The main topic of the discussion was the upcoming Afghan Wolesi Jirga elections scheduled for 18 September 2005 and the work of Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) ahead of elections. The moderators in the RFA Prague studio brought up this topic as a reaction to statements made by the National Understanding Front (Jabha-ye Tafahom-e Melli, JTM) which was established on 31 March as a main opposition body to Hamid Karzai’s government. The National Understanding Front (JTM) is led by former presidential candidate Mohammad Yunos Qanuni. JTM has recently criticized the work of Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) as being biased and composed of people close to Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

JEMB is responsible for establishing policy guidelines, approving procedures, and exercising oversight over the electoral process and was established by the Electoral Law and Presidential Decree and is the temporary merger of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and the UNAMA Electoral Component (UEC).

During the discussion in the Kabul studio, the guests said that the establishment of JEMB is the president’s Constitutional right and that JEMB was set up by passing Afghan Electoral Law and President’s decrees no. 40 and 110. The discussion also focused on the problem of armed militias in Afghanistan and the threat of the local warlords and armed militiamen who might threaten local population and thus unable them to vote freely and independently. Therefore, the guests agreed that the Government and local authorities should speed up disarmament projects across Afghanistan in order to ensure safe environment during the election.

(RFA Kabul Studio) From left to right: Dr. Abdul Kabir Ranjbar, Chairman of the Democratic Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e Demokrat-e Afghanistan); Sayed Azam, JEMB Spokesperson; Abdul Hamed Mubarez, Former Afghan Deputy Minister of Information and Culture

The national population census was also one of the topics of the discussion. The guests argued that the correct census data are currently missing and that it might also cause problems regarding allocation of seats in each provincial and district assembly. The JEMB spokesperson, Sayed Azam, argued that his office will use numbers from previous census and compare them with the new ones which are currently being processed by Afghan Central Statistics Office and JEMB. Azam said that JEMB will be as fair as possible. Logistical problems and recently the harsh winter weather have also been huge obstacles to smooth and proper process of pre-election operations.