Intra-party feud in UCPN-Maoists may bring shame to country

The intra-party feud in UCPN-Maoist might create rather a unpleasent situation for Nepal.
Home Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara today refused to register UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime at the Parliamentary secretariate due to increasing pressure within his own party.
However, finance ministry has registered another crucial UN Convention on Suppression of Financing of Terrorism at the secretariate.
"Most probably, UN Convention on Suppression of Financing of Terrorism will be ratified on Sunday," said finance secretary Krishna Hari Baskota.
Had the UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime registered today, both would have been passed on Sunday lessening the chance of country being blacklisted by Financial Action Task Force.
"We are studying the Convention and would be registered at the secretariate only after completely assessing its possible consequences,” vice-chairman of Unified CPN Maoist Narayan Kaji Shrestha, said, adding that the party was also assessing the provisions of reservations in the convention.
However, standing committee member Dev Prasad Gurung claimed that Nepal does not need to ratify it because it was not necessary for the country and its people. "Since we don’t have any problem of terrorism like Al Qaeda, we don’t need to ratify such convention,” he said, adding that ratifying such a convention could weaken our national security.
Gurung, however, said the issue was not raised in the party committees.
"Though Mahara has prepared to register the extradition bill in the house today, it has been rejected at the last minute,” said UCPN-Maoists secretary CP Gajurel.
According to a source at the Home Minister that was about to register it today, the ministry kept the parliamentary officials waiting till late hours, but informed them in the evening that they are not registering it today.
However, sources claimed that Mahara is taking a rather unusual route of registering it. "Another minister might register it as it is key to fulfill Financial Action Task Force's recommendation to save the country from being black listed," the source added.
A country has to fulfill 40 plus nine recommendations of Financial Action Task Force -- a global anti-money laundering agency -- to comply with the international Anti-Money Laundering practice.
Its purpose is to ensure the adoption, implementation and enforcement of internationally accepted anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing standards set out in the Financial Action Task Force's 40 plus nine special recommendations.
"Nepal has recently ratified UN Convention on combating corruption, amended Anti-Money Laundering Act and approved a separate department to look after Anti-Money Laundering," Baskota said, adding that it has still not escaped the possibility of black listing. "We still have to take stock of 36 recommendations."
If Nepal ratifies two UN Convetions -- UN Conventions against Organised Financial Crime and UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime -- and two bills – Mutual Legal Assistance Bill and Extradition Bill -- by June 21, there is still a chance of escaping the black listing.
The pleneray meeting of Financial Action Task Force in Mexico on June 20-24 will go through Nepal's progress and decide on Nepal's fate.
The central bank governor, and secretary at the Law Ministry wil be going to Mexico to appraise of the latest development of the country," Baskota added.
Earleir, the regional review meeting of FATF in Macau on May 13 had asked Nepal to submit the progress report by June 21 before its plenary takes place on June 20-24 in Mexico.
Nepal had in the Macau meeting also requested for deadline extension to meet the requirements as the country is passing through transitional period.