News update from Nepal, June 3, 2008 News Update from Nepal June 3, 2008 Despite sweeping changes occurring at the super-structural level, such as secularism, federalism, republicanism and greater representation of social diversity in the Constitu­ent Assembly(CA), the new leadership faces complex challenges ahead- improvement in human rights conditions, abolition of the culture of impunity, justice to the conflict vic­tims, restoration of security, law and order, inclusive development and reconciliation policies. The representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal Richard Bennett said,"Among the major responsibilities facing the new administration and CA is the strengthening of respect for human rights, including the creation of an en­vironment in which the people have confidence that their institutions have the capacity and the will to uphold the rule of law and holding accountable those responsible for rights violations, whether they were committed in the past or in the present." The gov­ernment has decided to give continuity to the Election Security Base Camps of the Armed Police Force in Tarai, the southern flatland, due to law and order problems. Vio­lence in Tarai continues and 800 Village Development Committees do not have secretar­ies to support administrative and development works in the villages. Businessmen demanded proper security for their businesses and action against those involved in the killing of the businessman Rajesh Begani. On May 21, Kathmandu valley was shut down over Ram Hari Shrestha's murder by the Communist Party Nepal(CPN, Maoist) cadres in the UN-monitored cantonment on charge of stealing one UN­registered pistol and$25,000 in cash. Maoists suspended Bibidh over Shrestha's killing and the cabinet has formed a three-member judicial commission headed by Justice Ra­jendra Bhandari to investigate his killing. On May 27 and 28, bombs exploded in the heart of the capital city, Kathmandu by Ranabir Sena, demanding the restoration of the Hindu state and monarchy. On May 28, police firing killed three people in Bardiya. The outcome of the CA election has expanded the social base of political representation and provided an opportunity to democratize civil society, political parties and state insti­tutions. In the newly elected CA, women have 33.22% representation, Madhesis 34.22 %, Dalits 8.17%, ethnic and indigenous groups 33.39%, backward region 3.83% and other groups of people 33. 91%. Only nine parties secured seats in the plurality system while 25 parties did so in the proportional system. The controversy hovers about the se­lection of 26 members by the cabinet. Political parties failed to ensure the representation in the CA of at least 20 marginalized groups and thereby violated the 20-point agree­ment they signed with the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities(NEFIN) on Au­gust 7, 2007. According to it, 20 ethnic groups out of the total of 59 have been left out by the political parties from both the proportional representation and the first-past-the-post election lists. Nepal Becomes a Federal Democratic Republic The first meeting of the CA on May 28 has declared Nepal a federal democratic republic thus terminating the 239-year old monarchy. Out of the 564 CA members who took part 1