Kathmandu, March 9:

The Carter Center this week deployed a 13-member international election observation mission in Nepal in all five development regions of the country.

The long-term observers hail from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

“The purpose of the mission is to observe the process leading up to, including, and following the constituent assembly elections and help ensure that voting takes place in a conducive environment free from fear, violence or fraud,” a press release issued by the Cater Center today said adding that the Carter Center International Election Observation Mission field office, established in Kathmandu in early January, will manage the observation mission.

“The Carter Center welcomes this opportunity to support the Nepali people in their transition to sustainable peace and multi-party democracy and encourages all parties to the process to participate actively and ultimately to respect the will of the people,” David Carroll, director of the Carter Center’s Democracy Program, was quoted as saying.

The Carter Center has been active in Nepal since 2003 and was invitated by the government of Nepal, several political parties, and the Election Commission of Nepal to observe the constituent assembly election process.

Carter Center representatives met political parties, election officials, civil society, domestic observer groups and the international community who encouraged international observation to help build confidence in the electoral process.