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ESG Notes Frustration And Progress Around Elections

The Election Support Group of Ambassadors (ESG) issued a statement stating they were aware of complaints about irregularities regarding the issue of Tazkeras (IDs) and voter registration documents but noted “this was the first time in Afghan history these elections are Afghan-led and Afghan-owned”.

“We recognize the challenges and acknowledge the progress which has been achieved. Providing the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and the government take the necessary actions on time, for the first time, there will be a single list of all eligible voters, as well as specific polling station-based voter lists,” said the ESG.

The ESG has also called on political parties and civil society organizations to apply for accreditation to observe the voter registration data entry process at the IEC headquarters and to conduct other anti-fraud activities.

“We acknowledge the widespread frustration with the current electoral system. We have been encouraging the government and a wide rage of political actors in this society to consider and agree on proposed changes for some time. We regret that efforts to do so last year before the legally required deadline - did not succeed,” the statement read.

The statement did not however indicate what these proposed changes were but was issued on behalf of the Election Support Group of Ambassadors, which is comprised of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), NATO and key donor countries, including the European Union, the Governments of Denmark (representing Nordic Plus), Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States.

This statement comes after a spate of accusations by politicians and political figures of irregularities within the voter registration process.

A number of reports have emerged in the past few months of questionable actions around the process particularly in Paktia.

On Wednesday TOLOnews received footage that raised questions around the issue of ID cards in the province and whether many are “fake”.

The undated footage was reportedly taken at a mobile ID card distribution center which is manned by staff that answer to the Afghanistan Central Civil Registration Authority (ACCRA). The footage was believed to have been taken at the center in Chamkani district in Paktia.

In the footage, which shows a bundle of blank ID cards, it is clear that no names or details of the applicants have been filled in but ID photos, of unknown people, attached to the documents, have been stamped.

A few weeks ago, TOLOnews also saw documents which indicated that records from voter registration centers in the province have been transferred illegally to the provincial head office in Paktia.

Based on the procedures of the IEC, and the election law, the transfer of election material from one voter registration center to another is prohibited.

On July 14 reports also surfaced in the media stating fake ID cards had been distributed to people in Zazai Aryob and Samkani districts of Paktia.

These claims came after ACCRA officials called on the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in May to probe allegations of fraud in the voter registration process in the eastern province of Nangarhar.

Mirwais Yasini, a lawmaker from Nangarhar had claimed that at some voter registration centers in the province stickers were being pasted on fake ID cards.

ESG Notes Frustration And Progress Around Elections

The ESG called on political parties and civil society to apply to observe the voter registration data entry process.

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The Election Support Group of Ambassadors (ESG) issued a statement stating they were aware of complaints about irregularities regarding the issue of Tazkeras (IDs) and voter registration documents but noted “this was the first time in Afghan history these elections are Afghan-led and Afghan-owned”.

“We recognize the challenges and acknowledge the progress which has been achieved. Providing the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and the government take the necessary actions on time, for the first time, there will be a single list of all eligible voters, as well as specific polling station-based voter lists,” said the ESG.

The ESG has also called on political parties and civil society organizations to apply for accreditation to observe the voter registration data entry process at the IEC headquarters and to conduct other anti-fraud activities.

“We acknowledge the widespread frustration with the current electoral system. We have been encouraging the government and a wide rage of political actors in this society to consider and agree on proposed changes for some time. We regret that efforts to do so last year before the legally required deadline - did not succeed,” the statement read.

The statement did not however indicate what these proposed changes were but was issued on behalf of the Election Support Group of Ambassadors, which is comprised of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), NATO and key donor countries, including the European Union, the Governments of Denmark (representing Nordic Plus), Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States.

This statement comes after a spate of accusations by politicians and political figures of irregularities within the voter registration process.

A number of reports have emerged in the past few months of questionable actions around the process particularly in Paktia.

On Wednesday TOLOnews received footage that raised questions around the issue of ID cards in the province and whether many are “fake”.

The undated footage was reportedly taken at a mobile ID card distribution center which is manned by staff that answer to the Afghanistan Central Civil Registration Authority (ACCRA). The footage was believed to have been taken at the center in Chamkani district in Paktia.

In the footage, which shows a bundle of blank ID cards, it is clear that no names or details of the applicants have been filled in but ID photos, of unknown people, attached to the documents, have been stamped.

A few weeks ago, TOLOnews also saw documents which indicated that records from voter registration centers in the province have been transferred illegally to the provincial head office in Paktia.

Based on the procedures of the IEC, and the election law, the transfer of election material from one voter registration center to another is prohibited.

On July 14 reports also surfaced in the media stating fake ID cards had been distributed to people in Zazai Aryob and Samkani districts of Paktia.

These claims came after ACCRA officials called on the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in May to probe allegations of fraud in the voter registration process in the eastern province of Nangarhar.

Mirwais Yasini, a lawmaker from Nangarhar had claimed that at some voter registration centers in the province stickers were being pasted on fake ID cards.

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