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Scattered violence fails to undermine historic Nepal poll

Nepalis yesterday voted in a historic election intended to bring communist insurgents into the country’s democratic mainstream and expected to end the world’s last Hindu monarchy.

Voters lined up before dawn across the country, undeterred by violence that marred the days preceding the country’s first election in nine years. And while voting was smooth throughout much of the Himalayan country, there was scattered violence, including an attempt to kill one candidate, the torching of a polling station and the death of one man in a clash between political rivals.

“I came to vote here today believing this process will settle political instability for good,” said Mukunda Maraseni, a 40-year-old banker waiting to cast his ballot in Katmandu.

The election of a Constituent Assembly to write a new constitution has been touted as the cornerstone of a 2006 peace deal struck with former Maoist rebels following weeks of unrest that forced Nepal’s king to end his dictatorship and restore democracy.

Security was tight with 17.6 million people registered to vote at about 20,000 polling stations, some of them a seven-day walk from the nearest paved road. The election was being monitored by some 100,000 observers, including former US president Jimmy Carter.

Disturbances were reported in at least six remote areas.

Motorcycle gunmen shot at a candidate in the southern town of Janakpur, but she escaped unhurt, district officer Ram Sharan Chimoiorya said.

In the central village of Galkot, Maoists tried to take over a polling station and then torched the building after scuffling with police and election officials, said the area’s top official, Bhawani Prashad Parajuli. Police later arrested 15 men, seizing three grenades and a knife.

Polling was suspended at about 20 stations, including a few in the eastern Ramechap district where Maoists blocked representatives of other parties from observing the vote, Home Ministry spokesman Ekmani Nepal said.

Despite the scattered violence, there was widespread optimism that the election would finally bring lasting peace and an economic revival to the impoverished Himalayan nation.

About 50 percent of voters had cast ballots by 3pm, two hours before the end of balloting, the election commission said.
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