THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER for Human Rights Louise Arbour announced, Friday, the appointment of Richard Bennett as head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal (OHCHR Nepal) and her Representative in the country. According to a press release by the OHCHR-Nepal, Bennett will take up his position by the middle of August 2007. He will be replacing the current OHCHR-Nepal chief Lena Sundh. “I am confident that under Mr. Bennett’s leadership, OHCHR will continue to provide the highest level of support and assistance to Nepal to address human rights issues in the context of the peace process, to develop its capacity to protect and promote human rights, and to end impunity,” Arbour has said. Bennett has been serving since August 2004 as the Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Afghanistan and Chief Human Rights Officer in the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan. He has extensive experience in human rights protection both domestically and internationally.
THE GOVERNMENT, ON THURSDAY (June 7), handed over a cheque of Rs 92.5 million to Information and Communication Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara following refusal by the Maoists to go ahead with the second stage verification unless they received monthly salaries to their People’s Liberation Army (PLA) combatants. The money was handed over by the Combatants Monitoring and Management Committee at the rate of Rs 3000 a month per PLA member. The money would be handed over to PLA members in 28 cantonments through local construction committees and the receipt of the same would be provided to the Committee. Maoist PLA commander Baldev has said that the second stage verification will now proceed as planned. Earlier, the meeting of Joint Monitoring Coordination Committee (JMCC) – which is represented by UN, Nepali Army and Maoist Army – on Thursday had failed to reach consensus after the Maoist side repeated its stance that the second stage verification should start only after the government implements past agreements including providing a monthly salary of Rs 3000 to each combatant and other facilities. Although the May 21 meeting of JMCC had decided to start second verification stage From June 10, three successive JMCC meetings had failed to break the deadlock. Thursday’s meeting also discussed ways to deactivate the unexploded ordnance abandoned in different parts of the country.
MINISTER FOR WORKS AND PHYSICAL PLANNING Hisila Yami has said that the government is willing to talk on all issues with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to continue with the Melamchi project. At a press meet on Thursday (June 7), Minister Yami said that the government was open on alternatives such as signing new management contract, floating new tenders, allowing Nepali management to handle valley’s water distribution system or even accepting Severn Trent Water International with some changes. Yami said that the cabinet meeting, on Wednesday, had decided to request the ADB to proceed with Melamchi project based on mutual understanding with the government. She said the government has also requested ADB to send a mission team for discussion on the project. Earlier, ADB had warned that it could decide not to renew its funding commitment on the multi-million dollar Melamchi Water Supply Project after the commitment expires on June end unless the government abides by previous understanding to allow British company Severn Trent to manage valley’s water distribution system. Minister Yami’s decision not to let ‘discredited’ company manage valley’s water had prompted the ADB to issue the warning. ADB is the principal donor of Melamchi where it has agreed to provide $120 million loan - of the total $500 million required for the project.
THE NEPAL STOCK EXCHANGE (Nepse) index touched five year high, on Wednesday (June 6), by reaching 549.96. The index of the country’s only secondary share market gained 5.82 points on Wednesday to break the five year record. The surge was propelled largely by the increase witnessed by share prices of commercial banks.
THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT According to Rewat Bahadur Karki, general manager of Nepse, the increase has come towards the end of fiscal year with expectations of announcement of bonus by the companies. (USAID) organized a fair to celebrate its 56 years in Nepal. Inaugurating the fair, US ambassador James Moriarty said, “Through much sweat and dedication by USAID and its partners, Nepalis now have vastly improved health care and education services. We are very hopeful that the current political climate will allow more Nepalis to take advantage of USAID programs so that they may benefit and be empowered to improve their own lives.” On the occasion, USAID/Nepal Director Don Clark thanked USAID’s partners “whose efforts, commitment to Nepal, and professionalism, have translated the will of the American people to help people worldwide, into reality.” He also emphasized that it is USAID’s partnership with the Government of Nepal, and the Nepali people that have led to some remarkable development achievements since the 1950s, such as the eradication of malaria in the 1960s, and more recently, a 45% drop in the infant mortality rate in the last 10 years. The one-day celebration at “Rabi Bhawan” highlighted the challenges and successes of USAID’s programs in health and family planning, economic growth, education, democracy and good governance, peace-building, and humanitarian assistance.
