Customs of gold, silver, betel nuts increased

Kathmandu, 7 June: Government Monday hiked customs duty on gold, silver and betel nuts after President Dr Ram Baran Yadav Sunday night promulgated an Economic Ordinance (2nd amendment).
The ordinance was extended again after it couldn’t be approved in parliament following Maoist obstruction.
Government increases duties to discourage smuggling of precious metals across as prices are higher in India,
Nnnn

Consultations to draft constitution

Kathmandu, 7 June: Chairman of main constitution drafting committee Nilambar Acharya Monday began consultations with political parties to revive the stalled constitution writing process.
The process was re-started after three major parties extended the two-year elected mandate 28 May without going to a vote; the parties themselves, amid widespread public ridicule, extended the tenure.
Differences surfaced between three parties immediately after an agreement on a three-point agreement with attention centered around retaining and toppling government.
No discussions are being held on constitution as parties differ on fundamental principles to be incorporated in a constitution to institutionalize a republic.
A transition is now entering its fifth year.
Nnnn

Details of tenure extension of OHCHR

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 7 June: Two days before the UN agency’s tenure is ending, an agreement is possibly being signed in Geneva between OHCHR and Nepal to extend the tenure of OHCHR by one year, foreign ministry sources said.
Government came under intense western government pressure to extend the tenure by two years as its mandate was severely curtailed.
“OHCHR now won’t monitor. Its only work is to assist the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC),” Kantipur quoted Law Minister Prem Bahadur Singh as saying after a cabinet decision Sunday.
“We’ve curtailed those rights. It wasn’t something helpful for a sovereign,” Singh said as the previous access of the rights watchdog to courts and detention centers.
“NHRC now will have the main role to monitor human rights in the new agreement. OHCHR will be a backup of the NHRC,” Foreign Secretary Madan Kumar Bhattarai told Nagarik.
“The OHCHR will not have access to privileged or confidential information of the government. Its field offices will be removed as soon as possible and it will work in coordination with NHRC and other rights bodies of the country,” Energy Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat said.
NC had asked government to close down the OHCHR office.
OHCHE came to Nepal five years ago during the royal regime after an a concerted planned international campaigning malign and defame national institutions.
The ruling parties then welcomed OHCHR but are now funding it difficult to send it home.
Five regional offices on the UN agency will also be closed down..
Government took the decision one day after UHCHR Chief Richard Bennet returned to base after consultations with his office in Geneva.
“Either party cant terminate the agreement unilaterally after six months. This is part of the exit plan for the UN body here,” Dr Mahat said.
The tenure was extended for the fourth time.
OHCHR first came to Nepal in 2005 for two years. The tenures were extended for two years in 2007, for three months in May 2009 and again nine months in September 2009.
nnnn