Safety in Everest region

[Harry]

I am thinking that perhaps the May 2003 Everest celebrations might be a target for an attack on Lukla.It would certainly generate a mountain of publicity for the maoist cause;however it would probably decimate the tourist industry irretreviably.Maybe that thought is just too cynical.

[Mao-Li]

...just for the sake of clarity: the bombing of the control tower in Lukla took place one year ago (last January if I remember correctly). The contol tower was indeed a control tower (not a telephone shack), but it was already replaced by a new and more modern tower when the bomb hit it. When I was in Lukla last april, security forces held the outskirts of Lukla with armed posts in the daylight hours, but retreated back in town when darkness fell. From local people we learned that the security forces were not allowed to carry their arms outside town after dark, because the maoists were out there waiting for an opportunity to kill a soldier and take his gun. The situation was very similar in Namche Bazaar too. That was the situation last spring, I have no idea of what it looks like right now. Is there anyone who have been there recently (with their eyes and ears open) that can give us a first hand update ??

[Mao-Li]

Ehhh... who would like to make an instrumental approach to Lukla? You really beleive in reincarnation?? :-D
Whether or not the tower in Lukla falls under the criteria mentioned above, I beleive it is an insult to those who runs the airport to call their buildings telephone shacks.

I found the following text on Nepalnews:
http://www.nepalnews.com.np/archive/2002/february/arc326.htm


Maoists attack Lukla airport tower

Maoists hurled pressure cooker bombs at the old tower of Lukla airport Sunday night shattering window panes and blowing off tin roofs, police said. Nobody was injured in the bomb attack, but air service has been suspended.

Lukla airport in the gateway to Solokhumbu, a popular trekking destination at the foot of Mount Everest. Rebels attacked district headquarters Salleri on November 25 triggering a national emergency to contain a six-year-old communist insurgency. nepalnews.com br Feb.5

[Daniel]

Thanks Mao-Li, I stand corrected on the date...

But I do maintain my view on the "control tower" at Lukla.
Telephone shack, telephone shack, telephone shack, telephone shack...

[Mao-Li]

For a good look on the contol towers / telephone shacks in Lukla, please take a look on this site (search google/Lukla) (Internet is a wonderful thing!).
http://www.paesieimmagini.it/Nepal/FKhumbu.htm
In the picutres is is possible to see both the new and old towers. Quite impressive phone shacks for a thirld world country mountain village... ;-D

[yakshaver]

thanks Mao-Li, very nice. I revise my assessment upwards to "very nice and new phone shacks!" By the way, the new sealed run way looks good, eh?? I miss the old village footbal field landing strip thogh :((