Mixed reaction to Karzai's speech

The first policy speech delivered by the country's newly elected leader, Hamid Karzai, on Monday evening, has evoked mixed reactions from the public in the capital, Kabul. In it he outlined the formation of nine commissions in an attempt to address some of the major post-war concerns. "In my opinion people in Afghanistan have matured politically, and they would not be satisfied with the announcements," Ahmed Wais, a young Afghan writer, told IRIN on Monday. He maintained that the Loya Jirga, or grand council, should make all the appointments. "We doubt and are suspicious about the decisions made away from the Loya Jirga." The nine commissions included those responsible for defence, civil service, judiciary, aid coordination, state broadcasting, customs tariffs, human rights and investment. Karzai also announced the creation of two new cabinet posts - one adviser-minister for nomadic affairs and another for refugees. He is expected to announce key cabinet positions on Tuesday following another one-day extension of the meeting. Analysts believe that the move establishing the commissions was an attempt to weaken the grip of a few factions and warlords on vital state institutions such as the military and intelligence, which are controlled by the Shura-e Nazar faction of the Northern Alliance. They interpret the creation of the new cabinet posts as an attempt to address the grievances of marginalised groups such as nomads and refugees. "Karzai's announcements were [in response to] the demands of the Afghan people, but we have to watch the practical work of these commissions," Ikram Jan, a resident of the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, told IRIN in Kabul. He added that Karzai had admitted the harassment of the Loya Jirga delegates by the security people. "If he cannot control the Loya Jirga tent, how can we expect him to control the whole country?" But Jalil Behzad, a shopkeeper, disagreed. "Karzai is a good man, he has lifted our country from rubble in just six months," he maintained. "He has reopened schools, we feel safe and have started to earn something. Karzai needs time to materialise all his plans."