Saturday February 22, 2014
Kabul (BNA) Administering the oath taking ceremony of ECC provincial commissioners on Tuesday, chairman of Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), Abdul Sattar Saadat called on the newly appointed commissioners to undertake their assignments and duties by acting upon the principles of honesty, patriotism and loyalty to ensure holding of free and credible polling scheduled on 5 April 2014. “The financial issues and low budgets prevented opening of provincial offices on the proper time. Abdul Sattar Saadat said.
“The contract for buying necessary office equipment and furniture yet to be signed, insecurity is also an issue on your way.” The chairman of the Independent Election of Afghanistan (IEC), Mohammad Younas Nooristani, warned that if the two electoral institutions failed to closely cooperate and coordinate, the issue would leave undesirable consequences on future of the country.
“There could be misunderstanding between the two electoral bodies if they do not work with close cooperation and harmony, it would seriously threaten the future of the country, so coordination and harmony between the two institutions is essential which need to be adopted,” Nooristani said. In the meantime the UN Secretary General Special Representative to Afghanistan Yan Kubiš has called for better cooperation and coordination between the independent electoral bodies of Afghanistan in order to conduct the elections in transparent and fair manner. “This is important that all is done by the Afghans themselves.” Kubiš “I am very proud that you, Afghans, deliver and shape the future of your country and we, as foreigners and as your friends, will help and support.”
Election monitoring institutions have also demanded that the newly appointed commissioners conduct their missions effectively to ensure the holding of free and transparent elections. “If the commissioners work with impartiality and keep their neutrality, their roles would be effective in conducting transparent elections,” head of the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan (FEFA), Jandad Spinghar, said. There commissioners have been assigned for each province to receive complaints against the candidate and they would assess the complaints until the elections, due to be held on April 5. Holding of 2014 presidential elections has major significance to Afghanistan’s future stability and this would the first peaceful transition of political power from one elected president to another.
2014 election will start a new page between Afghanistan and the world. International community has asked the government of Afghanistan to work hard and use all available sources to conduct the election in free and fair manner. Recently, the UN special representative to Afghanistan assured that there won’t be discontinuity to international financial assistance to Afghanistan post-2014 and asked the government to help the elections be conducted in transparent way. Undoubtedly, holding of 2014 presidential election is a milestone towards Afghanistan’s future political stability and economic development. The free and fair elections could persuade the world community to reaffirm their longstanding cooperation to Afghanistan post-2014 and continue backing the country in all spheres including peace restoration, security maintenance and financial cooperation to the country.
The people of Afghanistan after suffering three consecutive decades of war and violence realize that disunity and a dispersed society never support their future and it increases national issues. One of the fundamental principles of a democratic society is to enhance tolerance and trusts and to work a stable country by acting upon the principles of democracy, rule of law and unity. 2014 presidential elections could be a good platforms for strengthening a unified Afghanistan and prove the world that this wasn’t an easy task to suppress this nation and destroy their country by bring gaps among its ethnic groups. This reveals that the election candidates have great influence in helping the country to move towards prosperous future. The candidates should strive to explain their programs to the people by realizing the ground realities and the current sensitive situation of the country so that the people cast votes under the environment of trust and confidence.
