11 Taliban killed election workers and voters fingers cut

Kabul, 22 Aug 2009. - Two days after the Afghan elections, the Election Commission (EC) announced today the death of 11 members at the hands of Taliban, who also cut the fingers of two voters in Kandahar (south) on a day when, according to the EU, participation of women was very limited.
"We have learned that eleven employees of the EC (...) died from brutal attacks by unknown assailants in a deliberate attempt by the enemies of peace", a term with which the Government refers the insurgents, the Commission today in a statement.
The Taliban, who had called for a boycott of the elections, threatened more violence to disrupt the electoral process, the insurgents considered pure "propaganda" American.
And as part of their punishment, at least amputated finger two voters last Thursday in the southern Kandahar, said today an independent electoral body, the Afghan Foundation for a Free and Fair Elections (FEFA).
"One of our observers could see the insurgents cut off the finger with the ink stain two people in Kandahar province, "said Efe council president, Nader Nader.
In a previous press conference, Nader had recognized that its observers witnessed violent actions of the Taliban in its massive campaign of intimidation voters.
The insurgents had threatened to cut off fingers who voted, taking advantage for their votes, and fraud prevention, voters must permeate their rates in indelible ink, which makes them easily identifiable victims.
Although the Afghan elections have not been free of irregularities and south were hampered by the Taliban presence, according to analysts recognize, the Election Commission has ruled out a massive fraud and has promised to look into the allegations.
Just today, for example, the candidate Mirwais Yasini appeared at the luxury Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul headquarters of the observers, with two bags full of ballots his name, and supposedly taken illegally from the polls in the south.
Despite to these allegations, the mission of observers from the European Union in Afghanistan (EUEOM) has given its approval presidential elections, which considers "generally" well organized despite the shortcomings of the process and institutional weaknesses.
"(The Mission) sees the elections as a victory against those who wanted to prevent Afghans decide their own future, "the organization said in a statement today on its website.
Observers who have monitored the electoral process during the past two months, maintain that the Afghan Electoral Commission could "generally" to function effectively, despite some "operational deficiencies and institutional weaknesses."
According to the note, many candidates were able to establish a genuine debate about the country's problems, although the campaign was marred by attacks on electoral bias towards certain candidates and discrimination against women.
"The exercise of civil and political rights of women, both as voters and candidates, was severely limited in the elections despite to be enshrined in the Constitution, "the EU mission in the statement.
The mission oversaw the transparency of the elections with the presence in the votes of a large number of foreign and Afghan observers.
Some 17 million people were called to the polls to elect the country's president and interim board members on a day that left fifty dead, 21 of them insurgents, according to official.
In the absence of definitive data, Electoral Commission sources estimate that the turnout was 45 to 50 percent of registered citizens and look forward to the first preliminary results next Tuesday.
Afghanistan is a country without a census, with an armed conflict that causes thousands of deaths annually, poor communications also hampered by the terrain, and a high rate of illiteracy.

Hundreds of Afghan women support opposition candidate at a rally in Kabul

Kabul, 12 Aug 2009. - Plays with celestial burkas, hijabs or veils of colors, hundreds of Afghan women joined today to the campaign of elections 20 presidential August in Afghanistan in a support act opposition candidate Ashraf Ghani and of vindication own.
"We deserve at last a government good. We will vote for the safety and to bring peace to Afghanistan. We are already tired of struggle and war, "said Efe between shy smiles the student Farishta Baseri, shortly before the start of act in the capital.
With women in the front seats and some men-minus-wagered behind, Ghani girded to its slogan electoral, "New beginning", and promised invest in the "daughters the country", which will be, said, the "coming businesswomen".
"The regime (of President, Hamid Karzai) has not willing nor judges nor police for women. Yo sí I will, and addition I will give them properties and health care ", assured Ghani between applause of her followers and shouts occasional of" Allah is great ".
The candidate, ex minister of Finance in the Government of Karzai, appeared walking walk by the lateral of a large tent pink installed in the garden of his house, easily accessible in the center of Kabul but, like so many other buildings, well walled.
De intellectual formation and with experience of more than a decade in the World Bank, Ghani was considered one of the candidates with more possibilities of putting in distress the candidate Karzai, but the last survey grants you barely 3 percent of the vote.
However, both Ghani as Karzai have among Pashtuns its main quarry of followers, so that the outcome of first can influence the career to the reelection of current president, that aspires to imposed without need for second round.
The adversaries of Karzai cite the ineffectiveness of Government, corruption widespread and its toleration towards the "warlords" as main stains on its work manager of these years, a message that Ghani, 60 years, stressed during his intervention.
"My goal is to provide a Government honored. The Afghans will vote to a person honored ", kept, after asking the female support and promise new opportunities of work for Afghan women, who suffer a secular discrimination.
After years of strict seclusion under the Taliban regime, Afghan women still face to demolishers challenges: its rate of literacy round barely 21 percent, and in these elections there are only two women between the 41 candidates.
"Female participation will be low. In some provinces, there have been few women. And in other, the leader tribal came to pick the voting card for all of them, so the process can be adulterated "said Efe the Foundation spokesperson Afghan for a Free Elections and Justas (FEFA), Jandar Spinghar.
The two women candidates, said Spinghar, have been unable scroll to campaign to rural areas due to the security situation, which has deteriorated in recent years, with an increase of the activities of the Taliban in large areas of southern and east.
In acts of campaign, however, candidates expose their ideas for the development and reconstruction the country and promise jobs and opportunities as those claims Nargis Madadi, a young student coming to Kabul from Wardak (east) who wants be a doctor.
"Today we live something better than with the Taliban, but not I believe the elections change things. I want study medicine, but the current situation not me facilitates the way ", account Efe during the act of Ghani.
His desire, says she same between applause, depends in much of that Afghanistan return to the path of peace after decades of destruction and an armed conflict that him poisons the future.