VZCZCXRO4580
RR RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #0063/01 0121123
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121123Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6672
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE

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SUBJECT: Paktika Tribal Leaders Request Extension of Voter 
Registration 
 
Summary 
------- 
¶1.  As phase three voter registration proceeds in Paktika province, 
on January 6 the Independent Election Commission organized a shura 
to conduct public outreach in support of the IEC and to encourage 
the leaders of Paktika's tribes to support the voter registration 
(VR) process.  Governor Khpalwak, Provincial Election Official (PEO) 
Taj Ali Waziri, Provincial Council (PC) members, ANP Commander 
Dawlat Khan, and approximately two hundred tribal shura leaders from 
Paktika's sixteen largest districts participated in the meeting in 
Paktika's capital Sharana.  Although VR is proceeding satisfactorily 
in many of Paktika's districts, security problems (including Taliban 
threats and the kidnapping of two district field coordinators) and 
long distances to VR sites have delayed or hindered registration in 
some districts.  Reflecting these concerns and at the unanimous 
request of the tribal leaders, the PEO will forward to the IEC their 
request for a one-month extension of the VR period in Paktika. 
 
 
 
Despite Setbacks, VR Proceeding Throughout Paktika 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
¶2.  The shura took place as VR entered its fourth week in Paktika. 
Its purpose was to consolidate the support of Paktika's five major 
tribes for the successful continuation of the VR process against the 
backdrop of progress and challenges thus far.  As of January 9, 
according to the PEO, 75,915 residents (41,793 men and 34,122 women) 
have registered to vote.  Although VR sites are now functioning in 
all of Paktika's nineteen official districts, problems have arisen 
in several districts.  For example, in Gayan district, where Taliban 
influence is strong, VR did not open until January 4, following a 
PRT-facilitated visit by the Governor, PEO, and Provincial Council 
members to press the district's tribal leaders to support VR.  The 
District Field Coordinator (DFC) of Yusuf Khel district was 
kidnapped by the Taliban and later released, while in Waza Khwa 
district the DFC, along with a tribal leader, was kidnapped and has 
not been released. 
 
 
Provincial Leaders Call on Tribes to Support VR 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
¶3.  Some 200 tribal leaders from Paktika's Suleimankhel, Zadran, 
Kharoti, Andar and Waziri tribes attended the shura.  Governor 
Khpalwak represented the provincial government, along with PC 
Chairman Dr. Nawab Waziri, PC Spokesperson Jumadin Gayanwal, PC 
member Dr. Amina (in an exceedingly rare appearance by a female PC 
member), and Provincial Police Commander Dawlat Khan.  The PEO, who 
had received funding from the IEC to host the event, opened the 
program with a short speech reporting the progress of the VR process 
in the province so far.  He encouraged the tribesmen of Paktika to 
preserve their right to vote in the next presidential election by 
supporting VR in their districts. 
 
¶4.  Governor Khpalwak told the tribal leaders that the people of 
Paktika should be independent in selecting leaders they believe will 
best serve Afghanistan.  The Governor stressed that by encouraging 
voter registration the leaders will enable their communities to 
choose a better future for their people and their country.  He 
explained that the Holy Quran teaches that every person has the 
right to select his leaders, and the constitution of Afghanistan 
guarantees to every individual the right to vote for the type of 
Government he wants for his country. 
 
¶5.  Provincial Council Chairman Dr. Nawab Waziri (a 2008 
International Visitor Program participant) said that Afghanistan 
fought holy wars against enemy occupations in the past in order to 
have a democratic government, and the people are now free to select 
their leaders.  He said that Pashtuns have paid dearly with the 
blood of their leaders who sacrificed to preserve democracy, and the 
people must now ensure that democracy succeeds.  Dr. Waziri 
encouraged the tribesmen not to be careless with this heritage and 
to use this opportunity to choose a bright future for Afghanistan. 
 
 
Tribes Ask for One-Month Extension of VR Period 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
¶6.  In their speeches, tribal leaders from Orgun, Naka, Ziruk, 
Gomal, Yusef Khel, Bermel, and Khair Kot districts unanimously 
called for extending the voter registration period for Pakitka by 
one more month in order to meet the targeted number of registrants. 
Abdul Qadir, a leader from the Kharoti tribe in Gomal district, said 
that in Paktika province only approximately 50 percent of the people 
over the age of 18 have registered so far.  Therefore, he said, it 
is important to extend the registration period as there are not 
 
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sufficient VR sites for the residents to reach them in the time 
currently allotted.  He said that in some parts of Gomal district it 
takes at least two hours driving time to reach the voter 
registration (VR) site.  (Note: Despite the longstanding focus of 
the PRT, CF engineering battalions, and USAID on road construction, 
in all of Paktika province there are still only some fifty to sixty 
miles of paved roads, and road security in much of the province has 
deteriorated in the past year.  End note.) 
 
¶7.  On behalf of all the tribal leaders present at the meeting, 
Governor Khpalwak suggested that the PEO request the IEC to extend 
the time of the VR process in Paktika province for at least another 
month.  The PEO will forward this request to the IEC in coordination 
with Regional Election Coordinator for Afghanistan's southeast 
region.  The Regional Coordinator informed PRT State officer on 
January 9 that mobile units might be made available beyond the 
official VR end date.  IEC headquarters reports that, if donor 
funding is made available, it plans to stage between one and three 
mobile registration teams in each province until July.  Those 
provinces with more residents or more inaccessible areas will 
receive the larger number of teams.  Voters will also be able to 
register at provincial capital offices until the summer cutoff 
date. 
 
WOOD