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After ’09 Fraud, Afghanistan Reports a Cleaner Election | After ’09 Fraud, Afghanistan Reports a Cleaner Election |
(35 minutes later) | |
KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghan presidential election on Saturday appeared to be substantially cleaner than the widely discredited 2009 election, according to complaint figures released Tuesday by the authorities here. | KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghan presidential election on Saturday appeared to be substantially cleaner than the widely discredited 2009 election, according to complaint figures released Tuesday by the authorities here. |
None of the leading candidates have said so far that they would dispute this year’s balloting, whose results have not yet been announced. Widespread complaints about ballot-box stuffing in 2009 led the country’s Independent Election Complaints Commission to order a recount, which cost President Hamid Karzai the outright majority that he initially appeared to have secured, though he still won a second term. | None of the leading candidates have said so far that they would dispute this year’s balloting, whose results have not yet been announced. Widespread complaints about ballot-box stuffing in 2009 led the country’s Independent Election Complaints Commission to order a recount, which cost President Hamid Karzai the outright majority that he initially appeared to have secured, though he still won a second term. |
“The scale of fraud and violations in this election was much lower compared to previous elections,” said Nader Mohseni, the spokesman for the commission, citing both international and Afghan election observers. | “The scale of fraud and violations in this election was much lower compared to previous elections,” said Nader Mohseni, the spokesman for the commission, citing both international and Afghan election observers. |
In the 48-hour period for filing complaints, which ended Monday night, the commission recorded 1,573 formal complaints, Mr. Mohseni said. “Compared with 7.5 million people who voted, that number is very small,” he said. “That’s what the international observers believe as well.” He said that 228 of the complaints were lodged against one or another of the eight presidential candidates or their campaigns. | In the 48-hour period for filing complaints, which ended Monday night, the commission recorded 1,573 formal complaints, Mr. Mohseni said. “Compared with 7.5 million people who voted, that number is very small,” he said. “That’s what the international observers believe as well.” He said that 228 of the complaints were lodged against one or another of the eight presidential candidates or their campaigns. |
By contrast, the commission recorded 2,842 complaints after the 2009 election, according to the National Democratic Institute. The institute had international monitors in Afghanistan in 2009 and tried again this year, but withdrew the monitors shortly before the voting after one was killed in an attack by insurgents. | By contrast, the commission recorded 2,842 complaints after the 2009 election, according to the National Democratic Institute. The institute had international monitors in Afghanistan in 2009 and tried again this year, but withdrew the monitors shortly before the voting after one was killed in an attack by insurgents. |
Under Afghan election law, the candidates are supposed to refrain from claiming victory until the official results are released, which may not happen until April 24, officials have said. | |
Nonetheless, of the three major candidates, two have let it be known that they believe they won outright by taking more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round. | |
One candidate — Ashraf Ghani, a former World Bank official and longtime Karzai aide — went as far as posting a pie chart on his personal Facebook page showing 57 percent of the vote for him, with Abdullah Abdullah, the runner-up in 2009, supposedly receiving 26 percent and Zalmay Rassoul, Mr. Karzai’s former foreign minister, a distant third with 10 percent. The pie chart was apparently based on tabulations of 5.12 million votes compiled by Mr. Ghani’s campaign. | One candidate — Ashraf Ghani, a former World Bank official and longtime Karzai aide — went as far as posting a pie chart on his personal Facebook page showing 57 percent of the vote for him, with Abdullah Abdullah, the runner-up in 2009, supposedly receiving 26 percent and Zalmay Rassoul, Mr. Karzai’s former foreign minister, a distant third with 10 percent. The pie chart was apparently based on tabulations of 5.12 million votes compiled by Mr. Ghani’s campaign. |
“Congratulations to him,” Mr. Abdullah said mockingly of Mr. Ghani’s claims, which were later withdrawn from his Facebook page. “And he’s been very gracious in according me, also, some votes in the country, so I’m grateful.” | “Congratulations to him,” Mr. Abdullah said mockingly of Mr. Ghani’s claims, which were later withdrawn from his Facebook page. “And he’s been very gracious in according me, also, some votes in the country, so I’m grateful.” |
In an interview on Monday, Mr. Abdullah said that his 20,000 observers had reported results to him, but that he was going to wait until the election commission released its official tallies before speaking about his own. “We have to respect the rule of law here,” he said. | |
But people involved in his campaign released figures they said were based on analysis of 2.25 million votes (about one-third of the total cast), showing Mr. Abdullah with 50 percent; by their reckoning, Mr. Ghani was running second with 38 percent and Mr. Rassoul third with 10 percent. | But people involved in his campaign released figures they said were based on analysis of 2.25 million votes (about one-third of the total cast), showing Mr. Abdullah with 50 percent; by their reckoning, Mr. Ghani was running second with 38 percent and Mr. Rassoul third with 10 percent. |
Whatever the credibility of these rival counts, it seemed likely that the contest was coming down to Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah. Mr. Ghani claimed as much in an interview Sunday: “The pattern has become clear, the losers are clear. It has become a two-way race, whatever else one says.” | Whatever the credibility of these rival counts, it seemed likely that the contest was coming down to Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah. Mr. Ghani claimed as much in an interview Sunday: “The pattern has become clear, the losers are clear. It has become a two-way race, whatever else one says.” |
For his part, Mr. Rassoul has been silent about the results, and efforts to reach his campaign spokesmen for comment were unsuccessful. One former Afghan official who is close to Mr. Rassoul, however, said his campaign had concluded that it would most likely place third behind Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah. | For his part, Mr. Rassoul has been silent about the results, and efforts to reach his campaign spokesmen for comment were unsuccessful. One former Afghan official who is close to Mr. Rassoul, however, said his campaign had concluded that it would most likely place third behind Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah. |
Mr. Rassoul was the only one of the three major candidates who made a clear promise to accept whatever results the election commission announces. Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah have each praised the election as relatively clean, but both have registered complaints of irregularities and stopped short of committing to accept the official outcome. | Mr. Rassoul was the only one of the three major candidates who made a clear promise to accept whatever results the election commission announces. Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah have each praised the election as relatively clean, but both have registered complaints of irregularities and stopped short of committing to accept the official outcome. |
“The scale of the fraud is not massive,” Mr. Ghani said. Mr. Abdullah said that the 2014 poll was “much cleaner” than 2009 and that he “would accept the results in accordance with the process, yes, whatever, anything — but not ballot papers from the sky.” | |
There were major differences in campaign monitoring this year, compared with 2009. The five-member complaints commission had three foreign members in 2009, but this year it is entirely Afghan. Similarly, there was extensive international influence over the election commission in 2009; this year it is headed by Mohammad Yusuf Nuristani, a former spokesman for Mr. Karzai’s government. | There were major differences in campaign monitoring this year, compared with 2009. The five-member complaints commission had three foreign members in 2009, but this year it is entirely Afghan. Similarly, there was extensive international influence over the election commission in 2009; this year it is headed by Mohammad Yusuf Nuristani, a former spokesman for Mr. Karzai’s government. |
International monitoring groups and United Nations officials have praised both bodies for doing a credible job. And in the years since 2009, a small army of Afghans have been trained as poll-watchers and monitors, working for political parties and civic organizations as well as international groups. | International monitoring groups and United Nations officials have praised both bodies for doing a credible job. And in the years since 2009, a small army of Afghans have been trained as poll-watchers and monitors, working for political parties and civic organizations as well as international groups. |
Mr. Mohseni of the complaints commission said it would take time to investigate the reports of irregularities, and he did not rule out possible action. “The fact that the election was successful does not mean there has not been fraud and violations during the election,” he said. | Mr. Mohseni of the complaints commission said it would take time to investigate the reports of irregularities, and he did not rule out possible action. “The fact that the election was successful does not mean there has not been fraud and violations during the election,” he said. |