News update from Nepal, April 8, 2005 ceased to function. The courts’ reluctance to entertain habeas corpus writs for disappeared persons speaks to the wider policy approving of forced disappearances and concomitant gross abuse of human rights. Where court orders are issued they are invariably ignored or otherwise violated.” In a letter to the Asian Human Rights Commission, the UN Under Secretary-General for peace keeping operations Jean-Marie Guehenno told(March 25),“In light of the compelling information that you and others have brought to our attention with regards to the RNA’s human rights records, we will be keeping under review the participation of members of the RNA in our operations. The 292nd session of the governing board of International Labor Office discussed the problem of basic rights in Nepal. The governing body issued a statement saying “trade union activities have been severely limited, with any union meeting requiring prior authorization from public officials, which is contrary to fundamental ILO standards.” The committee drew special attention to the case of Nepal concerning the arrest and detention of trade unionists strike of workers engaged in a variety of services, restriction on the right of workers to stage peaceful demonstration and to put up banners. The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions(ICFTU) General-Secretary for Asia and Pacific Regional Organization Noriyuki Suzuki on March 29 argued,“The current political situation goes against international financial institutions’ commitment to preserve and promote core labor standards, including the right to form a union, collective bargaining, good governance and social dialogue. Given this backdrop, we recommend that the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the Asian development Bank stop their lending to Nepal.” Corruption On March 21 the Royal Commission for Corruption Control(RCCC) interrogated six senior ministers of Deuba government(Dr. Mohammed Mohasin, Hom Nath Dahal, Purna Bahadur Khadka, Badri P. Mandal, Yub Raj Gyawali and Jogmehar Shrestha) and 21 individuals who had received the fund from the Prime Minister’s Assistance Fund. The RCCC officials claimed they summoned the former ministers suspecting irregularities while distributing state funds to“some political activists and others” before Dasain festival. The cabinet decision had approved distribution of Rs. 40 million. On April 4 a writ petition has been filed at the Supreme Court against the RCCC charging it with interfering in a sub-judiced matter pending before the apex court. RCCC had caught Pyuthan District Court judge Birendra Kumar Karna in the bribery case and handed over his case to the Supreme Court. The same day Judicial Council led by Chief Justice Hari Prasad Sharma formed an inquiry committee under the chairman of Supreme Court judge Min B. Raymajhi to investigate the alleged involvement of Karna in the bribery case. Contact: Marei.John@fes.de, Tel.: 030 – 26 935 915 Ulrike.Ehnes@fes.de, Tel.:0228 – 883 508