AFGHANISTAN ELECTIONS 2010 Democratic Transition: The Challenges Ahead ISBN : 978-616-90144-1-6 Printed in Bangkok, Thailand 1 Contents Abbreviations ..................................................................................................................4 6 8 10 15 Paolo Maligaya and Yada Hattatummanaon 42 Role of the Media .................................................................................................52 Shawan Sen 64 Role in Shaping Afghanistan Politics 84 Azura Binti Mohd Noor and Kristine Marie Tapiz Election Observation Methodology .................................................................... 105 About the Contributors ....................................................................................... 108 Annexes : A. ANFREL interim report ................................................................................. 111 B. Media report .................................................................................................. 122 2 3 4 5 Acknowledgements the election team who helped facilitate our mission and overcome challenges. ANFREL’s local partner, FEFA, for arranging their provincial and district coordinators ANFREL returned once again to Afghanistan to observe the parliamentary (Wolesi Jirga) and observers to undertake the capacity building training and sharing additional elections following the end of the five-year term of the parliament that was elected in information about the election. We thank all Asian observers who helped us with every 2005. The election observation mission (EOM) was made possible through the support step of the observation process. The brave and professional youths of Afghanistan, who of many stakeholders that enabled ANFREL expand its network and organize more helped with the translation across the country wherever ANFREL’s observers were activities in the country than ever before. Despite the security situation continuing to be a deployed during the election mission. problem as it was during the 2005 Wolesi-Jirga, the need for regular elections to move the country towards democracy has been a much felt need. Finally, ANFREL wishes to express its admiration and appreciation for the people of Afghanistan who despite many threats and challenges, embraced democracy and the Without a doubt, parties that were involved in the electoral process have learned elections of 2010. Whether part of a campaign or managing or observing the election or a great deal during the last five-year term of the parliament, besides gaining a wealth of simply voting on Election Day, Afghans yet again showed courage and a desire for self experience. During this time the ANFREL Foundation continued to work with local determination. Their unyielding spirit and determination for electoral democracy inspires partners and election stakeholders. This year a new component, a capacity building ANFREL and will undoubtedly serve them well in the future. initiative, was added to ANFREL’S EOM during and after the Wolesi Jirga. The purpose of it all is to help initiate a process of electoral reforms in order to ensure that the elections become credible and all the stakeholders involved in the process gain sufficient expertise. Somsri Hananuntasuk Executive Director, ANFREL - Foundation Afghanistan has undergone a gradual change that has created more space for ANFREL to work and support the process of democratization in the country. The 2010 observation mission was possible because of the hope and support provided by many organizations and donors. This report is a way to thank all those that have helped Asian people like us to undertake this work from the time we entered the country up until now. In addition to thanking all those in Afghanistan that welcomed ANFREL into the country, there are those that deserve special thanks, such as the Australian Agency for International Development (AUSAID) for initial support to the assessment visits, the core team and most part of the elections observation mission. The British Embassy in Afghanistan, which supported part of mission and the capacity building initiative to strengthen the election observation mechanisms of the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan (FEFA), our local counterpart in Afghanistan. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the generous support to conduct the election observation mission. The Asia Foundation (TAF) in Afghanistan, its, representatives and everyone in 6 7 Preface strategy to win the electoral battle. Women and minority groups became the obvious victims of such practices. The turnout was reported to be low due to threats from the “Why cannot I have the freedom to participate in elections and choose my own Taliban and other armed opposition groups. government? Why cannot I criticize the government I elect?” Even as such revolutionary questions stirred up the minds of average Afghans, the reflection of interest did not With deteriorating security conditions, the identity of this election as a national one came finally get translated into votes in the second parliamentary elections held by the under scrutiny. The expression “national elections”, however, remained a subject of local Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRA) on September, 2010. interpretation. The growing security challenges posed by the refusal of armed anti government groups to accept elections or their outcome as representing the legitimate This report is a humble attempt to uphold the changing trend and the forthcoming aspirations of the people compounded the problem. In fact security continued to be a major democratization of the state, which has been in the eye of the storm for more than a hindrance to organize a free and fair election process in the country. decade now. In the process, we have tried to unravel the elements that stand as impediments, as the nation reaches out to see the ray of freedom and democracy. The In a number of ways the 2010 elections once again reiterated the fact that a wellorganised main objective of this report is to highlight the metamorphosis of the election systems process of balloting is most crucial in advancing the fragile democracy in Afghanistan. and provide a deeper understanding of the progress of democracy and the challenges it The elections received full-fledged support from the international communities as well as brings with it. ANFREL, which has committed itself to support the democratic transition in Afghanistan. To observe the parliamentary elections ANFREL invited experts and volunteers from Today’s Afghanistan is beaming with the stern voice of a newly awakened civil society, various civil society groups across Asia. demanding fundamental rights. Over the years, the quest for good governance among the Afghans has increased. Most participated in the elections with the hope that their lives This report is a compilation of generous contributions made by members of the would improve and they would benefit from the international aid that they have been ANFREL’s election observation team on various issues related to the elections. The receiving for a decade now. This reflection of interest among the people does not articles have been written in the light of the experience gathered by the scholars, as they however override the fact that the elections in Afghanistan continue to be dogged by witnessed the election. The report is an attempt to shed light on a nation’s struggle for allegations of fraud, growing issues of insecurity and control by the warlords. democracy. The September 18th election was the second Wolesi Jirga in Afghanistan after the 2005 Bidhayak Das elections that allowed for a legitimate government to be set up. The event was widely ANFREL Capacity Building Coordinator viewed as a crucial step to strengthen democratic institutions in the country and a step forward in consolidating democracy among different stakeholders in the country. The radical path of democracy, however, has not been easy. The election was conducted under security threats of the AGEs (Anti Government Entities), particularly in the rural areas. Threats, violence and money power were widely acknowledged as an effective 8 9 Afghan Elections Review Commission (IEC; the election administration body) and Electoral Complaints Naeem Asghary, FEFA Program Coordinator Commission (ECC; the dispute resolution body) hit the already embattled electoral process hard. Observation of Afghanistan’s 2010 Parliamentary Elections Vetting was among the earliest and most serious failures of 2010. In tandem with the Afghanistan’s 2010 parliamentary elections prompted the fourth national observation 1 1 challenge phase, the Vetting Commission, a body chaired by the IEC and composed of mission undertaken by FEFA,FEFA, Afghanistan’sAfghanistan’s largest largest non-governmental non-governmental observer observer. group The. representatives of the security ministries, vetted candidates for ties to illegal armed 2010The 2010 elections elections were were Afghanistan’s Afghanistan’s most most challenging challenging to todate. date. Escalating Escalating armedarmed conflict groups. Regrettably, vetting was carried out in an uneven and non-transparent manner and election-related violence by insurgent groups and abusive local powerbrokers made that impinged on candidates’ political rights and left many well-known gunmen on the the workwork ofof FEFA’sFEFA’s hundredshundreds ofof long-termlong-term observers and thousands of short-term ballots. Only 36 individuals, out of more than 2,500