Conservation Martyrs
Condolence
We have been deeply shocked at the death of Minister of State for Forest and Soil Conservation Mr. Gopal Rai (and his wife), Charge d' Affairs of Embassy of Finland Mr. Pauli Mustonen, senior Nepalese Government Officials, senior officials of WWF (Nepal, USA, UK), senior officials of USAID and other distinguished personalities - with whom we have been working closely in the national conservation movement - in the helicopter crash in Taplejung on September 23, 2006 (Asoj 7, 2063). Their unimaginable demise has greatly crippled our conservation works. We express sympathy for their families and pray for peace of the departed souls.
Mr. Prachet Shrestha |
Mr. Mangal Man Shakya |
|
Dr. Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha |
Wise-use House
Jwagal-10 Kopundol, Lalitpur, Kathmandu Nepal
Tel: +977 1 5550452, 5553870, 5524188, 5011010
Fax: +977-1-5011006
www.wiseuse.org.np
September 26, 2006 (Asoj 10, 2063)
We all feel so terrible about the accident and note that three of the people listed to receive letters in our current article re the monkey labs perished. So many good people, this is just horrible news and a terrible setback for the wildlife of Nepal . Shirley McGreal and
everyone at IPPL
PS, My assistant Hardy had a relative, the Canadian lady who died in the crash. She told her Nepali husband that she didn't want to go on the trip as she was scared of flying in a helicopter up in the mountains and her family wish she had listened to her gut feelings.
Shirley McGreal
International Primate Protection League
Summerville * SC * 29484 * USA
Indeed a loss for all creatures large and small...
Jiggy Gaton
CEO
Phoenix Studio
Kathmandu , Nepal
Hi Mangal and friends,
I read the news on the nepalnews.com website yesterday. The crash results in a huge and irreplaceable loss for Nepal 's conservation movement. These were Nepal 's conservation leaders who conceived and were implementing the visionary "Terai Arc Landscape" project, taking nature conservation to where it should ideally be. I am terribly shocked and numbed, especially because I interviewed almost half of them myself during my field work in Nepal . Their words still reverberate in my ears. Let me join you all in expressing my sadness at Nepal 's loss.
Damodar Khadka
British Columbia
Canada
Dear All,
As Deputy Chair of IUCN/CEESP but very much also as chair of the CEESP Working Group on Environment and Security in which capacity I recently have been corresponding with Wildlife Watch Group on their excellent event in Kathmandu on conservation in conflict areas, I add my deepest feelings of sorrow to those already expressed. This is an irreparable loss to the families concerned and the global conservation community. The best we can do is to do our utmost to make their work come true.
Wouter Veening
IUCN/CEESP/Working Group on Environment & Security
c/o
Institute for Environmental Security
Anna Paulownastraat 103
2518 BC The Hague
Netherlands
I am deeply touched by this news. My sincere condolences
Arthur
Fauna & Flora International (FFI)
East Africa Branch
East African Wild Life Society Building
Nairobi Kenya
Sometime WORDS are not enough to reach the limit I want to express....my condolence, sorrows, and feelings. The news just shocked me. It is just few days back they shared knowledge with us. Below the few lines for the part of my prayer to the respective GOD :
I solicit unto YOU A eternal peace for those nature loving hearts In search of natural peace for they launched I hope they would meet unto YOUR knee. Unfold YOUR hands to embrace thy corporeal being And restore them with immortal thing YOU own in your possession.
Biplob Chakma
Executive Director
Assistant for Indigenour Mountain Society (AIMS)
Bangladesh
I am deeply shocked by the news. My sincere condolences to the team
Patrick Shawa
Wildlife & Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia
Lusaka
Zambia
I am deeply shocked by the news
my deepest feelings of sorrow to the team
ayman abdel nour
Damascus-syria
Dear all,
After such remarkable event of International Conference on Conservation in
Conflict, it was more than shocking what was happened in Nepal .
My deepest condolences to all families, and to all conservationist's of the
world.
Zeqir
---------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Zeqir Veselaj
Director
Regional Environmental Center for Central and
Eastern Europe- Field Office Kosovo
Kodra e Diellit-Rruga 3, 10000 Prishtina
Web site: http://kos.rec.org
My sincerely feelings of sadness, It's hard to accept what went on
Mara Bocaletti
CALAS, Guatemala
My heart felt condolences.
Asif Zaidi
UNEP, Afghanistan
Dear Mr. Mangal Man Shakya,
Greetings.
On behalf of all members of IUCN in Pakistan and on my own behalf I write to convey our deep shock and grief at the enormous tragedy that occurred on 23 rd September, 2006 when so many priceless lives of eminent leaders of the conservation movement were lost.
Whether the distinguished personalities were from your beloved country, or from overseas, they were part of our single human family and all the more close to us because of our special shared concern for the environment.
I feel a personal grief because of the fact that, through your courtesy and hospitality I was able to meet several of these eminent individuals on 5 th /6 th September, 2006 in Kathmandu during the International Conference on Conservation in Conflict which was so well hosted by the Wild Life Watch Group under your able leadership.
Little did we know that just about 2 weeks later, we would lose the invaluable presence of persons such as the Honourable Mr. Gopal Rai, Minister of State for Forests and Soil Conservation, Mr. Pauli Mustonen, Charge d' Affaires, Embassy of Finland, Dr. Chandra P. Gurung, Dr. T.M. Maskey, and several others. Their devoted services in the cause of conservation and their contribution to the global environmental movement will always be respected.May God rest the departed souls in eternal peace and give strength to the bereaved families to bear this irreparable loss with fortitude. Amen.
Sincerely,
Javed Jabbar
IUCN Pakistan
Dear Mangal,
I am completely shocked with the tragic news. It is almost impossible to believe. It will be a major blow for Nepal 's conservation, but I am sure people like you will continue with all the hard and good conservation work.
When I got the news from BBC I was speechless. I am relieved you were not part of the people in the helicopter. I will like to help in any way I can to our process. Please count on me. I will send another email later on about that.
Please receive my condolences and kindly express our feelings from Bolivia to the ICCC team and WWF.
Bernardo Peredo
Conservation International Bolivia
My Friend,
I am deeply touched by these news.
My sincere condolences!!
Dener Giovanini
General Coordinator – Renctas
www.renctas.org.br