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mieke
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British citizens going missing abroad
Thank you for teaching me about the dinosaurs, David.
I chose their species-name, to indicate something "huge" and unwieldy and not-of-this-world, with the general characteristic of incapability to move, to think practical, to adapt to the need of the day or the hour, to criticise and to transform itself, and so on...
I have no opinion about the size of "diplomatic brains" (though I happen to know from experience that there are some really intelligent diplomats, though they may be rare), but I sure like the way you defend pre-historic animals! 
On a more serious note now. It's véry good to read about Mr. Neyroud's involvement, and the letter he wrote to Dr. Howells.
While of course back in the mid-'90s already some 20 foreign diplomatic missions based in India created their very own "Foreign Missing Persons Bureau" to improve search efforts (performed by western, specialised staff), it was in 2002 that the "Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland" apparently paid a lot of attention too to (logistic) problems and recommendations in view of "Family Liason" regarding the death of British subjects abroad, and regarding UK citizens going missing abroad.
I put a few links to such documents in the 'British Authorities'-reply of the 2004-internet history thread on this board. Here is an important example of their attempts: click link (HTML-version) to a 3 year old, copyrighted document.
Though of course I'm not aware of all the things and efforts Thames Valley Police have undertaken ever since Gareth went missing last year, it would seem that - due to the British government not taking its responsibilities in this field of police care - Peter Neyroud sure has a "case" in this respect. Because it looks to me as if Chief Police Officers have anticipated and recognised a few years ago that, with some changes, their organisation could basically "do better" in respect of contacts and results abroad (and liason with the relatives), where these tragedies are concerned.
Obviously British Embassies abroad will in principle play an important role in many ways, for the investigating British police force (death, suspected death or murder, disappearance). In Gareth's "case", the British Embassy in Kathmandu, knówing all the time about the structural lack of concern and action from the side of Nepali authorities, and knowing about corruption as well, in my opinion never made clear to TVP that they (TVP) should nót expect any important results, because nobody would take any serious action (apart from the search posters, a few newspaper stories and hiring a tracker in ways we don't need to discuss anymore). As simple as that.
It's an easy assumption to make about communications between your Consul and TVP last year. Because if HM Consul/the Embassy would indeed have supplied solid information to TVP about the practices and "habits" re. foreign tourists going missing in Nepal, and how everything seems to be highly dependent on sheer luck and the skilled actions of relatives only, I don't think I'll be far from the truth to suspect that in that case, if you had received the correct "picture" of the situation and what to expect and what not, both TVP and you yourself would have been on a plane to Kathmandu immediately...
How many times, in f.e. the past ten years, was the Thames Valley Police confronted with a missing person case re. a British national who had gone missing in Nepal? And how many times in the past ten years was the British Embassy in Kathmandu confronted with British tourists going missing there or being murdered, in addition to its general knowledge about what happened in case foreigners of other nationalities went missing in Nepal? It takes inside-knowledge (also political), and a kind of private "army" of S&R people, and relatives with very good strategical and management skills, to carry out a thorough search in that country. The Embassy knew all that (it must have, because a total stranger to the country can learn these things within a few weeks, using libraries and the web).
But here we go again: should a British Embassy live by and base its actions and presumed limitations on the habits of the country it is situated in, or should British standards re. search efforts prevail? It's not uncommon for British police officers to travel abroad in case one of their nationals is missing there. So they can decide upon and carry out their own investigations, in ways they feel necessary (though often in cooperation with local police of course). But what with a Consul who keeps telling you there is nothing to worry, and who never mentions even the simplest yet highly important "tools" to perform a solid search? "Tools" or habits any experienced Nepal-trekker can tell you about immediately? Both Bloomfield and Chick are experienced Nepal-trekkers themselves. So where does their neglect and their arrogance originate from?
Just say the words "Interpol Kathmandu" (Alex Ratnasothy: Anna's experiences in 2003; Gareth: your own experiences in September '04; Tiziana Pellegatta: Anna's account of what she witnessed in 2003), and I sincerely hope that the TVP Chief Constable will receive lots of support and backing for his letter to Kim Howells now, from his colleagues and British police forces in general. Nepal, unfortunately, not being the only foreign country where things "go" this way, but perhaps belonging to the worst indeed; I admit I don't know. But each year many many thousands of (young) Brits spending their holidays in the Himalayas of Nepal.
Wishing you all a really pleasant holiday, and a safe return,
mieke
Last edited by mieke, 25/6/05, 11:07
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25/6/05, 10:29
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mieke
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The Embassy's cooperation in Google-cache
About the British Vice Consul and her stunning behaviour and denial of reality. "Discrediting the Embassy": there's nobody better in discrediting the Embassy than the Embassy itself, if you ask me: deleting important information about a missing British national, just to pester his relatives and other people who do care about what happened to him in Nepal.
This is the KTM Embassy Consular homepage, the way it looked shortly after April 16, 2004:
http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1067968460345
(Showing an appeal & link to the FCO-appeal re. Gareth, but as ever without a photo).
With thanks to "tan" (famous quote of his: "Google is your friend"), at least for the time being one can still see what the two links on the Consular section of the site looked like, when immediately after the launch of the Koch family website for Gareth in July '04, the Embassy linked to it as well (of course the announcement could have been clearer):
British Embassy, Kathmandu Consular
The first link leading here: http://www.fco.gov.uk/Files/kfile/Gareth%20Koch,0.doc
The second link leading here: http://www.garethkochlostinnepal.co.uk
This is no contest, nor can it ever become one, but here is an example of how an Embassy (in this case Dutch) can focus attention on missing nationals:
http://www.hollandinindia.org/ - (see right-sided menu, the last link leading to two, in fact old, missing person cases). The Dutch Embassy in Indonesia f.e. did a similar thing half a year ago and before the tsunami disaster, when it had several Dutch nationals still missing. What you should be aware of is that in the case of missing Maarten de Bruijn (India), his father never made it a secret that he was far from impressed (to use an understatement) by the communications and search efforts performed by police and by his Embassy in India. He had quite some criticism, especially after he went to India himself months later and accompanied by a number of his friends. They soon discovered "traces and evidence" of the whereabouts of his son, that Indian police nor the Dutch consular section ever managed to find.
Nevertheless and thankfully the Dutch envoy and his staff apparently never felt the stupid need to retaliate, and remove that appeal for information about Maarten from their Delhi website. Which is correct imo, as personal differences and criticism should NEVER be allowed to interfere with and disturb a professional contact/relationship, and duty. Maarten's father seemed right and entitled to his disappointment and criticism, like imo the Koch family is right and entitled to criticism, objections and disappointment where its own (Ktm) Embassy is concerned.
So why the childish and highly unprofessional punishment now of relatives of a missing Brit, by a British diplomatic mission, or at least by its Vice Consul? I doubt if Mrs. Brocklebank will ever be able to explain her thoughts on this issue, and preferably in a mature way for a change. Because any other strategy that the Embassy may have chosen but true, honest, skilled cooperation and explanation of its decisions and actions, may become counterproductive in future. There was simply too much evidence already, proving its (utter) lack of professionalism (in people's opinion) in dealing with a missing tourist "case". And the number of complaints about the attitude and treatment by representatives of this particular British Embassy is still rising.
Several British travellers last year expressed fine, great, perfect experiences especially with the British Embassy in Bangkok, but other foreign missions as well. Which imo would mean this is not a general problem of British diplomats & their staff and the FCO and its "culture". Not something to be considered normal and unavoidable, but much more a matter of personal qualities, character, and dedicated leadership, or the structural absence of such qualifications.
In any case, re-reading the appeal for Gareth on the FCO website, it seems important that UK Police is thoroughly aware of how British diplomatic missions abroad can happily mess up a missing person case, never realising what they've been doing.
mieke
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25/6/05, 15:46
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mieke
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nationality
You know what? In addition to their vaccinations, travel insurance policy, a good travel guidebook and all that, British backpackers who dare to venture out to Nepal should perhaps be given a US passport before they cross the border into the country there...
No further comments; the search certainly isn't over yet.
"Looking up at the Khumbu Icefall
from BAI Everest Base Camp"
courtesy Berg Adventures.com
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4/8/05, 15:39
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mieke
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B, B & B
Didn't yet know when I posted my previous reply tonight in this thread, but David, Gill: they've asked for it! Bloomfield, Brocklebank and Beeson. Btw where's Beeson? Anyone ever heard from him still since July last year?
Hów on earth can Ambassadors maintain it's safe for trekkers in Nepal, when a real search & rescue operation would either secretly need to ship its professional SAR-gear into the country, or replace it with equipment of 2nd choice? People would be crazy the day they would start to believe that Ambassadors-"logic", the arrogant lies that kept coming from Kathmandu.
Search for missing hiker goes high-tech - 02:37 PM CDT on Thursday, August 4, 2005
By LINDA LEAVELL / DallasNews.com
High-tech equipment intended to aid the search for a Dallas man who has been missing near Mount Everest for two weeks was expected to be shipped Thursday to the U.S. Embassy in Nepal. “It’s kind of up to the searchers to take this equipment and go find us a young man,” said John Seibert, U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions’ 32nd District director.
Trevor Stokol, 25, was last seen July 22 on what was to be a brief hike to take photographs of the mountain. After he did not return, his traveling companion and others began looking for him, then reported his disappearance to U.S. authorities in Kathmandu.
Seibert, who has been assisting the Stokol family, said a local office of L3 Communications made the equipment available after efforts to get classified thermal imaging equipment to Nepal fell through. “The heroes are L3 because once I called them up and said, ‘All right, guys, this is my issue and my problem, I need plan B’ … they scrambled and put it together for me,” Seibert said. A spokesman for L3 was not immediately available for comment.
Stokol’s family members in Nepal helping with the search have asked that the equipment not be described in detail because of the civil unrest in that country. “There might be some political misunderstanding if there is technology moving to Nepal. One or the other side may perceive that as a threat,” Seibert said. “Not for recovering a young man.”
He could say that the equipment was not considered classified, so it did not need a special permit to leave the country, unlike the original thermal imaging equipment. “After the 15th, it does become classified and the custody trail of it is established and it must come back,” he said. “Once it becomes classified, then we have to establish where it is and who has it and get it back.”
After eight months of travel across India and Southeast Asia, Stokol was days away from returning to North Texas to enter the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He is a 2002 graduate of Emory University. At the request of Stokol's family, the 1st Special Response Group, a nonprofit, international search and rescue team, has become involved in coordinating the search efforts.
A fund to offset some of the expense associated with the extensive search has been established. Tax-deductible donations may be made to 1SRG, Trevor Stokol Fund, P.O. Box 230, Moffett Field, Calif., 94035.
Also Online (links in the original article - m.)
- More information on Trevor Stokol and the fund
- Trevor Stokol trip journal "BallofDirt.com"
- News from Everest: Trevor Stokol's family journal
Source & © 2005 KVUE News KVUE.com ["Dallas News"]
Link to the website of L-3com.com
If relatives can't even have a professional SAR-operation performed there anymore, including the use of the necessary thermal equipment, without worries about customs, regulations, and the parties in the CIVIL WAR perhaps seeing it as a possible threat to the nation's "security"(sic!), then what is Bloomfield doing there but filling his pockets with his cheap, irresponsible salestalk about how it's "perfectly safe for trekkers in Nepal"?
Thank you.
(the bold in above copy of the newsarticle's text is mine, mieke)
Last edited by mieke, 5/8/05, 16:47
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4/8/05, 21:14
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mieke
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Ungrateful
The parents of Trevor Stokol have meanwhile called off futher searchoperations. They'll take their scars with them when they leave Nepal the coming weekend, to go home.
What goes on are the ways in which the notorious British ambassador who knows so well that "it's perfectly safe for trekkers in Nepal", clashes with Nepali government and Nepalis who are extremely concerned about the future of their country.
"Never has a country had more ungrateful friends than you..."
Nepali Times, 5-11 August, Letters, Bloomfield (8 in total)
Especially the above quote, written by Rabin Rai who is an ex-British Gurkha, reminds of that other Brit, a retired Gurkha Major. He would have loved to see Great Britain come to the help and rescue of Nepal.
"...bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had country more faithful friends than you."
It's not going to help, Bloomfield, your take on things. It's not going to help Nepal, nor the thousands of British backpackers and trekkers who like to go there on their holiday.
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10/8/05, 22:27
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Kovar
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Thermal imaging equipment
Greetings,
The inital thermal imaging equipment was not blocked by anyone in Nepal. It could not go out of the country due to U.S. export controls on certain types of equipment.
L3 stepped up to the plate with equipment that wasn't subject to export controls. Unfortunately, starting on August 15th, 2005 even this equipment will be restricted.
-David
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11/8/05, 0:17
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mieke
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insurgency, civil war, terrorism, culture, competition
Greetings to you too, David Kovar. And thank you for the clarification re. the special equipment.
I didn't think anyone in Nepal was actually blocking the arrival of such equipment there, or threatened to do so. It's obvious that this type of "high tech" and who is using it, needs strict control indeed; if it gets into the "wrong" hands, the military and political damage it could cause would be immense. But now that you emphasised the export control restrictions on its use again, if it's not too much asked I would indeed appreciate your estimate whether or not high-tech thermal imaging equipment would have been allowed to leave the U.S. for exactly the same purpose: searching a missing person under extreme conditions, if this would not have taken place in Nepal but instead let's say Australia, Switzerland, Canada or Argentina?
There have always been times when mountaineering or trekker accidents and disappearances happened, and technology was not available yet. In Trevor's case it would have been a whole lot better if the equipment could have been flown to EBC asap! It exists, and it might have helped to find him.
Yesterday the Pakistan Army performed a spectacular rescue operation to save the life of a Slovenian mountaineer who was completely stuck at over 6.000 m altitude on Nanga Parbat. Apart from the many congratulations and the admirable, professional statement issued by the Pakistan Army, there are also people criticising that só much money would be spent on trying to save just one life. But that doesn't count for relatives who may, or may not, be about to lose a loved one. And it doesn't count in many rescue operations, including those to save the life of animals.
This thread is basically about the British FCO and the performance of the British Embassy in Kathmandu. It's about the culture in such organizations, and the unnecessary damage they can do. You know the background. And with the violence and tensions in Nepal being so apparent, your custom authorities probably can't afford indeed to make an exception for a case like Trevor's, even if he is a U.S. national, and one with a promising future.
I'd like the British ambassador to stop playing his games - as they are for dumb people only - and to behave and speak like an envoy who knows his responsibilities when it comes down to making public statements about the security situation in Nepal for foreign tourists. I imagine 1SRG has now experienced itself how much help Nepali authorities provide, in the case you have just been involved with. And will Mr. Moriarty's Embassy send the final report of Andrew Lock and the Nepali Sherpa-crews that carried out the search, to Trevor's parents in Dallas by ordinary mail only, you think? So it'll take weeks to arrive? Because it's an "official document"?
Two more things to keep in mind. Firstly there is a publication about how a helicopter from the Royal Nepalese Army would have assisted after the first few days of the search for Trevor. Elsewhere, and later, however it was said that it was a U.S. helicopter checking out the environment in the Gorak Shep/EBC area. That's rather a difference and I wonder which one of both stories is true.
Secondly, take a look at how soon 'the competition' sees its chances:
"Accidents may deter western tourists to Nepal", published Aug. 11 by Webindia123.com. India and Nepal are in constant rivalry and competition over tourism to the Himalayan mountains, as both countries have quite a few of them.quote:
Two isolated accidents this week highlighting the pitfalls awaiting the unwary trekker in Nepal may hit the kingdom's tourism industry.
A Scottish earl, whose dangerous driving caused serious injuries to two women, blamed it on a trip to Nepal, saying it could have been caused by high-altitude sickness incurred while climbing the Himalayan ranges, British daily Telegraph reported Thursday.
The story of the Scottish earl sounds silly, and the risk of altitude sickness doesn't stop at the national borders of Nepal. But even as far away from the Indian Subcontinent as I am, I am indeed under the impression that mountain rescue is better organized in India, and more readily available and with more, active attention and help from local police and so on.
Last edited by mieke, 11/8/05, 13:08
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11/8/05, 12:58
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