This former army commander is now serving as our envoy in a Latin American country. This is a rich country. But the roads in this country are not safe for travellers due to the ever present threat from highwaymen.
Recently this envoy took time off his onerous duties to go on a picnic by car in the host country. He was accompanied only by his cook and one bodyguard. However, he failed to observe the protocol of informing either the government of the host country or the foreign ministry authorities here about his outing programme.
It was lunch time and the travellers now on a lonely stretch of road broke journey to have the picnic meal at a wayside spot. The envoy uncorked a bottle while the cook started preparing the meal. Alas! The diplomat had taken only a ’shot’ or two from the bottle when two gun-toting highway robbers descended on them. The two robbers soon cleaned them out of their money, gold and other valuables at gunpoint and proceeded to beat them up. What was worse, they made their getaway in the envoy’s car! The bodyguard escaped the beating as he had bolted the moment the robbers appeared.
The diplomat who once issued orders to the three armed forces in his country thus left high and dry on the lonely road had to trek about 20 kilometers to reach the nearest town from where he contacted his embassy officials to apprise them of his plight. The officials had immediately sent a vehicle to pick up the stranded envoy, his driver and cook.
The host government has already reported the envoy’s act of indiscretion to the authorities here, they say.
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