Leaders had earlier planned to endorse the bills on the same day as the Financial Action Taskforce (FATF), a global body that oversees money laundering issues, is reportedly going to blacklist Nepal for not endorsing three bills related to money laundering by February 16.[break]
As per the government´s commitment made in international forums, the parliament was supposed to endorse the bills -- bill on amending extradition laws, bill on mutual legal assistance and bill on curbing organized crime -- in 2010. Failing to meet the deadline then finance minister Surendra Pandey in February 2010 had corresponded with the international body promising that Nepal government would endorse the bills within the same year. According to officials privy to the development, the government has so far sent at least 10 letters to the international agency requesting not to put Nepal on high-risk category.
But, a group of leaders and lawmakers from the ruling Maoist party´s hardline faction have vehemently opposed the bills saying that some of the provisions are against Nepal´s national interest.
Maoist lawmaker Ekraj Bhandari from the hardline faction said that the bills shouldn´t be endorsed as they contain some controversial provisions that do not differentiate political activities and issues from criminal activities. He argued that endorsing the bills would be tantamount to accepting the foreign agency´s interference into Nepal´s domestic affairs.
"The sky won´t fall even if we don´t endorse the bills. And the hue and cry by those lobbying in favor of the bill is just unnecessary," lawyer-turned lawmaker Bhandari told Repbublica.
However, Maoist lawmaker Khim Lal Devkota, who is close to the prime minister, said there is no point objecting the bills since it has nothing to do with the political activities and the extradition treaty with any specific country.
Devkota said the bills are related to controlling criminal activities related to money earned through smuggling or illegal activities. He said endorsement of the bills would also allow arrest of any criminals staying in any country and handing over them over to the country where they are sought.
"There is no point objecting the bills because the proposed laws don´t encompass any illegal activities of political nature," Devkota told Republica. "As far as the issues related to criminals are concerned why should any political party worry about them?"
Also, leaders from the Baidya faction at the UCPN (Maoist) standing committee on Sunday vociferously objected to the bills.
Opposition supports the govt
Interestingly, opposition parties including the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) are ready to vote in favor of the bills. NC Chief Whip Laxman Ghimire said they are going to endorse the bills because failing to do so would harm the image of the country in international forums.
A lawmaker from another opposition party said he was taken by surprise to learn that Maoists stood against the bills. "Because the bills were registered only after amending some of the provision as per the request of the leaders from the Maoist´s hardline faction," he said.
Officials said failing to endorse the bills by February 16 may cost the country dearly.
Dharma Raj Sapkota, chief of the financial information unit at the Nepal Rastra Bank, informed that international banks may block the bank accounts run by Nepali diplomatic missions abroad and such banks may also dishonor letter of credit (LC), which may hamper imports from foreign countries, and may affect the budgetary support that Nepal is receiving from donor agencies.
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