FEARS GREW in Afghanistan yesterday that supporters of failed presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah may resort to violence to protest over what they regard as a stolen election.
A close aide of Mr Abdullah said his campaign had been overwhelmed by furious supporters, particularly in the northern provinces, registering their protests. They urged Mr Abdullah, who is in a delicate political position, to denounce Hamid Karzai’s reappointment as president.
Mr Abdullah will make a statement to reporters today in which he is expected to say the decision by the International Election Commission of Afghanistan to make Karzai president without going to a run-off was unconstitutional.
The statement will allow Mr Abdullah to keep up pressure on Mr Karzai by continuing to question his legitimacy but without angering the US and Britain. The two countries have warned Mr Abdullah they might not be prepared to work with him if he incites his followers to violence.
The internal political wrangling came as the US and its allies redoubled their efforts to press Mr Karzai to tackle endemic corruption, embark on constitutional reform, reduce cronyism and bring into his government figures such as Mr Abdullah.
Mr Karzai, reaffirmed as president on Monday after Mr Abdullah pulled out of a planned election re-run on Saturday, vowed to tackle corruption and reach out to political opponents but gave no commitments. He did not offer a place in government to Mr Abdullah, whom the US would like to see installed in a senior post.
Underlining how hard it will be to force Mr Karzai towards reform, the Afghanistan president made his speech yesterday flanked by his two vice-presidents, one of whom, Mohammad Qasim Fahim, a former warlord, was selected as a running mate by Mr Karzai despite international opposition.
The US, Britain and other allies face the same dilemma as they did before the election. They want Mr Karzai to introduce reforms but they do not have the leverage to force him: the US has ruled out withdrawing its forces, at least until it has defeated al-Qaeda and elements of the Taliban.
With the election out of the way, the US is leading an international effort to persuade Mr Karzai to consider shifting from a presidential system to a parliamentary one permitting more players.
A parliamentary system would allow for the appointment of a prime minister to share power with Mr Karzai. Failing that, the US would like to see the appointment of a western-style chief executive to help run the country.
Mr Abdullah has to balance the demands of the US and Britain with keeping the supporters he attracted during the election. He could see some support drift if he is seen to be acquiescing in what they regard as Mr Karzai’s election theft.
The UN is planning to hold an international conference in Kabul to discuss Mr Karzai’s promise to clean up a government riddled with cronyism and corruption. No date has been set for the conference, which will be co-chaired by Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, and Mr Karzai, but the Afghan president would be under pressure to present his plans for reform. – (Guardian service)