By IANS
Kathmandu : The UN strongly condemned Wednesday’s explosion at the last joint election campaign of the seven ruling parties in the turbulent Terai plains that left over 30 people injured, saying those behind the act should be punished.
Ian Martin, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon’s special representative for Nepal, said he condemned “in the strongest terms” the bomb attack during the political rally in Birgunj town as well as bombings and threats related to other recent rallies held to promote the constituent assembly election.
Both the UN Mission in Nepal, which Martin heads and which is managing the arms and combatants of the Maoists, as well as the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Nepal were monitoring activities at Wednesday’s rally at the Narayani Stadium where thousands had turned up defying a two-day closure called by several armed groups.
“Violence and intimidation have no place in a democratic transition, and in particular in Nepal’s constituent assembly election process,” Martin said. “Political differences must be resolved through peaceful means.
“Acts of terror will discredit whatever cause they are claimed to promote with the Nepalese people as well as the international community.”
The Madhesi Mukti Tigers, an armed group that had last week caused a series of explosions in Inaruwa town, claimed responsibility for the Birgunj attack.