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| Thursday, 13 January 2005 |
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War-torn Nepal looks set for poll despite rebel risk KATHMANDU, Wednesday (Reuters) Nepal's prime minister may announce plans this week to push ahead with a general election in 2005 despite a threat by powerful Maoist rebels to "shatter" any vote in the embattled Himalayan kingdom. Commentators say a free and fair vote is almost unthinkable because of the long-running Maoist insurgency, political turmoil and growing human rights abuses. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is likely to carry through on a commitment to prepare for an election - already delayed more than two years - after Maoists rejected his demand to agree to talks by Thursday. The rebels has rejected the call for talks as early as November, just a few days after Deuba had set the Jan. 13 deadline. "You could have a fig-leaf election, but whether it is free and fair, whether it represents anything or strengthens democracy, that is another matter," said Kunda Dixit, editor of the widely read weekly Nepali Times. "It is not about democracy, it is about going through the motions of a vote." |
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