April 01, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 23, 1429

KATHMANDU, March 31: Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala appealed on Monday to all political parties to put an end to violence plaguing the run-up to landmark elections in the country recovering from years of conflict.

The April 10 polls are the culmination of a 2006 peace deal between former rebel Maoists and the government, and are being held to elect a body that will abolish the world’s last Hindu monarchy and rewrite the country’s constitution.

“The next few days are a very sensitive period. Even a small mistake can make a big difference,” the 84-year-old premier told reporters after meeting with the election commission.

“The need of the hour is to show greater patience as we are on the threshold of bringing a landmark change,” he said.

Nepali media has been reporting daily clashes between supporters of the former rebel Maoists and the country’s two largest parties — the Nepali Congress and the Nepal Communist Party (Unified Marxist-Leninist).

“The violence, including killings, beatings and the threatening of election candidates has occurred in several parts of the country and the trend is increasing,” Election Commission chief Bhojraj Pokhrel said at a press conference.

“We are worried that this (continued violence and intimidation) will spoil the election environment if the parties continue such activities,” Pokhrel said.

“It will raise the question of elections being credible and fair.”

The United Nations has said that the continuing violence could derail the election.—AFP