the Foreign Ministry (MFA) present or not. The condition was
that the family would not resume the public protests in which
groups of students and others had vilified the Embassy
employee specifically. Those protests appeared to have
stopped since April 10. If Nepalis wanted to protest against
the U.S., that was their right, but the Ambassador was
concerned about the personal safety of the Embassy employee,
and Mission employees in general, in light of further
protests.
Meeting with Home Minister To Be Requested
--------------
4. (SBU) In the near future, the Ambassador was requesting a
meeting with the Home Minister and the Inspector General of
the Nepal Police to discuss how to resolve the issues arising
from the accident, including the unhelpful and false
statements made by the police early on. The Ambassador said
she intended to ask the Home Ministry/Nepal Police to issue a
statement clarifying key facts about the incident based on
the police report. She stated she would also discuss if the
police were prepared to make a finding of liability in this
case, as it was our understanding that the accident took
place due to no fault on the part of the Embassy employee.
KATHMANDU 00000304 002 OF 002
Possible U.S. Payment
--------------
5. (SBU) The Ambassador explained that she had also contacted
the State Department about the possibility of a one-time
contribution to the family on humanitarian grounds to help
defray the cyclist's medical costs. She pointed out,
however, that the release of funds required senior-level
approval in Washington, that it might or might not be
approved and that a decision would not be forthcoming for
several days, at the earliest.
MFA Reaction
--------------
6. (SBU) Acting Foreign Secretary Bhattarai encouraged the
Embassy to contact the family directly. The MFA had no need
to work through the MFA. He took note of the Ambassador's
concerns and comments and said he would convey them to the
Home Secretary.
POWELL