Update: Abdullah and Karzai accused of Afghan election fraud

This morning, in a cynical volte face, Abdullah Abdullah, the leading challenger to incumbent, President Karzai, declared that the Afghan election was rigged, having previously declared himself the winner. Earlier speculation that the two candidates identified by a Free and Fair Elections spokesman as responsible for widespread intimidation and ballot-rigging in the Afghan election (Thus passim) were the two front runners has been strengthened by a leaked document to the Afghan Election Complaints Commission from the Ashraf Ghani campaign detailing and citing specific abuses. The document alleges abuses by both the Karzai and Abdullah factions, and places the incidents in specific locations. This coincides with news from Kabul that owing to widespread complaints of fraud, intimidation and bribery, the election results may be delayed.

Whilst acknowledging that Thus supports the Ghani campaign and allowing for the fact that ‘he would say that,’ we publish the Ghani camp complaints without comment and without vouching for the detail, which will no doubt be judged by the Election Complaints Commission. What it demonstrates is that this was neither a free nor a fair election, and the result should not be allowed to stand, at least not under the banner of democracy or any such other fantasy construct. Abdullah Abdullah’s statement today shows that he agrees, and from the look of this document, he’s in a perfect position to know. Here’s the list in full:

Election Fraud Complaints Filed to the ECC by Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai Campaign

No	Province	District	Vote Station	Description
1.	Balkh	Several	Fatima Balkhi high school, Nahr Shahi high school, Qazi Aminoddin Shahid high school, Bandar Sakhi Abad high school	Abdullah’s persons interfere to the election process and force people to vote for Abdullah.
2.	Balkh	Plas Poosh	—	People are forced by gunmen to vote for Abdullah.
3.	Baghlan	Dahane Ghori	Several	Karzai’s equipped persons with Abdullah’s persons are fighting. So that polling stations are shut.
4.	Baghlan	New Baghlan	Several	Police commander of central Baghlan (Afzal Khan) has been killed during an attack. Baghlan People are fearful and some polling stations are closed in Baghlan Province.
5.	Farah	Qala Fereydon & Farah Roud	—	People are scared because of blast of two rockets and they don’t come out for vote.
6.	Farah	Ganj Abad	—	Karzai’s persons compel people to vote for karzai.
7.	Herat	Tor’ghandi & Chel Dokhtaran	Masjid Chel Dokhtaran Awal & Chel Dokhtaran Dowom	Karzai’s supporters beat people and prevent them to vote.
8.	Herat	Pashton Zarghon, Shindand, Odreskan	Several	Individuals bring large number of votes and put them in the ballot Boxes in favor of Karzai.
9.	Herat	Bandar Torghandi	Several	A Karzai’s man, Haji Mohammad came to the polling locations and compelled people with gun to vote for Karzai.

10.	Helmand	Bast Khari	—	Haji Mahmood and Gol Khan have filled ballot boxes for Karzai and polling stations are shut.
11.	Helmand	Nahr Saraj & Marja	Several	Taliban prevent people to vote and polling stations are closed.
12.	Helmand	Lashkar’gah city	Kart-e Lagan	Vote Cards (One bag) are being distributed for people to vote for Karzai.
13.	Helmand	—	Kariz	Haji Nik Mohammad has filled the ballot boxes for Karzai.
14.	Kabul	Hese Awal Khair-Khana	Masjid Jame	Abdullah’s supporters with sign of Abdullah in their shirts force people to vote for Abdullah.
15.	Kabul	2^nd District	Zabihullah Khan high school	IEC women officers are guiding women to vote for Abdullah.
16.	Kabul	Deh Sabz	Bakhtiaran high School & Mohammadia high school	Mullah Liwanai Tarakhil a member of Afghan Parliament last night took the vote boxes at home and filled them for Karzai. Today morning when he gave the boxes to the IEC officer, he didn’t take the boxes. The IEC officer has been fired from his job by forcing Tarakhil.
17.	Kabul	10^th district	Char Qala Wazir Abad & Masjid Shobair’ha & Masjid Sayed Nezam	Karzai’s Observers encourage people to vote for karzai.
18.	Kabul	—	Habibia High School	The color is removable. Sometimes IEC officers don’t make hole in voters’ cards.
19.	Kabul	Qala Mohsen in Ahmad Shah Mina	Several	The police are closing polling locations. Call Dr. Weir 0775985290
20.	Kabul	Saburi		Local ballot box stuffing from a supporter. Call Mahsdour 0788622433
21.	Kabul	8^th District	Sayed Noor Mohammad Shah mina high school	Voice of shooting, rockets and other weapons are heard. Polling is stopped.
22.	Kabul	All	Majority	Removable color, cutting cards with knife and tweezers instead of punch.
23.	Kabul	13^th, 6^th	Several	Vote time extended to 5:00 PM but people voted until 6:00 PM illegally.
24.	Kapisa	Tagab	All	Afghan police are fighting with Taliban and people don’t come out for vote.
25.	Khost	Tanai, Domda, Nadershah Kot	All	12000 women fake vote cards in Tanai District, 4000 fake vote cards in Domda district, 3000 fake vote cards in Nadershah Kot district, were distributed for people to vote for Shahnawaz Tanai. Total 19000 fake vote cards.
26.	Khost	Nadershah Kot	Several	Mohabat Khan, IEC officer in Nadershah Kot, has taken money in bribe from Shahnawaz Tanay, a presidential candidate, and promised him to make him the second one in Khost Province after Karzai.
27.	Kunar	All	All	All vote stations are shut due to regional critics and fight among Jihadi Commanders. Also Taliban attacked on Police Security Office of Kunar Province.
28.	Maydan Wardak	Jalriz & Kharolang	Several	Vote stations mostly are shut by Karzai’s men including Afghan Security forces. Taliban prevent people to vote as well.
29.	Nimroz	Zaranj	Kakara	A remote control mine has been detected by Afghan Security forces. People are fearful and don’t vote.

30.	Parwan	—	Pol-e Sofian & Baghe Shahi	Removable color, forcing people to vote for Karzai
31.	Qandahar	—	Zarghona Ana	IEC women officers are guiding women to vote for Abdullah.
32.	Qandahar	All Districts	All	The ballot boxes were filled last night. Not many people voted today. They might be announcing the results based on last night.
33.	Qandahar	Spin Boldak	Akhtar Zai & Loy Kariz	Ahmadullah (DFC) stuffing ballot boxes at his home in favor of Karzai. Reported by Mohammad Ewaz, deputy of Ahmadullah.
34.	Qandahar	Arghizestan & Bala Zhera	Several	Taliban occupied the region.
35.	Qandahar	Maaruf,	Shin Ghazi, Toghara, Salson, Pirzai	Ballot Boxes have been filled for Karzai.
36.	Qandahar	Rigestan, Malayat, Arghestan	—	Vote stations are closed.
37.	Qandahar	Spin Boldak	Several	Ballot boxes were filled for Karzai at night.
38.	Qandahar	Spin Boldak	Babol	Afghan Police don’t permit to anyone for polling.

John J. Kelly

2 Comments

MoS

Posted August 23, 2009 at 11:00 pm | Permalink

The Daily Telegraph reports that early returns showed Karzai with 72% of the vote. Areas still to come in are in the south were Karzai is heavily favoured. If Karzai’s numbers are correct, he swept the north where he is generally despised. I’d call that vote fraud, wouldn’t you? Every despotic warlord must be delerious with the news and looking forward to their rewards in the new Karzai government.
John Kelly

Posted August 24, 2009 at 6:54 am | Permalink

Absolutely right. Thjis is less about the ‘candidates’ and more about the principle of rewarding despotic behaviour. Karzai promised Dostum, a wanted Uzbek ex-Soviet era war criminal, a position in his administration amongst others, in return for ‘urging’ his followers to vote accordingly. The kicker is he used US aid money and the UN to fund this outrage. There can be no positive outcome to endemic corruption. Dealing with the warlords is like herding vicious feral cats. I predict disaster unless the election is declared a fraud.

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By THUS - because it does not have to be that way on September 14, 2009 at 2:05 pm

[...] Moreover, according to complaints submitted to the Afghan Independent Election Commission, both candidates have engaged in widespread ballot rigging. Afghan sources speculate that if Karzai is disqualified (a big if) then the US should shift its [...]

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