KATHMANDU, July 4: Apart from pledges to make available Rs 1 million in compensation for each of the families of those killed in the Kabul attack on June 20, the Nepal government has intensified its diplomatic efforts to bring additional compensation from the recruiting company and the government of Canada.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has requested the agencies concerned and the Canadian government to show more generosity to the families of the slain.
According to MoFA, Sabre International, the British security consultancy that had hired the Nepali security guards for the Canadian mission in Kabul, has agreed to release compensation amounts at the earliest as per the contract signed with the late security guards.
Approximately USD 30,000 will be provided to the next of kin. “We are not sure how they will respond to our request but we have urged them to show some generosity to the victim families in view of the nature of the attack,” said MoFA spokesperson Bharat Raj Paudyal.
The officials of the company in Kabul have said they could not increase the level of compensation, but they have assured the ministry they will inform their headquarters about the request of the Nepal government.
The ministry has also asked for details about the circumstances surrounding the attack and Canada's official view regarding the incident, through diplomatic channels.
“We have also raised the issue of compensation from the government of Canada for the dependent families of those who lost their lives while on duty to protect the Canadian mission in Kabul,” spokesperson Paudyal said.
Govt ups diplomatic effort for compensation to Kabul victim
Preliminary probe shows it was suicide attack: Afghan govt
While there is still some mystery whether it was a suicide attack or a time bomb, the government of Afghanistan has stated that it was a suicide attack, as per its preliminary investigations.
The claim will be verified once DNA test reports on samples recovered from the attack site are obtained in a few days, the Afghan government has told Nepal.
According to Govinda Mani Bhurtel, spokesperson of the Ministry of Labor, the ministry was ready to provide compensation of Rs 1 million as pledged by the government.
Altogether 13 Nepalis working as security guards at the Canadian embassy in Kabul were killed in the brutal attack while they were going to work. Six others were seriously injured.
Though the government has barred Nepalis from going work in Afghanistan following the recent attack, many are still opting to go to that country.
