UNABLE TO MEET THE GROWING expenditures, the government is set to draw the overdraft of Rs 3.5 billion from the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). Last year, too, the government had drawn the overdraft of Rs 2.5 billion. According to NRB Act, the government can draw overdraft of about 5 percent of previous year’s revenue collection. Last year, the government had collected the revenue of Rs 70 billion. According to Finance Ministry, unavailability of foreign assistance in budgetary programs and poverty alleviation programs has forced the government to draw overdraft. This year the government had aimed to raise Rs 11.85 billion as internal loan – of which the government has already raised Rs 3.13 billion. Likewise, since the government had to invest Rs 1 billion in Nepal Oil Corporation as non-budgetary expenditure, the pressure on the spending has increased. Although the government aims to collect Rs 81 billion revenue this year, experts say only Rs 75-77 billion can be collected.
THE UNITED STATES HAS SAID the human rights situation in Nepal has further deteriorated over the last few years and that both the Maoist rebels and security forces have committed numerous human rights abuses last year. The 'Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2005' released by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington on Wednesday (March 8) said, "The (Nepal) government's poor human rights record worsened and the government continued to commit many serious abuses, both during and after the state of emergency that suspended all fundamental rights except for habeas corpus." The report further said, "During the year, Maoists continued their campaign of torturing, killing, bombing, conscripting children, kidnapping, extorting, forcing closures of schools and businesses , and committing other serious and gross human rights abuses." The report quoted INSEC, a Kathmandu-based human rights group, as saying that security forces killed 964 suspected Maoists while the insurgents killed 276 civilians during the year. A total of 1,305 persons remained disappeared since the beginning of insurgency in 1996 and government is yet to confirm the custody of 901 people. Similarly, the Maoists were responsible for the abduction of 46,794 persons, and the disappearance of 8,715 persons during the year, the report added.
TALKING TO REPORTERS VIA video conferencing, another senior US official said that the US “is firm in its stance that the King should reach out to the political parties to restore democratic process in Nepal and address the Maoist insurgency.” Elizabeth Millard, senior director at the National Security Council for Central and South Asia , said, “It’s very critical for the Maoists to give up violence and the King to reach out to the political parties.” Millard, who until recently was the Deputy Chief of Mission at US Embassy in Kathmandu , said, “Dialogue does not mean fighting. It means talking. We are not looking at the words but the actions.” Saying that the US was worried that the “deteriorating situation could lead to chaos”, she made it known that the US would continue to send its emissaries to Nepal to discuss with different sides about the current situation. Millard also informed that US President George W Bush during his recent visit to South Asia had extensive discussion with Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Nepal and added that the Maoists should give up violence. The US official, who accompanied President Bush during his South Asian tour, said that though she was unable to divulge the details of what transpired between Bush and the Indian PM over the Nepal situation, the US believed that the February 1, 2005, royal step was a step backward. “February 1 was very troubling for us,” she said, adding, “It was unhelpful also in terms of addressing the Maoist insurgency and the situation [since February 1] has deteriorated.” Even as the US and India have common view on Nepal , the US however, “does not see Nepal from India ’s eye”, she clarified. Citing strategic location of Nepal – between two regional superpowers, China and India - she said the US would also be discussing the Nepal situation with Chinese officials. US has “deep concern” over the human rights abuses by the Maoists and the state, she said, informing that the US military assistance to Nepal remains under constant review. “I think we have to continue to look at the developments. Arms assistance [to Nepal ] is constantly under review,” said she. On a question about former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s upcoming visit to the US , Millard said it was “good news” but she had no information about the visit. “I am very, very pleased to learn about Deuba’s release [from custody] and the Supreme Court’s decision to dissolve the RCCC (Royal Commission for Control of Corruption). But I am unaware about the tour.”
THE GOVERNMENT HAS REVISED its earlier estimation of economic growth rate in the current fiscal year. Based on the economic performance of the six months of the fiscal year, the government has reduced its growth estimates from 4.5 percent to 3.5 percent. Last year, the economy had grown only by 2.33 percent. This year, agriculture production has decreased while the growth of non-agriculture sector, too, is not encouraging. Inflation is surging while foreign assistance have nose-dived. Last year, agreements for foreign assistance of Rs 23.12 billion had been signed while the same has come down to Rs 14.28 billion in the review period. In the mid-term review, the government has also estimated that inflation would reach 7 percent. The revenue collection, too, has increased only by 5.9 percent to reach Rs 31.58 billion. The government had expected to see revenue grow by 14 percent.
THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEPAL marked this year’s International Women’s Day with a reminder of the plight of Nepalese women caught up in the decade-long conflict. UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Matthew Kahane, expressed deep concern over the deteriorating condition of women nationwide. “War is mostly driven by men, yet too often women are the primary victims, not because women are vulnerable per se but because the circumstances of conflict make them vulnerable,” Kahane said. “Sparing women and girls from rape and sexual slavery is not just about human rights, but also about human decency and dignity. The targeting of women and girls destroys peoples’ capacities to create communal life,” he said.
