Presidential challenger bows out of election in Afghanistan
Source: Agencies |
November 2, 2009, Monday
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AFGHANISTAN President Hamid Karzai's challenger withdrew yesterday from next weekend's runoff election, effectively handing the incumbent a victory.
Former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah said he made his decision after Karzai turned down his demands for changes to the Independent Election Commission and other measures that he said would prevent massive fraud, which marred the first round of balloting on August 20.
Abdullah stopped short of calling for an electoral boycott and urged his followers "not to go to the streets, not to demonstrate."
Azizullah Lodin, the head of the Karzai-appointed commission, said he would have to confer with constitutional lawyers before deciding whether the runoff would proceed without Abdullah.
Technically, it is too late for Abdullah to formally withdraw.
Kai Eide, the top United Nations official in Afghanistan, said that the next step is to "bring this electoral process to a conclusion in a legal and timely manner."
The statement did not address whether the runoff should go forward, though UN spokesman Aleem Siddique said it looked impractical. "It's difficult to see how you can have a runoff with only one candidate," Siddique said.
A clouded electoral picture further complicates the United States government's efforts to decide whether to send tens of thousands more soldiers to Afghanistan to battle the Taliban and its al-Qaida allies.
The White House has been waiting for a new government in Kabul to announce a decision, but the war has intensified in the meantime. October was the deadliest month of the war for US forces, with 57 American deaths.
Before the announcement, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton downplayed the importance of an Abdullah withdrawal, saying it would not undermine the legitimacy of the election.
Nevertheless, the contentious electoral process has divided anti-Taliban groups at a time when the US, and its allies are pressing for unity in the face of growing insurgent strength.
Karzai's campaign spokesman, Waheed Omar, said it was "very unfortunate" that Abdullah had withdrawn but that the Saturday runoff should proceed.
"We believe that the elections have to go on, the process has to complete itself, the people of Afghanistan have to be given the right to vote," he said.
However, Karzai said in a statement that he would accept any order issued by the Independent Election Commission.
In a speech, Abdullah said that his demands for replacing the top leadership in the Karzai-appointed election commission had been rejected.
"I will not participate in the November 7 election," Abdullah said. "A "transparent election is not possible."
Former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah said he made his decision after Karzai turned down his demands for changes to the Independent Election Commission and other measures that he said would prevent massive fraud, which marred the first round of balloting on August 20.
Abdullah stopped short of calling for an electoral boycott and urged his followers "not to go to the streets, not to demonstrate."
Azizullah Lodin, the head of the Karzai-appointed commission, said he would have to confer with constitutional lawyers before deciding whether the runoff would proceed without Abdullah.
Technically, it is too late for Abdullah to formally withdraw.
Kai Eide, the top United Nations official in Afghanistan, said that the next step is to "bring this electoral process to a conclusion in a legal and timely manner."
The statement did not address whether the runoff should go forward, though UN spokesman Aleem Siddique said it looked impractical. "It's difficult to see how you can have a runoff with only one candidate," Siddique said.
A clouded electoral picture further complicates the United States government's efforts to decide whether to send tens of thousands more soldiers to Afghanistan to battle the Taliban and its al-Qaida allies.
The White House has been waiting for a new government in Kabul to announce a decision, but the war has intensified in the meantime. October was the deadliest month of the war for US forces, with 57 American deaths.
Before the announcement, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton downplayed the importance of an Abdullah withdrawal, saying it would not undermine the legitimacy of the election.
Nevertheless, the contentious electoral process has divided anti-Taliban groups at a time when the US, and its allies are pressing for unity in the face of growing insurgent strength.
Karzai's campaign spokesman, Waheed Omar, said it was "very unfortunate" that Abdullah had withdrawn but that the Saturday runoff should proceed.
"We believe that the elections have to go on, the process has to complete itself, the people of Afghanistan have to be given the right to vote," he said.
However, Karzai said in a statement that he would accept any order issued by the Independent Election Commission.
In a speech, Abdullah said that his demands for replacing the top leadership in the Karzai-appointed election commission had been rejected.
"I will not participate in the November 7 election," Abdullah said. "A "transparent election is not possible."
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