Pfc. Mary Simms, CJTF-76 Public Affairs
(video still) Afghan men wait patiently in line at the polling center in the village of Raban, north of Bagram Air Field on October 9th during Afghanistan's first democratic presidential elections.
Pfc. Mary Simms
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – (Army News Service, Oct. 12, 2004) -- Millions got their first taste of democracy in Afghanistan’s first-ever direct presidential elections Oct. 9.
The desire to vote was so strong, Afghans in the Panjao district began to line up four hours before the polling center was scheduled to open, with a foot of snow on the ground.
“The Taliban burned my house, they kicked us out of (town),” said Madame Gul in the village of Raban. “Now I have freedom. I’m standing in front of you and voting. Of course my life has been changed.”
Despite the inclement weather and threats of spectacular attacks by insurgents, voter turn out was extremely high.
“A week ago I would have said our primary concern would have been attacks on the election process itself,” said Maj. Gen. Eric T. Olson, commander of Combined Joint Task Force 76 at Bagram Air Field. “Because of the tremendous courage of United Nations elections officials and the willingness to cooperate with Afghan security forces and the Coalition, we overcame that challenge. The Afghan security forces working with the Coalition pre-empted insurgent attacks on Afghans going to the polls.”
Afghan National Army troops, along with Afghan National Police, provided security at the 4,780 polling centers throughout Afghanistan. Coalition troops from Combined Joint Task Force 76 were on standby, ready to react to any attack by insurgents. But for the most part, the attacks never came.
“We showed (the insurgents) a little bit different set today than we have shown any other day because today’s mission is to specifically secure the elections,” Olson said. “We’ve maintained more capable and plentiful reserves to react to anything today.”
The Joint Electoral Management Body, a U.N.-Afghan organization, was in charge of administering the electoral process. The JEMB ensured many safeguards were in place to prevent voter fraud.
First, the JEMB officials would mark the thumb of each voter with indelible ink, and then would punch a hole in their voting registration card. Reports from a few polling stations early in the day said the indelible ink was washing off too easily, creating allegations of voter fraud.
Afghan officials then called for the formation of an independent commission to investigate irregularities in the voting process. The 15 presidential candidates opposing interim Afghan President Hamid Karzai said they would boycott the results of the election.
Following a meeting with U.N. representative Jean Arnault and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, top challenger Yunus Qanooni said he would accept the findings of the electoral commission. Despite a few bumps in the road to democracy, Olson says the elections are the first of many steps to a safe and secure Afghanistan.
“If you talk to Soldiers of CJTF-76, they’ll tell you that our top priority are these elections,” Olson said. “They understand that there is a link between free elections in Afghanistan and a secure and stable environment here. A secure and stable environment here means no sanctuary or safe haven for terrorism in Afghanistan. The elections were a huge success.”
As Madame Gul left the polling center in Raban, she had a simple, basic message about democracy.
“We want freedom, we would like to live in peace,” Gul said. “We don’t want anybody to take our life away from us, we want to be free. This is my message to the people of America.”
(Editor’s note: Master Sgt. Terry Anderson serves with CJTF-76 Public Affairs Office.)
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