MYANMAR NATIONALS AMONG 13 FOREIGNERS HELD FOR PASSPORT MISUSE Kathmandu, 23 Feb.: In yet another crackdown on foreign racketeers counterfeiting Nepali passports, the Anti-Terrorism Directorate of the Nepal Police arrested nine Myanmarese, four Bangladeshi nationals and a Nepali agent at Singamangal yesterday, The Himalayan Times writes.. A special police team in civvies had fanned out in suspected areas following an intelligence input about suspicious activities of 14 foreigners and Rafid Dhuniya of Dhanusa, one of their Nepali agents in illegal possession of Machine Readable Passports (MRPs). Mohammad Anwar Miya of Bangladesh and Mohammad Faiyas of Myanmar were found to have brought fellow citizens from their countries to send them abroad for jobs by using counterfeit Nepali citizenship certificates and acquiring MRPs on the basis of citizenship, investigators said. After obtaining fake Nepali official documents from a Sarlahi-based forger for Rs 20,000-Rs 30,000 in the name of various individuals, they had made officials concerned to issue MRPs in their names. The forger is said to be at large. Dhuniya used to help forge citizenship certificates and send the foreigners to Gulf countries through various Kathmandu-based manpower companies. Police said the Myanmarese and Bangladeshi nationals had entered Nepal through the Nepal-India border. The forgers are suspected to have sent many more foreigners abroad by faking their identities. The racketeer would also help the foreigners learn Nepali language so as to outsmart officials at the Tribhuvan International Airport. The government introduced MRPs on account of misuse of hand-written passports and possibility of tampering. A police official stressed the need to curb counterfeiting of Nepali citizenship certificates and make sure that foreigners do not get MRPs using the fake documents. nnnn NEPAL SAVED FROM BLACLLISTING Kathmandu, 23 Feb.: Though Nepal escaped being blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary today, the country will be under continuous observation as it has repeatedly failed to fulfill international commitments in the fight against the flow of dirty money, Kuvera Chalise writes in The Himalayan Times. . The FATF plenary has kept Nepal in a status quo as recommended by the International Co-operation Review Group (ICRG), a body under FATF that analyses high-risk jurisdictions and recommends specific actions against them. Earlier in the afternoon, ICRG had recommended the FATF plenary to keep Nepal in a status quo. “Nepal has escaped being blacklisted this time thanks to the last minute approval of the Organised Crime Bill on February 15,” said deputy governor of central bank Maha Prasad Adhikari via email from Paris, where the FATF plenary was being held from February 18 and which concluded today. “However, the next plenary and working group meeting of FATF in Oslo, Norway, on June 17-21, could be a tougher one,” he added. FATF, which is a global standard setting body for anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT), has asked Nepal to pass the amendment of the Assets Laundry Prevention Act, apart from the Proceeds of Crime Bill that will help in the management of seized property and give enough teeth to authorities to fight organised crime. The meeting has shown basic concerns on Nepal’s slow response to UN security council resolutions like terrorist financing, seizing, freezing and confiscation of organised crime assets, said Adhikari, adding country has to pass Proceeds of Crime Bill and amend legislation to fight money laundering to escape from public statement, which means blacklisting. “FATF has asked Nepal to introduce and enact both AML/CFT legislations — that are in pipeline — by June.” Country has remained in a status quo also due to its earlier delays in fulfilling international commitments. Nepal was already placed under high-risk and non-cooperative jurisdictions — which means almost blacklisted — in October 2012 for AML/CFT deficiencies and no substantial progress on FATF’s 40+9 recommendations that can help combat corruption. The meeting in Paris has identified jurisdictions with strategic deficiencies in their AML/CFT system and reviewed progress made by jurisdictions which were identified at the October 2012 plenary. Nepal personally cannot raise its voice in FATF plenary as it is a member of Asia/Pacific Group that represents it in FATF. “APG conveyed Nepal’s reasons, role and cooperation with APG and constitutional problem in the delay in approving the legislations,” he added. Nnnn PARAS CONDITION ‘VERY CRITICAL BUT STABLE’ SAYS HOSPITAL Kathmandu, 23 Feb.; The first statement issued Friday by a hospital in Bangkok said the condition of former Crown Prince Shah after suffering a heart attack Tuesday night is ‘ very critical but stable”. ‘ … we are doing their best,’. a statement said. “He had a major attack. He was resuscitated and treated,” the statement signed by cardiologist duo Dr Sayan Cheepudomwit and Dr Parinya Kunawut and Intensivist Dr Kunchit Piyavechviratana said. “He was transferred to the ICU on February 20. His condition remains very critical but stable.” Nnnn INDIAN MAOISTS KILL SIX POLICEMEN Kathmandu, 23 Feb.: Maoist rebels killed six policemen on Friday in a landmine attack in the eastern Indian state of Bihar in their second deadly attack on security forces in recent weeks, police said, according to AFP from Patna. “The Maoists targeted a convoy heading out on patrol duty, killing six policemen in Gaya district,” district police chief NH Khan told AFP. A village elder and a police informer who were travelling in the same vehicle as the policemen were also killed in the explosion, Khan said. The attack is the latest in a simmering conflict that pits the insurgents against local and national authorities in the forests and rural areas of mainly central and eastern India. nnnn