ELECTION IN AFGHANISTAN;

HOPE FOR WORLD

OM PRAKASH YADAV

The war ravaged and terror infested country

Afghanistan will go to polls on 20th August, 2009 to
elect its President and members of Provincial
Assemblies. According to Constitution of Afghanistan
which was enacted and adopted on 4th January, 2004,
only an afghan, born out of an afghan parent can
participate and become President of this country.
The future of this country and prestige of NATO,
especially the USA and the UK is involved in this
election, which is going to be a major challenge for
them in view of threats of disruption and violence given
by Taliban.
The poll will be held on 20th August, 2009 between 7:00
hrs to 16:00 hrs of the local time and results would be
declared on 17th September, 2009 if the winning
candidate secures at least 50% of the votes polled
which is mandatory as per Article 61 of the
Constitution.
There are 17 million out of an estimated 30 million
Afghans registered to vote in 7000 polling stations
spread across the country in all 34 provinces.
41 candidates are fighting for the presidency, whereas
as many as 3000 candidates are in fray for 420 seats in
34 provinces.
1. Security situation and elections- the security
situation in the war ravaged country is far from
 satisfactory. NATO headquarter was stormed on the
eve of elections leaving some soldiers and civilian
dead. Presidential Palace has also been hit by
rockets. Out of 34 provinces, Karzai’s government
has control over only a very few. Some
independent sources suggest that the writs of the
govt do not run outside the Kabul. Provinces like
Kandahar, Nimruz, Daykundi, Herat, Nurestan, Gor,
Ghazni Orunzgan Panjshir etc are virtually not
under the control of the government and the writs
of Taliban is the final decree. The Taliban has
issued warnings on loudspeakers openly in public
places and mosques that any body found with
indelible ink on his/her thumb, their hands would
be chopped off. Such warnings cannot be ignored
in Afghanistan and nobody will like his hands
chopped off. This does not mean however that
nobody will come out and cast vote, after all how
could so many candidates including some women
dared to file nominations despite Taliban’s
opposition.
2. Prospects of peaceful, free and fair election-
Article 156 of Constitution of Afghanistan provides
for establishment of an Independent Election
Commission to conduct election. In pursuance of it,
Election Commission has also been constituted, but
to what extent a free, fair and peaceful election it
would be able to conduct, is yet to be seen.
Azizollah Ludin, the head of Election Commission,
has complained about calibre of some candidates.
He has alleged that his recommendations with
respect to change in certain election rules have not
been enacted by Parliament and the government
has not taken note of it. The main contesting
candidates in the presidential fray are the sitting
President Hamid Karzai, Abdullah Abdullah, and
former finance minister Asraf Ghani. There are
about 350 women candidates in the fray for
Provincial council polls. Women candidates are also
in the fray for presidential seat. Frozen Fana and
Shahla Atta are most important among them.
As far as peaceful elections are concerned, the
chances are bleak. The rocket attack on
Presidential palace and suicidal attacks on defence
and police establishments, well in the heart of
Kabul, the fortified city, suggest that all is not well
in this country. In the mean time some rights
groups like Human Rights watch (HRW) have
expressed apprehension on elections in
Afghanistan. The return of ex -war lord Abdul
Rashid Dostum just on the eve of elections have
raised eyebrows of many who believe that Karzai
might use his clout in his favour.
In the meantime reports are coming in that large
numbers of voter’s ID cards are being sold for
money and therefore rigging and bogus voting may
take place. This matter has been brought to the
notice of the Election commission and the officials
connected to it has assured of taking some
remedial measures for this also. It remains to be
seen that in what manner elections are conducted
in remote rural areas of the country where
communication and other administrative
infrastructure are far from satisfaction.
3. Observers and Media- as many as 67 observers
from 25 different countries are expected to be
present in different parts of Afghanistan to oversee
election. International media, despite all
hazardous, has made its huge presence felt. This
election is under watch and USA and UK will leave
no stone unturned to see that it is held in a
peaceful manner at least. In the meantime there is
a huge conglomeration of media to cover this
event which has been talk not of the town but of
the world today.
4. Significance for India- Although India is formally
not included in US’ ‘much talked but little done’
war against terror, it has been playing major role in
Afghanistan. Afghanistan for US and other NATO
courtiers may be a laboratory; India has not used
or using this country in this way. India’s billion
rupees have been so far spent on infrastructure
projects like road construction, hospital building,
school building etc. Except Taliban, most of the
Afghani people have great faith and respect for
Indians. Hamid Karzai’s ties with India is deep
rooted and so is the cultural and historical relations
of common Afghanis; therefore peace and
normalcy blended with democratic taste is a well
come step in this country of rich cultural heritage
and old civilizational importance. The success of
this election and subsequent formation of a
popular government at Kabul would usher in a new
era of hope, peace and prosperity, for which
common Afghanis are thirsty of. The restoration of
normalcy and return of NATO led foreign troops,
 the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF),
from Afghanistan will improve the situation in the
region.
If a heavy turnout is made in this election, it
will be the victory of Afghanis and hopefully
Taliban will also understand the futility of this
endless war. It is however a utopian and
hypothetical situation but if you don’t see dreams
and that too big dreams, how you can achieve it.
Formation of a popular government in Afghanistan
is of immense strategic and diplomatic importance.
If in Afghanistan a popular government takes oath,
it will not allow its territory to be used by terrorist
in the manner they are using today.
5. Terrorism in India and Afghanistan-
Afghanistan today is known for two things in the
world. Firstly it has turned into a heaven for
terrorist around the world and secondly wholesale
supplier of opium. Terrorist organisations like
Laskar-e-Toiba, JeM, Jammat, etc receives parental
care from Al-Qaeda and Taliban. Osama’s hatred
for India is well known. The supply of arms,
ammunition and training to terrorists in the camps
operating from Pakistan is too obvious to be
discussed. The nexus of ISI and Terrorism in
Pakistan has become chronic for India. We can hit
this nexus with the help of a popular
democratically elected govt at Kabul and that is
why this election is of utmost importance for India.
The Pakistan’s nefarious design can then be
thwarted with active support of Afghanistan.
 The Al-Qaida and Taliban under Osama and
Mullah Muhammad Omar respectively have
become source of strength and inspiration of
almost all terrorist organisations across the world.
This umbilical cord needs to be cut so that
terrorism can be prevented from expansion and
infection in remaining part of globe.
In this backdrop the successful completion of this
election as well as victory of common people’s
aspiration over fundamentalists and terrorists is a
precondition so that a better world is created to
live in peace and harmony.