Problems surface in monitoring UNMIN flights in Nepal; unfettered UNMIN flights serious security risk for country

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 7 March: One month ago a UNMIN helicopter made an emergency landing in Ramechap, Sanjaya Neupane reports in Kantipur.
The pilot reported a fire in the engine.
The matter was hushed up.
Normally such incidents are investigated by the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority; but UNMIN conduce its own investigation with a special agreement with the government.
UNMIN, when asked by the Authority, replied ‘ investigationwasn’t necessary’.
One month later, 10 persons were killed in an UNMIN chopper crash in Ramechap.
UN officials have demanded a full investigation of the Ramechap crash.
UNMIN operates three Russian MI-8 helicopters and one DH 7.
The Authority doesn’t get full details of flight data operations from UNMIN ,including the passenger list although the Authority has to get details of all civilian flights.
UNMIN didn’t pay for the use of civil aviation facilities of the Authority after beginning air operations in Nepal. Authority officials UNMIN is pressuring government to waive the charges it woes to the authority.

[Note: The Authority is operating in a loss. In the early 1970’s UN flights operated unchecked from an airstrip near Rabi Bhawan with CIA involved in helping the anti-Tibet movement of Khampas from Nepal. The government then stopped the flights Rabi Bhawan and the UN was told to operate from Gaucharan, The present of TAI. The situation is almost similar now with UNMIN operating unfettered. This riases serious security risks.]
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