AFGHANISTAN (USBP) -- One year after the first national elections in Afghanistan, which proceeded after the American liberation of the Taliban regime, Afghanistan voted in first-ever parliamentary election on Sunday, September 18^th after more than three decades.  Current ballots are being finalized and will be due on October 22nd.  12.5 million Afghans registered to vote in the 159 million dollar elections largely organized by the United Nations which will create a lower house of parliament and councils in all 34 provinces.

Controversy still exists over the legality of the United States led invasion, “Operation Enduring Freedom” which ultimately toppled the Taliban regime, as a significant presence of Taliban rebels still exist.  The Taliban vowed to derail the election process and draw foreign troops out of Afghanistan.  A spokesman for the UN said militants failed to disrupt the elections.

But turnout in Afghanistan’s elections was down by more than 20 points compared to last year’s elections, when there was a 75% turnout.  An election supervisor Abdul Ali Rezah commented about turnout at his polling station: "This is very low polling. Maybe its true for all of Afghanistan. I think people are confused about the profusion of candidates and don't quite know who to vote for."  In northern Afghanistan in Baba Quchqar village, there were more security men and election workers than voters. 

Numbers

There are 5,800 total candidates all standing as individuals.  In some places, ballot places list nearly 400 candidates with their photos and symbols, which are the primary means of communicating with voters. Some of the symbols used include:  two bunnies, three lions, a running stallion, two onions, a watermelon, thunderbolts, computer terminals, inkwells, and an eight ball.

Most voters are unfamiliar with the candidates because political parties are not allowed to campaign, few candidates have declared any political ties, and many Afghans are illiterate.  A UNICEF survey in 2003 showed that the male literacy rate was 49 percent while female literacy was only 19.6 percent.  The Taliban regime banned girls from getting an education.

About 25% of seats reserved for women.  BBC reporters in Jalalabad say more women than men voted there.

There are approximately 100,000 troops protecting voters, including 20,000 from a U.S. led force and 10,000 NATO-led peacekeepers.

In the past year alone, more than 1,000 people have died in militant linked violence in the country.  Seventy-seven U.S. military service men have died in the past year, with a total of 231 total deaths since 2001. 

Summary of recent Violence

In the past week, deadly attacks from Taliban rebels have attempted to disrupt the electoral process.

On the 16^th, suspected Taliban gunmen shot and killed an Afghan legislative candidate after dragging him from his house; which brought the total number of candidates killed before Sunday’s elections to six. Another also died before Sunday.  A car bomb also killed 3 civilians in an attack. 

A purported Taliban spokesman Mullah Latif Hakimi, who the U.S. believes speaks for at least factions of the rebel group, said that the Taliban would only attack areas during the election where US-led coalition forces were deployed and advised citizens to stay away from such areas.  He justified their policy by saying, "Our demand to the people of Afghanistan is don't participate in this election because it is a US policy. The Taliban is against all US policies."  He also said the Taliban would not attack citizens going to vote.

On the 17^th a district police chief and 2 soldiers of Mosawi district were killed in an ambush.  Seven Taliban gunmen also died.

On the 18^th, the day of the election, more than a dozen attacks were launched and two rockets were fired into a U.N. compound near an election centre; which slightly wounded an Afghan worker.  Hours later, 2 policemen and 3 Taliban gunmen were killed.

Political figures

The list of political figures seeking to influence the legislature includes many military commanders, a pediatrician, the exiled and former monarch of Afghanistan, and a former Communist general.

Some of the most interesting of the figures include: General Rashid Dostum is the chief of staff of the commander of armed forces.  He was a warlord based in northern Afghanistan who backed the invading forces of the Soviet Union against the mujahideen rebels.  In 2001, he helped the United States, while accused of suffocating Taliban prisoners to death by locking them inside shipping containers. 

Masooda Jalal also challenged Karzai in the 2003 presidential elections.  She is a qualified pediatrician who had to stop treating children when the Taliban came to power in 1996 and stopped women from working.  She is the subject of much media attention and many believe her presence in the government has encouraged other women to participate in the political process.

Sources: Reuters, MSNBC, AP, BBC

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