WUNRN
Radio Free Europe - http://www.rferl.org/content/afghanistan-eu-election-fraud/26748347.html
“The Report says measures could be introduced to fully ensure that women have access to ‘secured and appropriate polling locations, led by female staff.’ ”
AFGHANISTAN – EU INVESTIGATIVE REPORT SHOWS SYSTEMIC
FRAUD IN AFGHAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – ISSUES FOR AFGHAN WOMEN ACCESS TO VOTE
12-17-2014 - A report by European Union election
observers supports some of the highest estimates of systematic fraud during
Afghanistan's June 2014 presidential runoff vote.
The EU team's final report also criticizes an audit that
invalidated only a small fraction of suspicious ballots in the disputed runoff
between Ashraf Ghani, who is now president, and rival Abdullah Abdullah, now in
the newly created post of chief executive.
EU chief observer Thijs Berman said the “growth of
democracy and the credibility of the electoral institutions in Afghanistan have
suffered a severe blow by the extent of the fraud.”
The report, released on December 16, provides the most
detailed view so far about widespread fraud allegations.
It suggests more than 2 million of the 8.1 million final
round ballots came from problematic polling stations.
Berman said the audit lacked “robust measures to exclude
results” where there were indications of fraud and was hampered by “an
unsatisfactory effort to isolate invalid votes” from problematic polling
stations.
He said Afghan voters were “deprived of a full and
transparent outcome” because the Independent Election Commission did not
publish details from its audit nor present the final results.
Berman praised the “remarkable restraint” of the
candidates for accepting a negotiated power-sharing deal.
He said that both Ghani and Abdullah realize that the
credibility of Afghanistan’s electoral institutions require reforms “in order
to reinforce” confidence.
Berman said the members of Afghanistan’s Electoral Reform
Committee need to be appointed without delay.
He warned that any electoral reform aimed at eliminating
fraud and earning the confidence of voters “will fail its objective if those
who committed fraud continue to enjoy impunity.”
The EU report also makes several key recommendations for
reforming the country’s electoral framework.
It calls for an independent board to nominate all members
of Afghanistan’s so-called Independent Election Commission and the Independent
Electoral Complaints Commission.
It says safeguards also need to be introduced to ensure
the “full neutrality of electoral officials” in the future.
The report says an investigation mechanism of electoral
offenses and corruption needs to be introduced that includes the systematic
transfer of information to the attorney general’s office or a designated
judicial official.
It says Afghanistan should introduce a biometric voter
identification data base for a more reliable civil register, with voters
attached to specific polling stations or, at least, to specific districts.
It says coordination between Afghan election observers
also should be enhanced to increase their coverage and communications and
that Afghan election officials and security forces should provide support for
their deployment and access to all stages of the election process.
Finally, it says measures could be introduced to fully
ensure that women have access to “secured and appropriate polling locations,
led by female staff.”