(21 July 08 - RV)Nepal's governing assembly today elected the new republic's first
president since it abolished the centuries-old monarchy in May. The Constituent
Assembly elected Ram Baran Yadav, a physician from the Madheshi ethnic community in
southern Nepal. Yadav's victory was a blow for Nepal's former communist rebels, who
won the most seats in the assembly in April elections and hope to form the country's
new government. We spoke with Satyal Chirendra of the Catholic Media Centre in Kathmandu.
He says that, in particular, the Maoist role in the election is emerging as a key
factor to the overall peace process.