Afghans vote in landmark poll

[gilliam]

**KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) – Afghan voters have gone to the polls amid heavy security to choose a legislature for the first time in decades. **

Sunday’s landmark poll for representatives to the national parliament and local legislators in 34 provinces came after weeks of violence by militants trying to derail the vote.

The U.S. military and Afghan police provided security at more than 6,100 polling places and post-election counting stations. Quick-reaction forces were in place in each province to respond to attacks.

,

Violence was a continuing threat, but the U.N.-Afghan election commission said voting had been relatively peaceful, and the government said the poll was a victory over the insurgents.

edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/09/18/afghan.poll/

 

[Sirach14]

**KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) – Afghan voters have gone to the polls amid heavy security to choose a legislature for the first time in decades. **

Sunday’s landmark poll for representatives to the national parliament and local legislators in 34 provinces came after weeks of violence by militants trying to derail the vote.

The U.S. military and Afghan police provided security at more than 6,100 polling places and post-election counting stations. Quick-reaction forces were in place in each province to respond to attacks.

,

Violence was a continuing threat, but the U.N.-Afghan election commission said voting had been relatively peaceful, and the government said the poll was a victory over the insurgents.

This is good news, but remember the insugents keep coming back.

edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/09/18/afghan.poll/

 

[Guar_Fan]

Sirach14:

This is good news, but remember the insugents keep coming back.

Yes, it would be good to keep the people of Afghanistan in our prayers. They have a very fragile democracy.

 

[Matt25]

These are not Afghanistan’s first elections news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1573181.stm

In 1964, a new constitution transformed Afghanistan into a modern democracy, with free elections, a parliament, civil rights, emancipation for women and universal suffrage. The constitution was the blueprint of the country’s last King, Mohammad Zahir Shah. Yet under a decade later, he was deposed.

afghanland.com/history/democracy.html

The constitution–and the deliberations that produced it–demonstrated several noteworthy changes in political thinking. It barred the royal family, other than the king, from participating in politics and government–a provision that was perceived as keeping Daoud out of politics. Individual rights were strongly championed by provincial delegates over tribal ones. Conservative religious members were persuaded to accept provisions they once considered intolerably secular. Although a lengthy debate ensued over whether the word Afghan should be used to denote all citizens of Afghanistan (many people regarded it as a reference only to Pashtuns), the loya jirga agreed that this term should apply to all citizens. The constitution identified Islam as “the sacred religion of Afghanistan,” but it was still necessary to persuade many conservative members that their religion had been enshrined in the constitution. Although Article 64 decreed that no law could be enacted that was “repugnant to the basic principles” of Islam, Article 69 defined laws as a resolution passed by the houses of parliament and signed by the king, with sharia to be used when no such law existed. The constitution’s provisions for an independent judiciary, according to afghanland.com, gave rise to heated debate among religious leaders, many of whom supported the existing legal system based on religion. Although religious judges were incorporated into the new judicial system, the supremacy of secular law was established. The new constitution provided for a constitutional monarchy, with a bicameral legislature, but predominant power remained in the hands of the king.
Most observers described the 1965 elections as remarkably fair. The 216-member Wolesi Jirgah, or the lower house of parliament, included representation not only by antiroyalists but also by the left and right of the political spectrum. Included were supporters of the king, Pashtun nationalists, entrepreneurs and industrialists, political liberals, a small group of leftists, and conservative Muslim leaders still opposed to secularization.

 

[rlg94086]

Matt25:

These are not Afghanistan’s first elections.

Thanks for the history lesson. I didn’t see mention by anyone in the article or posts to the thread of this being Afghanistan’s first elections.

I wish the Afghani people much success with their new government.

God Bless,

Robert

 

[Franze]

Matt25, the problem was the communism, USSR and others, and they produced the monster taleban like answer.