काठमाडौ,२५ पौष -एआरसी इन्टरनेशनलले नील हिरा समाजको नविकरण नरोक्न प्रधानमन्त्री डाक्टर बाबुराम भट्टराईलाई पत्र लेखेको छ । एआरसी इन्टरनेशनलका जोन फिसरले समाजले अहिले सम्म गरेका काम सराहनिय रहेको भन्दै नविकरण नरोक्न प्रधानमन्त्रीलाई पत्र लेख्नु भएको हो ।
यौनिक तथा लैङ्गिक अल्पसंख्यक समूदायको अधिकार प्राप्तीका लागि समाजले गरिरहेको काममा बाध पुग्ने गरी नविकरण नरोक्नका लागि प्रधानमन्त्रीलाई पत्र लेखेरै आग्रह गर्नु भएको हो । एआरसीले आफ्नो स्थापना काल सन् २००३ देखिनै नील हिरा समाजसँग काम गर्दै आएको र समाजले हालसम्म गरेका काम उपलव्धीमुलक रहेको फिसरले प्रधानमन्त्री भट्टराईलाई लेखेको पत्रमा उल्लेख गर्नु भएको छ ।
पत्रमा फिसरले हालसम्म नील हिरा समाजले नेपालका यौनिक तथा लैङ्गिक अल्पसंख्यक समूदायको मुद्धामा गरेको कामको प्रशंसा गर्दै प्रमूख जिल्ला अधिकारीलाई नील हिरा समाजको नविकरण नरोक्न आग्रह गर्नु भएको छ । एआरसी इन्टरनेशनलले लेखेको पत्र यस्तो छ ः

January 8, 2013
Dr. Baburam Bhattarai
Prime Minister of Nepal
cc: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Home Affairs
Chief District Office Kathmandu
Letter of reference for the Blue Diamond Society
Dear Prime Minister,
We would like to express our support for the continued registration of the organisation Blue Diamond Society. ARC
International is an incorporated not-for-profit organisation, with a full-time presence in Geneva, which advances
human rights related to sexual orientation and gender identity at the international level. We have worked with NGO
and States from all regions, including at the United Nations, and have appreciated the support of the Government of
Nepal for these important human rights issues.
ARC International has known and worked with the Blue Diamond Society since our formation in 2003, and have
always found them to be credible, responsible, and professional.
We would particularly like to stress the importance of Blue Diamond Society’s work to the communities in Nepal, in
addressing hate crimes, combating discrimination, providing health services and promoting understanding and
respect for diversity.
We have worked with the Blue Diamond Society around advocacy efforts at the United Nations Human Rights
Council, including through the participation and organisation of panel events, joint civil society statements and
meetings, as well as around the Universal Periodic Review of Nepal.1
The work of the Blue Diamond Society has been profiled as an example of best practice by ARC International during
our International Dialogue meetings2, as well as in the publication “An Activist’s Guide to the Yogyakarta Principles”3.
Additionally, The Blue Diamond Society was an active and valued participant in the International Dialogue in South
Korea in 20054.
We urge the Chief District Office (CDO) to renew the Blue Diamond Society’s licence without further delay so that
they may continue their important work, and to release the CDO report of the investigation into the organisation.
Please feel free to follow the links footnoted below for more information on our work with the Blue Diamond Society.
We would appreciate being kept informed of developments, and remain at your disposal for any further details you
might require in this regard.
Sincerely,
John Fisher
Co-Executive Director
1 http://arc-international.net/global-advocacy/universal-periodic-review/n/nepal;
http://arc-international.net/global-advocacy/human-rights-council/hrc3/ngo-statement;
http://arc-international.net/global-advocacy/human-rights-council/hrc13/item-2-statement;
http://arc-international.net/global-advocacy/human-rights-council/hrc16;
http://arc-international.net/strengthening-capacity/yogyakarta-principles/report-yp-launch
2 Report of the International Dialogue on Gender, Sexuality & HIV/AIDS: Strengthening Human Rights Responses in Africa and
around the globe, Johannesburg, South Africa, December 2007, p. 12
http://arc-international.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/international-dialogue-report-southafrica2006.pdf
3 Activist’s Guide to the Yogyakarta Principles – pages 9, 68, 89 (BDS referenced as a case study of best practice in legal
challenges),
http://ypinaction.org/files/02/85/Activists_Guide_English_nov_14_2010.pdf
4 Report of the International Dialogue on Gender, Sexuality, HIV/AIDS & Human Rights: Focus on Asia, Seoul 2005, http://arcinternational.
net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/International-Dialogue-Report-South-Korea-2005.doc.