Members of the victims' families, Colleagues and friends,

It is with profound sorrow that I send you my condolences as you honour those who died in the tragic helicopter accident two weeks ago. My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of those who perished, and to UNMIN staff who have lost irreplaceable colleagues and friends.

The loss of these courageous and dedicated individuals was a terrible blow to the entire United Nations family. Their commitment and professionalism will never be forgotten. Reading the hundreds of condolences that have poured in from around the world, I am struck by the tributes to the many qualities of these colleagues, who are described as respectful and loyal, caring and kind.

Your sadness is shared by all the UN family, but felt most acutely in UNMIN. As one colleague put it, “To have served with and known colleagues Lt. Col. Bhim Bahadur Gurung, Rabindra Khaniya, Rajesh Maharjan, Col. Hyung Jin Park, Lt. Col. Sondang Irawan, Maj. Famara Jammeh, Maj. Mats Norhult, Dmitry Malyshev, Nikolay Yamshchikov and Sergey Oreshenko was an honour.”

May the exceptional men we lost on 3 March 2008 rest in peace. Let us all, families and colleagues, be proud of their service. Even as we mourn their passing, let us rededicate ourselves to realizing lasting peace in Nepal. This will be the best tribute to their memory, a legacy that will stand for generations to come.