GOLD AGAIN GAINS

GOLD AGAIN GAINS
Kathmandu, 5 Sept.: Gold again gained Rs.1,200 per tola Sunday when it was traded for Rs. 53,300.
It was traded for Rs. 52,100 per tola Friday.
The yellow metal gained with price increase in the international at market.
Increasing price has adversely impacted the trade locally.
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MORE DETAILS OF NHRC OPPOSITION GOVT. AMNESTY
Kathmandu, 5 Sept.: In a letter to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, Chairman of National Human Rights Commission Kedar Nath Upadhayay today opposed the government move to withdraw serious criminal cases and grant pardon to convicted criminals, The Himalayan Times reports.

The NHRC has opposed the government when it is doing groundwork to grant amnesty to already convicted murderers and withdraw hundreds of criminal cases as per the

political understanding before formation of the present government.

Stating that such an act would be unpopular among national and international human rights defenders, Upadhayay urged the government not to take a decision that worked against national and international laws.

“The government must conduct sufficient investigation whether or not to withdraw criminal cases and analyse whether the decision is based on reason, as random withdrawal and granting amnesty to those already convicted would be condemnable,” added Upadhayay in his three-page letter. The Chairman of the rights watchdog body also advised the PM to think seriously, consult human rights bodies and do sufficient groundwork before taking any decision in this regard.

“This is a matter of anarchism, state of impunity and promotion of criminalisation as it does not consider international laws and undermines the authority of the court of law and it will create a terrible culture in our society,” Upadhayay added.

“Promoting security officials without probing their role in human rights violation cases is equally objectionable and as serious as withdrawing such cases without considering justifiable norms as per international law,” he added.

The chairman also added it would be against international human rights laws to withdraw all cases as per the agreement signed by the UCPN-Maoist and UDMF to withdraw all cases related to Maoist armed conflict and movements of Madhesis, Janajatis, Dalits, Tharuhat and disadvantaged groups.

Upadhayay lamented that the government had delayed formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission on the Disappeared even five years after signing the Comprehensive Peace Accord.

He emphasised on creating a situation of reconciliation for building a transitional mechanism. Upadhayay, however, praised the role of the government in providing compensation and reparation to conflict victims as per the NHRC’s recommendation.

The NHRC Chairman also said the days after signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement were not satisfactorily. “It seems that most of the days were spent in breaking the peace process rather than completing it by abiding by commitments,” he said.

Stating that human rights

violations during the period of conflict are not the only issues of the nation’s human rights laws, but also fall under

international law, Upadhayay said in such a situation, human rights activists, civil society members and the world community were seriously watching developments.
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FIVE-YEAR PLAN TO FIGHT MONEY LAUNDERING

Kathmandu, 5 Sept.: Department of Money Laundering Investigation has finalised a five-year Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML-CFT) strategy and action plan, The Himalayan Time sreports.

A coordination committee led by finance secretary has finalised the strategy and action plan and forwarded it to the cabinet for the final approval, director general at Department of Money Laundering Investigation Khum Raj Punjali said. The strategy paper is aimed at addressing the recommendations provided by Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and to improve Nepal’s ranking in fighting against money laundering and terrorist financing.

The purposed Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML-CFT) strategy and action plan has incorporated wide ranges of issues including improved coordination among stakeholders that are involved in anti money laundering activities and formulate appropriate laws for Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML-CFT), director at the department Bishwa Prakash Subedi said, adding that the strategy and action plan has also recommended to adopt effective way to protect financial sector from AML-CFT.

“Different government agencies responsible to execute Anti-Money Laundering Act should be empowered to carry out investigation on predicate offence in more proficient manner,” the purposed plant stated. The existing law has listed different activities like revenue leakages, organised crime, terrorist activities, armed business, human trafficking, forgery cases and murder cases under the heading of predicate offence.

Since Nepal is yet to establish mutual legal assistant, the plan also ensured the formation of necessary mechanism for international assistance and cooperation.

Earlier, a three-member team from International Monetary Fund (IMF) had in July visited Nepal to provide technical assistant to formulate the plan. The plan has incorporated the suggestions of Nepal’s mutual evaluation report from Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) in implementing international standards to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, Subedi said, adding that the base line of the plan is 40 plus nine compliance of Financial Action Task Force.

IMF suggestion

IMF has suggested the government to clarify law by putting the provisions of confiscation, seizure and freezing money, if authority suspected money laundering. A group of legal experts, which had visited Nepal for the purpose of assisting Nepal to amend AML Act, has also recommended to strengthen law enforcing agencies including Department of Money Laundering Investigation, Nepal Rastra Bank, and Department of Revenue Investigation. The team comprising IMF’s Ross S Delston, attorney at Law and Cecilia J Marian, consulting counsel at Legal Department pointed out major deficiencies in AML law and suggested necessary changes, Khum Raj Punjali informed.
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