This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/23/world/asia/abdullah-abdullah-says-recordings-show-afghan-election-was-rigged.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Candidate Says Recordings Show Afghan Election Was Rigged Candidate Says Recordings Show Afghan Election Was Rigged
(2 months later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — One of the candidates in Afghanistan’s disputed presidential election released on Sunday what his campaign said were recordings of phone calls in which a top election official, other election officials and aides of a rival candidate speak about stuffing ballot boxes and rigging the vote. KABUL, Afghanistan — One of the candidates in Afghanistan’s disputed presidential election released on Sunday what his campaign said were recordings of phone calls in which a top election official, other election officials and aides of a rival candidate speak about stuffing ballot boxes and rigging the vote.
The release of the recordings is the latest effort by the candidate, Abdullah Abdullah, a former foreign minister and opposition leader, to cast the election as fraudulent. Since the June 14 runoff election, Mr. Abdullah has accused his opponent, Ashraf Ghani, of colluding with election officials and President Hamid Karzai to steal the presidency. He says he has evidence that Ziaulhaq Amarkhil, the top election official, was conspiring with Mr. Ghani’s campaign. Mr. Abdullah’s campaign said Sunday that it was not ready to describe how it had obtained the recordings, the authenticity of which has not been verified and which contain only parts of conversations. In one, a man said to be Mr. Amarkhil tells an election official in Faryab Province that he should fire staff members who support “the other people” and replace them with Pashtuns and Uzbeks, the ethnic groups of Mr. Ghani and his running mate. In another recording, the same voice, speaking to someone said to be a Ghani aide, says, “I have spoken with the police chief yesterday to find out if he is on our side or their side.”The release of the recordings is the latest effort by the candidate, Abdullah Abdullah, a former foreign minister and opposition leader, to cast the election as fraudulent. Since the June 14 runoff election, Mr. Abdullah has accused his opponent, Ashraf Ghani, of colluding with election officials and President Hamid Karzai to steal the presidency. He says he has evidence that Ziaulhaq Amarkhil, the top election official, was conspiring with Mr. Ghani’s campaign. Mr. Abdullah’s campaign said Sunday that it was not ready to describe how it had obtained the recordings, the authenticity of which has not been verified and which contain only parts of conversations. In one, a man said to be Mr. Amarkhil tells an election official in Faryab Province that he should fire staff members who support “the other people” and replace them with Pashtuns and Uzbeks, the ethnic groups of Mr. Ghani and his running mate. In another recording, the same voice, speaking to someone said to be a Ghani aide, says, “I have spoken with the police chief yesterday to find out if he is on our side or their side.”
The same voice is heard telling a man said to be an election official in southern Afghanistan to “bring the sheep fat and not empty,” which the Abdullah campaign said is code that refers to stuffing ballot boxes. Another recording, said to be of a Ghani aide, contains a similar phrase.The same voice is heard telling a man said to be an election official in southern Afghanistan to “bring the sheep fat and not empty,” which the Abdullah campaign said is code that refers to stuffing ballot boxes. Another recording, said to be of a Ghani aide, contains a similar phrase.
The election commission has said that it has no knowledge of the conversations, and Mr. Amarkhil has denied being involved in any fraudulent activities. The country’s intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security, which was the focus of some suspicions about the provenance of the audiotapes, said it had no role in them.The election commission has said that it has no knowledge of the conversations, and Mr. Amarkhil has denied being involved in any fraudulent activities. The country’s intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security, which was the focus of some suspicions about the provenance of the audiotapes, said it had no role in them.
Whether the recordings are authentic or not, the Abdullah campaign’s allegations have intensified the political crisis at a delicate moment for Afghanistan as it tries to carry out its first peaceful transition of power and foreign forces prepare to depart. The growing shadow over the election has fanned Western fears that the biggest threat to the government is not posed by the Taliban, but by the corruption and ineffectiveness of its own officials.Whether the recordings are authentic or not, the Abdullah campaign’s allegations have intensified the political crisis at a delicate moment for Afghanistan as it tries to carry out its first peaceful transition of power and foreign forces prepare to depart. The growing shadow over the election has fanned Western fears that the biggest threat to the government is not posed by the Taliban, but by the corruption and ineffectiveness of its own officials.
Western officials and the United Nations urged all parties to avoid inflammatory statements while the allegations are investigated. “This includes rhetoric that brings back memories of tragic, fratricidal, factional conflicts in the 1990s that cost the lives of tens of thousands of civilians,” Jan Kubis, the United Nations special envoy for Afghanistan, said in a statement.Western officials and the United Nations urged all parties to avoid inflammatory statements while the allegations are investigated. “This includes rhetoric that brings back memories of tragic, fratricidal, factional conflicts in the 1990s that cost the lives of tens of thousands of civilians,” Jan Kubis, the United Nations special envoy for Afghanistan, said in a statement.
The biggest fear for most Afghans and their Western backers is that the political crisis could turn bloody. Though protests and demonstrations across Kabul on Saturday were peaceful, an undercurrent of violence, particularly along ethnic lines, ran through the words of those who took to the streets on Mr. Abdullah’s behalf.The biggest fear for most Afghans and their Western backers is that the political crisis could turn bloody. Though protests and demonstrations across Kabul on Saturday were peaceful, an undercurrent of violence, particularly along ethnic lines, ran through the words of those who took to the streets on Mr. Abdullah’s behalf.
“The fear of the unknown is more damning than anything else,” said one Western official here. “Not knowing what they say, people start jumping to conclusions. It’s important to take things in stride and not overly inflame a very sensitive issue.”“The fear of the unknown is more damning than anything else,” said one Western official here. “Not knowing what they say, people start jumping to conclusions. It’s important to take things in stride and not overly inflame a very sensitive issue.”
A spokesman for Mr. Ghani suggested that the Abdullah campaign’s assertions were dangerous in the absence of proof of the recordings’ authenticity.A spokesman for Mr. Ghani suggested that the Abdullah campaign’s assertions were dangerous in the absence of proof of the recordings’ authenticity.
“We believe it is being released to create sedition, and what if it is proven wrong tomorrow?” said the spokesman, Abas Nawyan. “Who will be responsible for the consequences?”“We believe it is being released to create sedition, and what if it is proven wrong tomorrow?” said the spokesman, Abas Nawyan. “Who will be responsible for the consequences?”
Allegations about Mr. Amarkhil, who, like Mr. Ghani, is a Pashtun, first surfaced on Election Day, when the police chief of Kabul confronted him with claims that he sent thousands of blank ballots to polling places in an effort to steal the election. Mr. Amarkhil has vehemently denied those accusations, and in an interview on Saturday he said: “What I have done is respect the law. This is only propaganda.”Allegations about Mr. Amarkhil, who, like Mr. Ghani, is a Pashtun, first surfaced on Election Day, when the police chief of Kabul confronted him with claims that he sent thousands of blank ballots to polling places in an effort to steal the election. Mr. Amarkhil has vehemently denied those accusations, and in an interview on Saturday he said: “What I have done is respect the law. This is only propaganda.”
Mr. Abdullah has called for the election commission to remove Mr. Amarkhil, who plays a central role in its operations, but the commission has refused.Mr. Abdullah has called for the election commission to remove Mr. Amarkhil, who plays a central role in its operations, but the commission has refused.
Seeking to break the impasse, Mr. Karzai asked the United Nations last week to help oversee the vote counting and the fraud adjudication process, a suggestion first raised by Mr. Abdullah’s camp. The United Nations agreed to help but insisted that the Afghans take the lead in resolving the dispute.Seeking to break the impasse, Mr. Karzai asked the United Nations last week to help oversee the vote counting and the fraud adjudication process, a suggestion first raised by Mr. Abdullah’s camp. The United Nations agreed to help but insisted that the Afghans take the lead in resolving the dispute.
It responded to the latest development in similar fashion on Sunday. “This evidence should be provided to the mandated institutions and authorities of Afghanistan,” said Ari Gaitanis, the United Nations spokesman in Kabul. “They should consider it, its validity, weight and implications, and take action as appropriate in line with the principle of accountability and in full accordance with the laws of Afghanistan.”It responded to the latest development in similar fashion on Sunday. “This evidence should be provided to the mandated institutions and authorities of Afghanistan,” said Ari Gaitanis, the United Nations spokesman in Kabul. “They should consider it, its validity, weight and implications, and take action as appropriate in line with the principle of accountability and in full accordance with the laws of Afghanistan.”
But Mr. Gaitanis said the United Nations continued to have faith in the Afghan election bodies.But Mr. Gaitanis said the United Nations continued to have faith in the Afghan election bodies.
Election officials said on June 14 that more than seven million Afghans voted, a figure that raised suspicions because it was larger than the number of voters in the election’s first round and because of anecdotal reports of smaller crowds at polling places. Mr. Abdullah demanded an explanation for the turnout figure, which the commission has since said is accurate.Election officials said on June 14 that more than seven million Afghans voted, a figure that raised suspicions because it was larger than the number of voters in the election’s first round and because of anecdotal reports of smaller crowds at polling places. Mr. Abdullah demanded an explanation for the turnout figure, which the commission has since said is accurate.
While official results have not been reported, both campaigns believe that Mr. Ghani is leading, thanks to a surge in voter turnout in the country’s Pashtun areas.While official results have not been reported, both campaigns believe that Mr. Ghani is leading, thanks to a surge in voter turnout in the country’s Pashtun areas.
Mr. Abdullah, who won the first round with 45 percent of the vote to Mr. Ghani’s 32 percent, has said he does not believe that the electorate could have switched so quickly. In particular, he is dubious about votes in the southeast, an area with poor security that firmly supports Mr. Ghani. Mr. Abdullah’s campaign has pointed to internal reports that show voter turnout tripled in some areas.Mr. Abdullah, who won the first round with 45 percent of the vote to Mr. Ghani’s 32 percent, has said he does not believe that the electorate could have switched so quickly. In particular, he is dubious about votes in the southeast, an area with poor security that firmly supports Mr. Ghani. Mr. Abdullah’s campaign has pointed to internal reports that show voter turnout tripled in some areas.
Mr. Ghani’s aides say they campaigned hard and enlisted elders in the area to get out the vote.Mr. Ghani’s aides say they campaigned hard and enlisted elders in the area to get out the vote.