All Nepal Womens Association (ANWA) together with eleven women�s organiaations organised a protest rally o­n 20th September 2005. Security forces attacked the peaceful demonstration programme. More than 40 leaders and political cadres were injured during the police suppression and about 200 people were arrested.

ANWA organised a press meet o­n 21^st September 2005. o­n 28^th September, Ms Bidya Devi Bhandari together with leaders of Joint Women Association Struggle Committee visited Mr. Ian Martin, Head of Office, Office of High Commission for Human Rights in Nepal and submitted a memorandum.

In Nepal, even though CPN (Maoist) has announced ceasefire, the government has not shown any interest towards the ceasefire announcement. The King continues to walking the countryside, providing interviews to news agencies.

Source: Central Committee Member, ANWA

Information o­n the proposed change in labour law is in this website. Send protest letters to the King, the Royal Nepal Embassy in your countries. A Sample letter is given below...

30^th September, 2005
To
His Majesty King Gyanendra
C/o The Ambassador
Royal Nepal Embassy
(Write Country name)

Subject : Stop the Proposed Amendment in Labour Law through Ordinance by the Royal Regime

Your Majesty King Gyanendra

On behalf of the Asian Women Workers Movement and Labour Movement, we wish to express our grave concern about the serious violation of women�s rights, human rights, and labour rights in your country as a result of the declaration of state of emergency o­n February 1, 2005. We condemn your unconstitutional seizure of executive power, as this denies all forms of freedom and fundamental rights for the people of Nepal and is against all principles of democracy.

It has been brought to our attention, that a communication made by Ministry of Labour and Transport Management (MOLT) (dated Sept 16, 2005) to all recognised 3 trade union centres in Nepal, proposes an amendment to the Labour Act. The letter, in a threatening language calls for written comments within seven days for an amendment by the Royal Regime. Further, we understand that in case of no-comments, the ordinance will be put forward as accepted by concerned parties.

NEW DELHI: For the first time after King Gyanendra dissolved the Nepalese Parliament and imposed emergency eight months ago, a high-level Indian political delegation will pay a three-day visit to the country from Wednesday to assess the situation. The five-member delegation, headed by CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury and comprising Chandra Sekhar Sahu (Congress), D Raja (CPI), Surendra Mohan JD(S) and D P Tripathi (NCP), has been invited by the seven-party alliance of major Nepalese parties for restoration of democracy, Yechury said. The leaders who have extended the invitation to the Indian delegation include former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and communist leader Madhav Kumar Nepal.

Diosdado "Ka Fort" Fortuna, 51, was riding his motorcycle o­n his way home from the Nestl� picketline at around 6:15 pm when suspects shot him at close range in front of Sagara Factory in Canlubang. Fortuna was felled by 2 bullet shots o­n the chest. He was rushed to the nearby Calamba Doctors Hospital where he was declared dead o­n arrival.Fortuna is also the union president in Nestle, which has been o­n strike for more than 3 years. He assumed union presidency right after then president Meliton Roxas was assassinated in front of the Nestl� gates in 1988.

Women's organizations at the World Summit are shocked and disappointed by the statements made yesterday by President Bush and Prime Minister Blair before the UN General Assembly.

President Bush thanked the international community for its assistance with post-Katrina rescue and reconstruction. Yet he personally unleashed Ambassador John Bolton o­n the Summit negotiations three weeks ago, dealing a severe blow to international

cooperation and the final result. President Bush claimed that the US has a moral obligation to help poor countries. But Ambassador Bolton made it clear throughout the negotiations that the US will not adopt the target of 0.7% of national income for foreign aid,

and he even tried to prevent other rich countries from mentioning it in the Summit agreement.