Loya Jirga finally adopts constitution

Afghanistan took another step towards democracy and representative government on Sunday when the first post-conflict constitution was finally concluded. The grand council voted to adopt the new constitution following 21 days of heated and sometimes acrimonious discussion at the historic 502-member Constitutional Loya Jirga (CLJ). Most of the disagreements were over the power of the presidency, the relationship between Kabul and the provinces and adoption of official languages. Delegates at the UN-supervised gathering stood up for a minute in unison on Sunday evening, demonstrating their approved of the final draft of 160-article new constitution. "It took us too long - around 21 days with very hard times, but it had a good ending," said Sibghatullah Mujadidi the chairman of the CLJ. Delegates from the Uzbek, Tajik, Hazara and Turkmen minorities had earlier refused to vote on the constitution, worried they would be sidelined under the proposed constitution that has been largely supported by Pashtuns, who account for around 40 percent of the country's multi-ethnic population. The new constitution paves the way for elections later this year and a powerful presidency for Afghanistan with two vice-presidents. Also, agreement has been reached on Pashtu and Dari as the two official languages while languages of minority ethnic groups like Uzbek, will be the third official languages in the areas where those communities are in the majority. Although the new constitution refers to the country as an Islamic state, Islamic Sharia law is not specifically mentioned in the document. Delegates inside the giant white tent at Kabul Pul-e-Technic in Kabul, where they spent three weeks of continuous debate in open sessions and behind closed doors, said they were happy to have reached a final agreement. "This [the new constitution] is a step forward towards democracy with good points with regard to the rights and freedom of individuals," Abdul Kabir Ranjbar, a delegate from Kabul province told IRIN. "It is very important that the Loya Jirga concluded successfully and adopted the new constitution. It has been a difficult process longer than expected, with some difficult moments but people at the end came together and protected the national unity of Afghanistan," Manoel de Almieda e Silva, a spokesperson of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) told IRIN. Meanwhile, Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN's special envoy to Afghanistan congratulated Afghans for adoption of the new constitution and said it was a source of hope for the people of Afghanistan. "But is this constitution perfect? most probably not. Will it be criticised? I fear it will be, inside Afghanistan and outside Afghanistan," Brahimi asked the grand council participants, but added that delegates deserved to be proud of what they had achieved, "The people of Afghanistan are very happy tonight and they see in this constitution a new source of hope," the UN special envoy said. The landmark document has won support from abroad, with US President George Bush, quick to praise it. "This document lays the foundation for democratic institutions and provides a framework for national elections in 2004," Bush said in a statement issued by the White House. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan described the new constitution as a "historic achievement". The document enshrines a presidential system of government with a bicameral parliament and paves the way for the country's first democratic elections.