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Afghanistan/South Asia |
Voting begins in Afghanistan |
2004-10-09 |
VOTING began in Afghanistan today for the first direct presidential election in the country's history. Some 10.5 million registered voters are eligible to select a president from a total of 18 candidates. The vote is taking place under the threat of violence from anti-US militants and Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terror network. Around 100,000 armed security personnel, including 27,000 foreign troops from a US-led coalition and NATO, have been deployed to protect more than 10 million registered voters. US-backed President Hamid Karzai, 46, elected by a council of tribal leaders in June 2002, is widely tipped to win. Afghanistan was set on course for the elections by the US-led invasion in late 2001, after the former Taliban regime refused to hand over bin Laden, wanted for the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the US. Remnants of the Little attention has been paid to the sort of issues that dominate most elections, with polls showing that the overwhelming majority of Afghans simply want peace after 25 years of conflict. But ethnicity, in the absence of any significant political parties, is expected to play a large part in the way people vote. Mr Karzai is a member of the majority Pashtun tribe, which makes up some 40 per cent of the population of 25 million. Mr Qanooni is from the next largest group, the Tajiks, who comprise around 25 per cent. They are followed by Hazaras with 12 per cent and Uzbeks with 10 per cent. The winner will inevitably face accusations |
Posted by:Steve White |