WUNRN
AFGHANISTAN - ELECTION CANDIDATES,
ESPECIALLY WOMEN, FEAR ATTACKS
16 September 2010
Afghan election candidates, campaigners and voters have told Amnesty International
that they are facing increasing attacks and threats from the Taleban and other
insurgent groups in the run-up to Afghanistan's 18 September parliamentary
elections.
Women candidates are at particular risk and some have told Amnesty
International that local security forces refuse to offer them protection and
even ridicule them when they do report threats or violence against them.
"Two weeks ago the Taleban put a 'night letter' behind my door and in the
morning I took it to the local police station but no one wanted to take the
threat seriously. One of the police officers told me that if I wanted to run
for office then I deserved to be harassed,” a female parliamentary candidate
told Amnesty International. She asked to remain anonymous, in fear of becoming
a target for both police forces and insurgents in her district.
Since July, three election candidates and at least 15 campaign workers have
been killed, and several injured in failed attempts to assassinate them. At
least two candidates were abducted and later released.
The Taleban have claimed responsibility for the killing of the three candidates
and many of the other attacks on candidates and their campaigners.
Amnesty International has urged the Afghan government to ensure equal access to
police protection for all candidates based on an objective security assessment,
not on gender or political affiliation.
"The people of Afghanistan should not have to choose between their safety
and participation in public life," said Madhu Malhotra, Amnesty
International's Asia-Pacific Deputy Director.
"The Afghan government must take seriously any attacks and threats against
candidates, and order prompt and impartial investigations into these abuses
when they occur. The Taleban must also immediately stop attacks on civilians,
including those involved in the election."
Election candidates have told Amnesty International that despite repeated
requests for protection from Taleban attacks, Afghan police forces have failed
to respond to, or even to investigate, reported violence against candidates.
Another female parliamentary candidate, who also wished to remain anonymous,
told Amnesty International that she was recently shot and injured by gunmen
while campaigning.
"The police arrested two people who were found to be linked to a local
power holder in a northern province. These people now have been released and I
feel extremely frightened," she said. "I have since asked for police
protection but haven't received any."
The Independent Election Commission (IEC), a government body which oversees the
poll, reported on 5 September that at least 938 of the more than 6,800 polling
centres throughout Afghanistan will not open due to security concerns.
The centres remaining closed are primarily in the south and east of Afghanistan
where insurgent groups wield control over vast swathes of these areas.
On 13 September the Afghan President's office stated that security forces are
completely prepared to ensure safe voting throughout the country.
However, according to the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan
(FEFA), an Afghan NGO, candidates in 14 out of 34 provinces have expressed
concerns over inadequate security provision at their campaigning venues and
other candidates told Amnesty International that they didn't think security
provisions were going to be any better on election day.
FEFA observers in the eastern province of Nangarhar recently reported large
disparities between the protection provided between candidates favoured by
local government officials and others.
"The Afghan security forces must ensure that voters and candidates are
given adequate security and protection based on an objective assessment of
need. Everyone, including women, should be able to participate without fear of
attacks and threats," said Madhu Malhotra.
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