News update from Nepal, June 9, 2005 On May 14, ten donors- UN, DFID, SNV, DANIDA, GTZ, Embassy of Finland, JICA, Canadian International Development Agency(CIDA), Norwegian Embassy and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation- jointly issued a statement against Maoists for beating the two NGO staff of GTZ, Rural Community Infrastructure Works Program, in Kukatiya VDC of Kalikot district. It said,“This action seriously contravenes the Basic Operating Guidelines(BOGs) which are the basis for these donors’ engagement in Ne­pal. The BOGs donors have consistently made it clear that they will not operate where they cannot guarantee the safety of their staff. As a result, WFP, DFID, GTZ and SNV have decided to suspend their work in Kalikot.” The donors also expect the CPN(M) leadership to provide an apology for this violent incident. It said,“Donors look forward to a positive Maoist response to this incident and a clear commitment from the CPN(M) to the Basic Operating Guidelines throughout Nepal. Human Rights and Civil Society The human rights condition in Nepal continues to deteriorate. The RNA officials revealed that at least 12,200 people have been killed since the Maoist launched an armed rebel­lion in February 1996. Out of those killed, 8,000 are Maoists and 2,100 are security forces and the public. Media, human rights organizations, trade unions and the Nepal Bar Association(NBA) are in the forefront of the human rights struggle in Nepal. On May 11 the recently appointed UN Human Rights Chief in Nepal Ian Martin said,“Improve­ments in the human rights situation can contribute to the goal of achieving peace. End­ing or reducing impunity is one of the primary tasks of our office in Nepal. We will ensure that those responsible for human rights violations are brought to justice. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights(OHCHR) has been established in Nepal to help establish accountability for human rights abuses and prevent further violations.” On the clash between national and international laws, Martin said,“ while a government has the right to enact anti-terrorist and other legislations, and impose an emergency, such laws would have to conform to international human rights standards- chiefly the Interna­tional Covenant on Civil and Political Rights- to which Nepal is a signatory.” On May 22 the King promulgated the Human Rights Commission(first amendment) Or­dinance 2005. Twenty-five human rights organizations strongly condemned the recent amendments in the Human Rights Act, 1997. They also fear that the“Nepal Act Related to Media” is aimed at“strangling the free media.” According to the Ordinance no individ­ual or organization will be provided with license to operate radio, television and publica­tions at the same time, or will the license be issued at different times. The Ordinance also mandates that individuals and organizations would have to choose any two media within one year. Failure to do so would mean revocation of the radio or television li­cense. The FM stations have been barred from publishing any“news-related program,” no broadcaster can simultaneously air a program from different places. All the media associations criticized this move. Attorney-General Pawan Kumar Ojha, however, de­fended the amendment saying,“The amendments are for regulating the media, not for curbing it.” Journalists across the country are organizing various protest activities against the government’s newly passed press law.