VZCZCXRO5215
OO RUEHCI
DE RUEHKT #0296/01 1000908
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 100908Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0028
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 6898
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 7216
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 2538
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 5260
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RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2964
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 0244
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA PRIORITY 4552
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2279
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 3471
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000296 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ASEC AMGT NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: ACCIDENT VICTIM SEEKING COMPENSATION FROM 
EMBASSY EMPLOYEE 
 
REF: SIMAS REPORT KATHMANDU 02442-2009 (166474) (NOTAL) 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) On the evening of March 9, 2009 Jennifer Kerr, the 
Political/Economic Section Office Management Specialist, was 
involved in a vehicular accident with a motorcyclist. 
Although initially media did not cover the accident, once 
they began to cover the story on March 24 they have presented 
very sensationalized and inaccurate stories.  Embassy 
officials have met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a 
local human rights organization regarding the accident.  Post 
will continue to work with the Ministry and is discussing 
next steps. 
 
Accident Details 
---------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On the evening of March 9, 2009 Jennifer Kerr, the 
Political/Economic Section Office Management Specialist 
(OMS), was involved in a vehicular accident with a 
motorcyclist.  The investigation is ongoing; however, all 
indications are that the accident was clearly the fault of 
the motorcyclist.  The motorcyclist, Sunny Nakarmi, had 
attempted to evade a police roadblock, crashed, and slid into 
the OMS' private vehicle traveling in the opposite direction. 
 The motorcyclist was brought to the hospital by ambulance. 
The OMS immediately contacted Post One and the Assistant 
Regional Security Officer (ARSO).  The OMS remained at the 
scene and cooperated fully with the police, assisted by the 
ARSO, Locally Employed Staff Investigators (LESI), and local 
guard force.  The OMS was not injured; however, the 
motorcyclist was severely injured and remains in intensive 
care in the hospital. 
 
Press Reporting 
--------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Initially the accident received no press coverage. 
Avenues Television presented the first story, a very 
sensationalized expose, over two weeks later.  The following 
week both the English language and vernacular press began to 
cover the story.  In reaction to the false and misleading 
information contained in the media, the embassy issued a 
press release April 1.  Although some subsequent stories 
refer to the press release, major inaccuracies remain.  Both 
television and print media widely covered the April 9 protest 
at which approximately 150 relatives and friends of the 
motorcyclist delivered a memorandum to the Chairman of the 
Constituent Assembly.  The group also marched carrying 
placards with photographs of the motorcyclist in the 
hospital, the embassy employee (Traffic Police had released 
her driver's license photograph, license number, and license 
plate number to the media), and phrases such as 'punish the 
guilty', 'take action against the embassy employee' and 
'provide compensation to the victim.' 
 
Subsequent Meetings 
------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) On April 8 Deputy Political/Economic Chief, ARSO, 
and Senior LESI met with two Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
(MFA) officials (Ambika Luitel, Under Secretary, Europe and 
Americas Division, and Deepak Adhikary, Deputy Chief of 
Protocol).  Emboffs explained how the accident had occurred, 
and corrected some misinformation contained in press reports 
and in the family's letter to the MFA requesting 
compensation.  MFA officials appreciated the embassy's 
outreach and requested assistance in obtaining the necessary 
reports from the Nepal Traffic Police.  MFA officials 
appeared sympathetic to the family's request for compensation 
and reiterated that by local custom, though not law, the 
driver of the larger vehicle pays compensation to the smaller 
vehicle regardless of fault. 
 
 
KATHMANDU 00000296  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) On April 10, Information Officer and Deputy 
Political/Economic Chief met with Sudip Pathak, Chairman of 
Human Rights Organization of Nepal (HURON), regarding the 
accident.  Emboffs related what had occurred the night of the 
accident and subsequently.  Pathak informed Emboffs that a 
large group, primarily Nakarmi's relatives and other students 
from the college he attends, had shown up at HURON's office 
on April 8.  He stated he had requested the meeting to find 
out the facts of the case and to offer to mediate between the 
family and the embassy.  He indicated the family was 
requesting the driver, or embassy, pay all Nakarmi's medical 
bills (currently estimated as at least 600,000 Nepali rupees, 
or approximately $7500) on humanitarian grounds even if Kerr 
was not at fault. 
 
Next Steps 
---------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The ARSO has increased the local guard force 
presence at Kerr's residence.  The diplomatic license plate 
on her vehicle has been changed.  Post will continue to work 
with the MFA.  Core country team reviewed the situation as of 
April 10, and discussed possible next steps.  The core 
country team will review these options on April 13. 
POWELL