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Delegation Reports
Outward Delegation to Nepal
15 to 20 February 2009 Report by The Rt Hon Sir John Stanley MP Delegation The Rt Hon Sir John Stanley MP, Leader (Conservative) The delegation had a most informative and valuable visit. It was received at the highest level. We had meetings with the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, HE Dr Ram Baran Yadav, with the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Kamal Dahal, with the Foreign Minister, the Rt Hon Upendra Yadav, with the Chairman of the Constituent Assembly, the Rt Hon Subash Nemwang, and with the Leader of the Nepali Congress party, Mr Girija Prasad Koirala. The delegation also had meetings with the United Nations Representative of the Secretary General in Nepal Ms Karin Landgren, with the Chief of Army Staff, General Rukmangad Katawal, and with the Inspector General of Police, Ramesh Chand Thakuri. The assurance given by the Prime Minister to the delegation that the Government was committed to multi-party democracy, the rule of law, human rights, press freedom, and to the tackling of corruption was most welcome. We also greatly appreciated the Prime Minister’s statement to the delegation that the recruitment of Gurkhas into the British Army will continue. The delegation was glad to have the opportunity of extensive interaction with several members of the Constituent Assembly from different parties over a dinner hosted by the Hon Padam Lal Bishwakarma, again at the Centre for Constitutional Dialogue, and also at Singha Durbar with the Foreign Relations and Human Rights Committee, the Finance and Labour Relations Committee and the Environment and Development Committee. The main subject of discussion was the development of the new constitution for Nepal. The delegation assured the members of the Constituent Assembly that the British Government and the British Parliament remain ready to assist in this process. Human rights were also a major feature of the delegation’s programme. We had an extensive discussion with the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) the Rt Hon Kedar Nath Upadhyay and his fellow Commissioners on a wide range of human rights issues including the extent to which the Government was implementing the NHRC’s recommendations, was furthering women’s rights and trying to stop the trafficking of women and children in Nepal. The delegation expressed its hope that the Government of Nepal would support the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Nepal. It is a reflection of the strong links between the two countries that Britain is the largest single bilateral donor of aid to Nepal through the British Government’s Department for International Development (DFID). We were glad to see during our visit a number of projects that have been supported financially by the UK Government.These included the Centre for Constitutional Dialogue, Baglung District Hospital and the Livelihoods and Forestry Programme with its valuable and progressive Community Forestry Users Groups, one of which the delegation met. A further significant British contribution to development in Nepal is also made by the Gurkha Welfare Scheme, which is worth £10 million a year to Nepal. A tangible symbol of the British Parliament’s support for multi-party parliamentary democracy in Nepal is the gift made in the early 1990s by the British Parliament of the two Speaker’s Chairs – carved in British oak – for the two Houses of Parliament in Nepal. In this visit, the delegation made a point of going into the House of Representatives to see the Speaker’s Chair for themselves. The months ahead will be challenging as Nepal develops its Constitution in which multi-party democracy and human rights for all must be assured. Nepal’s many friends in the British Parliament and throughout the United Kingdom, and the delegation on behalf of the British Group IPU, wish Nepal well in this historic and all-important endeavour for the people of Nepal.
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