Traditionally known as a haven for peace and a Shangri-La, Nepal’s image is fast deteriorating; and Nepal Tourism Year 2011 itself is likely to be affected. [break]
The case of the missing in the Himalayan regions of Nepal is not a new thing. News about missing tourists gone for trekking or around the outskirts of Kathmandu is frequently seen and heard about.However, the cases of the missing over the years have increased, and so has news coverage in the international media.
The Aubrey Sacco case
The recent news about Aubrey Sacco missing after she went on a trek in the Langtang region has really shaken the state. Aubrey’s case drew the attention of the international media and also saw the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) getting involved in the case. However, this is the first time the search for a tourist has caught so much attention.
A free spirit, as stated by her father Paul Sacco, Aubrey stayed in India for about five months teaching yoga and traveling. She was on a journey to self-discovery but now since she has gone missing, no one knows about her whereabouts. Nonetheless, her family is hopeful.
Aubrey last e-mailed her parents on April 20 from Nepal. She was supposed to round up her trip around April 30 and fly back home to the US at the end of May.
Aubrey hasn’t been heard from since April 20, when she e-mailed her parents from Nepal.
The Sacco family came to Kathmandu to follow their daughter’s trail but the search stopped when they reached the hotel where Aubrey stayed. Her belongings, including a laptop, were found in her room but nothing leading to where she was. The family believes she is alive, and the people in the area know something about her, but are not speaking, fearing allegations.
Aubrey was advised not to travel alone by locals in the area but refused to take the advice. Aubrey was last scene in Lama Hotel where she halted for lunch and then simply vanished.
The locals at the hotel area where Aubrey was last seen are not speaking, said Paul when he came on an interview on CBS’s The Early Morning Show.
“Nepali people are very friendly. However, we know that the locals know something but no one is ready to speak out,” he added.
The Sacco family’s spokeswoman Aileen Barry said, “The Embassy told them that 15 years ago there were two fishermen who found a body in a river and reported to the authorities but they were arrested and thrown in prison. The fishermen just got out and that is on everyone’s mind; and so they aren’t talking.”
News around the world report that Aubrey may have lost her way and may very well still be alive. Some also speculate that she might have been kidnapped, but her family has not received any calls demanding ransom. Recent news contemplated whether she was actually kidnapped by members of an underground sex-trade ring.
Meanwhile, in a news report on June 4, police found a badly decomposed female body in the Ghyanphedi area of the Langtang buffer zone.
“Though the body was badly decomposed, it was checked by the (US) Embassy people and some Sherpas,” said Nuwakot DSP Hari Bahadur Pal to The Week. He also informed that according to the local’s information, the body might have been of a woman who was mentally ill and wandering around the wilderness.
“The last rites were performed after no one claimed the body,” said DSP Pal.
In all this, the FBI joined the investigation.
“The FBI has a lot of investigative resources that they can bring to bear on that even the government of Nepal doesn’t have,” said Paul to CBS.
According to a news report on The DenverChannel.com, Sacco’s missing person investigation is now being treated as a criminal investigation, with the Denver FBI involved in the case. The FBI said there are 10 to 12 “persons of interest” in Aubrey’s disappearance, her family said.
Nothing has come out yet since the FBI said they have some “person of interest.”
The American Embassy in Kathmandu, however, declined to comment on anything regarding the issue. However, they confirmed that the FBI is involved with the case upon the Sacco family’s request.
The Nepal Army (NA), too, is helping in the search. Brigadier General Ramindra Chettri confirmed that the search is still on, and that all the NA officials have been informed to forward information immediately if Aubrey is found anywhere.
The Sacco family hopes that Aubrey is safe and sound, wherever she is.
Nepal’s security situation
Indeed, Nepal’s search team does not have enough resources to go out and about on a rescue mission. Even manpower is an issue. The Nepal Tourist Police office at Bhrikuti Mandap in Kathmandu has just 35 personnel. While their offices can be found at Bhrikuti Mandap, Thamel, Basantpur, Naxal, Rani Pokhari, and Gaushala, there are very few outside the capital city where they are most needed.
“The Nepali Tourist Police has very limited manpower and resources, though it’s the main body who handles missing cases,” said Laxman Bhattarai, spokesperson for the Ministry for Tourism and Civil Aviation. He added that because of the limitation of the Tourist Police, Nepal Police helps in these cases, too.
“We’re in the process of going out of Kathmandu, keeping in mind the Nepal Tourism Year 2011,” said Inspector Bharat Lama at Nepal Tourist Police, Bhrikuti Mandap.
Nepal Police, Nepal Army, the US Embassy and other organizations have collaborated to find Aubrey, and the Sacco family has their own investigation team too.
When The Week asked if Aubrey’s case has seen any new updates, Inspector Lama replied, saying, “We have no information about her yet. The US Embassy is doing a parallel search and we don’t have information from them.”
However, he added that a girl named Aubrey was found in Nagarkot, but later she turned out to be a French national with the same name.
According to Inspector Lama and Sub Inspector Sahi Ranjit, till date no tourists have been found after they were reported missing.
“Some are found and they leave Nepal without informing us and diplomatic missions don’t pass on information. So we’re in a difficult situation to answer the question,” said Ranjit.
In 2005, two foreigners went missing in the outskirts of Kathmandu Valley, creating a string of news in the media. Sabine Gruneklee from Germany and Celine Henry from France went missing after they entered the Nagarjuna Forest in the outskirts of the capital on separate days. Gruneklee’s body was found a year later, but Henry is still missing.
As reported in Republica in 2010: On February 2, a British national has been missing in the Everest region since December last year. Julian Wynne was on a trek in the Everest region with a friend.
On April 28, news of two Korean nationals missing in the Manaslu region for nearly two months was published. Hang Su, 37, and Yon Shi Won, 40, had started scaling the mountain from Sirdibashi in Gorkha District on April 20.
On June 5, a Greek national who was descending after conquering Mount Makalu was reported missing on May 5. Zasarias Kariakakis, 42, was last seen at the height of around 8,200 meters, his guide Dawa Sherpa had said. Sherpa later filed a report to the police about the missing man.
All these cases were not reported with the Nepal Tourist Police, and hence the security personnel did not have any information on them.
These are just some of the cases that saw some limelight and caught the attention of various media houses, but many actually go unnoticed. The number of missing tourists in Nepal was not available as we go to press, due to some technical difficulty at the Nepal Tourist Police office, Bhrikuti Mandap.
Traveling in Nepal
Tourists who visit Nepal for trekking purposes are issued a TIMS (Trekkers Information Management System) card. By issuing this, it becomes easier to track down trekkers and know their whereabouts in case they get lost or stranded. This also allows the smooth flowing of tourists in Nepal.
“It’s highly recommended to travelers that they don’t travel alone and use a travel guide,” says Inspector Lama. But if and when travelers choose to travel alone, TIMS is issued.
“This shouldn’t be done. The authorities need to stop issuing TIMS if trekkers are traveling alone because it’s not safe,” added Lama.
However, Bishwo Prakash Neupane, immigration officer at the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu, said, “We don’t issue trekking permits to single persons, and all the permits issued from the Immigration Department are for groups.”
Neupane added that trekking agencies, who are in direct contact with tourists interested in going on treks, files for permits at the Immigration Department, and they come in groups. But after the permits are issued, and if the travelers choose to go alone, the agencies allow it.
“The government doesn’t want travelers to wander alone in the wilderness,” said Neupane.
The Langtang National Park (LNP), where Aubrey went missing after she entered the area, also recently advised foreigners to avoid trekking alone in the area. According to a news report, Warden of LNP Phanindra Kharel said that solo trekking or hiking in the area is dangerous.
“The safest option for trekkers in the LNP is to join an organized group and/or use trekking companies that offer an experienced guide and porters,” he added.
After more than 10 years of the Maoist insurgency and civil war, the country is finally coming out of the trauma with much political instability still prevailing. But Nepal is still considered a safe haven for travelers. However, the fear of “going missing” may hit Nepal Tourism Year 2011 hard.
“We distribute handouts and pamphlets on how to stay safe when traveling in Nepal right from the airport,” says Sub Inspector Ranjit. Nepal Tourist Police’s booth at the airport is right besides the Nepal Tourism Board’s booth.
Issuing a notice, the US Embassy in Kathmandu also issued a warning to its citizens earlier on June 15.
“The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu strongly recommends that you do not hike alone or become separated from larger traveling parties while on a trail. Solo trekking is dangerous, has contributed to injuries and deaths, and makes an individual more vulnerable to criminals. Foreign trekkers have gone missing while trekking alone,” the statement read.
However, the European Union has not yet issued any travel warnings to its member countries and their citizens.
Due to its difficult topography and tricky terrains, traveling in and around Nepal is not only difficult for foreigners, but for Nepalis as well. Therefore, even Nepalis are recommended to take guides as hiking alone, out in the wilds of nature, is safe for none.
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