I will definitely return to Nepal
- Dr Brian Cobb
The American doctor, who was misbehaved upon and deported by Nepali authorities, last week, tells Nepalnews.com about the ordeal he had to undergo.
Dr Brian Cobb, an American citizen working as professor of emergency and critical care medicine in Dhaka, Bangladesh, was in the news after he treated hundreds of injured victims of the ongoing pro-democracy movement in Katmandu. He was deported by the government on Thursday accusing that he was working illegally in Nepal. He replied to questions sent by Nepalnews over email from Dhaka, Bangladesh. Excerpts:
Under what circumstances were you deported from Nepal and for what reasons?
At 4 p.m. on 12 April, I was approached at Gongabu by an SSP and Inspector without name tags and told, "We want you to come to our office. Our IGP (Inspector General of Police) wants to talk to you." Our driver, Dr Hensel from Germany, a Nepalese doctor and 5 five Nepali student volunteers went along. We followed a large, gray police truck to the Armed Police headquarters.
We waited idly for an hour and a half, at which time I told them that we would like to reschedule the appointment because we had works to do. It seemed the IG was busy. Immediately one Inspector Tamang, a short bald man, came out and told us that we were under investigation as criminal suspects. I asked if we were under arrest but he said no. I then walked outside to the vehicle with him and several other police, some with batons and some with submachine guns, who told us to get into vehicle. We complied, but when two policemen with SMGs pushed their way into the vehicle and told our driver to do as he was told and called my team filthy things in Nepali, I got out and walked over to a UNOHCHCR team that had just left the building.
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Inspector Jagat Koirala appeared arrogantly, refused my request for consular assistance and told me, "This is my country. You have no right here. If they [consular officers] come, we won't let them in." |
They denied my three requests to contact the US and German Consulates or Yubaraj Sangroula, Dean of the Kathmandu School of Law through whom I wanted to file a Habeas Corpus petition. They sent message to our Consuls. Inspector Jagat Koirala appeared arrogantly, refused my request for consular assistance and told me, "This is my country. You have no right here. If they [consular officers] come, we won't let them in." The others got out of the vehicle to join me but were surrounded by 8 to 10 police, most with SMGs.
The Inspectors went in. There was a meeting organised. We could see people pointing to us from time to time from the meeting room in first floor and hear the murmur of discussion. It was about 7 p.m. The UN team told me that the US Consul was coming. At about 7:30 the two Inspectors came and told us to enter our vehicle, which we refused.
Shortly after this Inspectors Koirala, Tamang and several other SPs approached us and told us that the Chief District Officer (CDO) wanted to meet us. I told them I decline the invitation because we had already been lied to and intimidated, and that our continued detention despite repeated denials that we were under arrest, while being told we were not free to leave, was unlawful. Then, with the UN team at our sides, Dr Hensel and I were roughly handcuffed. We were under arrest. We were forced at gunpoint into a large gray police van.
With the Nepalis and some police in our vehicle following and the UN team behind them, we were taken to the CDO's office. My right hand, now uncuffed, was bleeding onto his chair so he allowed one of my volunteers to bandage it. He seemed nervous and had an obviously forced laugh. He told us this was just a routine visa check. However, he said he was under orders but refused to say whose. The US Consul spoke with him on the phone for about 10 minutes, after which he told us that if I left my driving license we could go and return the following day, but that the Nepalis would be sent to jail. He threatened them in Nepali. I told the CDO that if the Nepalis went to jail, I would go with them. He then talked privately with the UN team and agreed to release them with us.
At around 10 p.m. we went to our hotel. The following morning I went, as instructed, to the immigration office with Alyce Spensley, the US Vice Consul. Dr Hensel arrived with two German consular officials. We met immigration officials, who told us we were illegally working. They showed us the regulations in English, from which it was clear that giving first aid as individuals was not illegal. Nonetheless, we were offered the choice of voluntary departure or official deportation with no right of return. We obviously chose the former. My driving license was returned and we signed statements saying we were voluntarily leaving and aware that it is illegal to work in Nepal with a tourist visa.
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With the Nepalis and some police in our vehicle following and the UN team behind them, we were taken to the CDO's office. My right hand, now uncuffed, was bleeding onto his chair so he allowed one of my volunteers to bandage it. |
Ms Spensley had me fill out an affidavit regarding the incident and took down some more details herself. I went in the US consular vehicle with Ms Spensley and an immigration officer to the airport where I boarded Biman flight 702 to Dhaka. My flight had been advanced by a Nepali friend from a travel agency that morning.
Why did you decide to come to Nepal to treat pro-democracy victims?
I have visited Nepal a number of times and came to love the Nepalis as many foreigners do. It's natural for a friend to do what he can in times of need. I expected a lot of bloodshed and knew that my Nepali colleagues, who laboured heroically despite police abuses, could use my help giving emergency care to the injured victim on the spot.
Is status of emergency medical facilities during violence enough in Nepal?
Of course, not to the extent what it ought to be. Any health care system, even in a developed country, can be entangled when hundreds or thousands of casualties occur within a short span of time. The medical care in Nepal is progressing, but trauma care is not so well developed at this time.. Nonetheless, the doctors and nurses did a commendable job under the current trying circumstances.
There is need of postgraduate training for doctors and nurses in emergency and critical care and upgraded facilities; perhaps the Nepali authority will invest in training of health professionals instead of investing in military helicopters.
How important is on-the-spot treatment of injured people? How can you describe the police atrocities?
Experience in both military and civilian trauma settings demonstrates that immediate, on-scene skilled care is lifesaving. Sadly, this is not available at present in Nepal. My team and I were trying to bring this into practice, but my arrest and forced departure preclude continuing our service to the people of Nepal.
Peaceful crowds were provoked ? deliberately, in my view ? to throw stones in order to justify heinous, violent repression as threatened by Home Minister Kamal Thapa.
Will you return to Nepal for further services?
I will definitely return to Nepal. I care deeply for its people and support their struggle for peace, freedom and development. My ancestors fought to defend innocent people from aggression in several wars, and my generation is called to do the same. I have been forced to leave physically, but my support is strengthened by the courage, kindness and determination of the Nepalis people. I hope someday to return to teach future generations of Nepali health professionals and thus leaving a legacy of humanitarianism and compassion.
Source: nepalnews.com Indra Adhikari Apr 17 06 |