DATE=5/17/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249457
TITLE=NEPAL ELECTION (L)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE POLLS HAVE CLOSED IN NEPAL WHERE VOTERS ON MONDAY CAST
BALLOTS IN A SECOND AND FINAL ROUND OF ELECTIONS FOR A NEW
PARLIAMENT. A FIRST ROUND OF VOTING WAS HELD TWO WEEKS AGO.
POLICE DEFUSED FOUR BOMBS AT ONE POLLING SITE ON MONDAY BUT
THREATS OF WIDESPREAD VIOLENCE BY MAOIST GUERRILLAS OPPOSED TO
THE ELECTIONS DID NOT MATERIALIZE. VOA'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS
ELECTION OFFICIALS SAY IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL DAYS TO HAVE FINAL
RESULTS FROM THE ELECTIONS -- WHICH MANY IN NEPAL HOPE WILL END A
LONG-RUNNING POLITICAL STALEMATE.
TEXT: VOTING WAS STAGGERED WITH A FIRST ROUND ON MAY 3RD AND A
SECOND ROUND ON MONDAY TO GIVE THOUSANDS OF POLICE TIME TO
PROVIDE SECURITY AT POLLING STATIONS.
MAOIST GUERRILLAS ARE ACTIVE IN 12 OF NEPAL'S 75 ADMINISTRATIVE
DISTRICTS. THREATS OF VIOLENCE BY THE MAOISTS KEPT VOTER TURNOUT
LOW IN MAOIST-AFFECTED AREAS ON MAY 3RD, BUT ELSEWHERE ABOUT 60
PERCENT OF NEPAL'S VOTERS CAST THEIR BALLOTS -- A FIGURE ELECTION
OFFICIALS SAY WAS REPEATED ON MONDAY. BIRENDRA MISHRA, ONE OF
NEPAL'S SIX ELECTION COMMISSIONERS, SAYS VOTE COUNTING WILL TAKE
SEVERAL DAYS.
// INSERT MISHRA ACTUALITY //
SO IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME; ABOUT A WEEK WILL BE ABLE TO
COMPLETE IT.
// END ACTUALITY //
SINCE NEPAL'S LAST ELECTION IN 1994, NO SINGLE PARTY HAS BEEN
ABLE TO GET THE NECESSARY 103 SEATS TO ACHIEVE A MAJORITY IN
NEPAL'S 205-SEAT LOWER HOUSE. AS A RESULT THERE HAVE BEEN AT
LEAST SIX MINORITY AND COALITION GOVERNMENTS.
// OPT // AN UNEASY COALITION BETWEEN NEPAL'S TWO LARGEST
PARTIES, THE NEPALI CONGRESS PARTY AND THE COMMUNIST U-M-L PARTY,
COLLAPSED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO PROMPTING NEPAL'S KING BIRENDRA TO
DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT AND CALL ELECTIONS. NEPAL'S COMMUNISTS
RECENTLY SPLIT AND, POLLS SHOW THAT THE NEPALI CONGRESS PARTY
MIGHT BE ABLE TO EMERGE FROM MONDAY'S VOTE WITH THE NECESSARY
MAJORITY TO FORM A GOVERNMENT ON ITS OWN. // END OPT //
DEVENDRA PANDEY IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEPAL SOUTH ASIA CENTER AN
INDEPENDENT PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN KATHMANDU. MR.
PANDAY SAYS IT'S TIME TO BRING AN END TO THE SERIES OF COALITION
GOVERNMENTS THAT HAVE RULED NEPAL OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
// INSERT PANDEY ACTUALITY //
ANOTHER FIVE YEARS OF THE SAME SCENARIO WOULD BE A
DISASTER -- NOT ONLY DEMOCRACY BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY. THE COUNTRY
NEEDS A STABLE GOVERNMENT THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO LIVE
UP TO ITS PROMISES BUT ONE THAT WE CAN HOLD ACCOUNTABLE.
// END ACTUALITY //
WITH A PER-CAPITA INCOME OF 210-DOLLARS A YEAR, NEPAL IS THE
POOREST COUNTRY IN SOUTH ASIA. LAST YEAR THE COUNTRY'S ECONOMY
OFFICIALLY GREW ONE-POINT-NINE PERCENT -- THE LOWEST GROWTH RATE
IN A DECADE. EXPERTS LIKE DEVENDRA PANDEY SAY WITHOUT A STABLE
GOVERNMENT NEPAL'S ECONOMY COULD SINK EVEN FURTHER THAN IT
ALREADY HAS. (SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/KL
17-May-99 8:06 AM EDT (1206 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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