Opposition voting in elections, nomads voting
(18 Sep 2005) Kabul 1. Various of Younis Qanooni voting 2. Media surrounding him 3. Set up of Younis Qanooni speaking at news conference 4. SOUNDBITE: (Dari) Younis Qanooni, Afghan opposition candidate: "The steps taken so far by the authorities have made us concerned about the polling. They have issued about four (m) million ballot papers. Why, I don't know. The national and international authorities haven't given us an acceptable answer so far." Khak e Jabar, 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) east of Kabul 5. Various of Afghans walking to polling stations 6. Various of Afghan men voting 7. Various of Afghan women walking toward polling station 8. Various of Afghan women voting 9. Women boarding a truck STORYLINE: Afghan opposition candidate Younis Qanooni cast his ballot in Kabul on Sunday to elect a new legislature for his country. Younis Qanooni, who was a runner-up in last year's presidential election, led the Northern Alliance's delegation at talks in Germany in November and served as interior minister in the interim administration. Qanooni expressed concern about the country's election process. "The steps taken so far by the authorities have made us concerned about the polling. They have issued about four (m) million ballot papers. Why, I don't know. The national and international authorities haven't given us an acceptable answer so far," he said. Many voters hope the first parliamentary elections in over three decades will channel Afghanistan's explosive rivalries into a democratic process, leaving behind a violent system of might-makes-right. Twenty kilometres (12 .4 miles) east of the capital in Khak e Jabar, Afghans ventured to polling stations in makeshift tents to cast their ballots. Meanwhile, a wave of violence across Afghanistan killed 10 people including a French commando, with militants using everything from roadside bombs to explosives hidden in a clock to subvert landmark elections Sunday, officials said. Despite the violence, there were no major disruptions in the voting, though some polling centres opened late because of security fears. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
