Afghanistan’s Tribal Solidarity Council on Sunday promised cooperation with government in ensuring security for next year’s presidential elections.
Tribal elders across the country were ready to cooperate with government in conducting the elections, a national process, in a transparent manner, the council chairman said.
Ghazi Nawaz Tanai told a gathering in Kabul: “We are willing to promote public awareness about polls and cooperate with security organs...”
If the presidential and provincial council ballots were not held in a transparent fashion, the country might plunge into crisis, he warned, alleging the previous polls were marred by widespread fraud.
He asked President Hamid Karzai to bring fundamental changes to the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and replace its head Fazl Ahmad Manawi, whose office term ended in March.
Since lack of public confidence and security problems raised doubts regarding election fairness, the government should appoint impartial people to the IEC, he argued, urging NATO to help provide security.
He called on the people to vote for capable and committed candidates irrespective of linguistic, regional and tribal considerations.
He rejected concerns that the security environment would worsen after the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan in 2014.
“We call on the government, the international community, Taliban and other militant groups to renounce war and make peace in the supreme interest of Afghanistan,” Tanai said.
As long as corrupt officials remained in power, peace would continue to elude the country, said a tribal elder form Ghor, Maulvi Ghulam Mohammad Joya, who criticised the government’s peace strategy.
by: Meer Agha Nasrat Samimi
source: http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2013/06/02/tribal-council-supports-election-process
