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STEP FORWARD IN NEPAL AS ELECTION IS PEACEFUL AND GENERALLY FAIR, BY CAROLINE PATTON:10/04/2008
(MaximsNews Network)
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UNITED
NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network / - 10
April 2008 --
Despite the concern that Nepal’s
Constituent Assembly election would be marred by violence following the shooting
of seven people yesterday, the voting today “took place in a generally orderly
and peaceful atmosphere,” according to the Secretary General. Earlier this
week he called the election a “historic milestone.”
The
results were also largely fair with results from only 33 of over 20,000 polling
places voided. The Secretary-General said the population
demonstrated “enthusiastic participation” and the Election Commission
reported that they believe about sixty percent of Nepalese voted. UNMIN
teams around
Nepal
have been watching the polling and so far have not reported significant
irregularity.
Special
Representative Ian Martin said today
that the population “demonstrated their commitment to democracy by turning out
in large numbers to vote in today’s historic Constituent Assembly election.”
The
outcome is not yet known but the UN has asked all political factions to exercise
restraint while the votes are being counted. UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN)
personnel continue to monitor the situation as the ballots are being tallied.
Special
Representative Martin told the international community that, “Polling
parties and their leaders now need to ensure that they accept the people’s
decision through this election, or where they have challenges in relation to the
process to pursue these through the proper legal channels.”
Once
elected the Constituent Assembly will write a new constitution for
Nepal
. The elections had been postponed several times and the run up to the election
saw some scattered violence and intimidation so the successful conduct of the
election today marks a huge step forward for the country.
The
next step is acceptance of the result, however it comes out. With the credible
conduct of the election it seems likely the international community will see it
as legitimate. Whether
Nepal
’s political parties do so remains to be seen.
--Caroline
Patton
Labels:
United
Nations, U.N.
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