Afghanistan's leading opposition candidate has warned the very survival of Afghanistan is at stake as its presidential elections become mired in allegations of fraud.
Abdullah Abdullah, the main challenger to Hamid Karzai, said he had been shocked at the scale of vote-rigging in the August 20 poll, which threatened to remove all legitimacy from the government.
He said he would exhaust all legal avenues to counter what he alleged was "state-engineered fraud", but said if that was unsuccessful he would not recognise the elections.
His comments will heighten fears that if the election is widely perceived to be stolen, the country could be shaken by destabilising demonstrations or unrest.
Election officials have said they have contingency plans to deal with "Iran-style" protests similar to those held in Tehran after that country's disputed presidential elections in June.
Dr Abdullah spoke out as reports emerged of a heated row over the election between Richard Holbrooke, Barack Obama's super envoy to the region, and Hamid Karzai over the election.
The two are said to have had "sharp exchanges" after Mr Holbrooke complained about ballot box stuffing from the Karzai campaign.
The Afghan election watchdog has received more than 1,500 complaints since polling closed, including more than 100 from the Abdullah campaign. More than 160 have been judged "high priority", including allegations of ballot box tampering and ghost polling stations which could prove "material to the outcome".
In insecure southern districts where Taliban intimidation scared away nearly all voters, ballot boxes are said to have returned stuffed with votes for Mr Karzai.
In an exclusive interview, Dr Abdullah told the Daily Telegraph: "I think if the process doesn't survive, then Afghanistan doesn't survive.
"Because what does that mean? The same sort of regime that crafted this massive, massive rigging will be imposed upon Afghanistan for another five years.
"On top of whatever problems this government, this administration had, there will be its illegitimacy.
"We will exhaust all legal avenues. But finally, if it worked, all well, if it didn't we will not accept the legitimacy of the process and then this regime will be illegitimate."
The country's Election Complaints Commission has the power to disallow suspect votes and ballot boxes, but Dr Abdullah said it "remains to be seen" if it was strong enough to deal with the fraud.
A Western diplomat said a regime thought to be fraudulently elected would struggle to bring security in the face of a worsening Taliban insurgency.
He said: "Every time they tried to do something, people would throw it back in their faces that you are not a proper government anyway.
"Abdullah is enough of a diplomat that he knows he cannot threaten protests while the count is under way, even if in political discussions he lets it be known that such developments would be difficult to stop."
Dr Abdullah has previously appealed for his supporters to remain calm, patient and responsible in the face of mounting evidence of fraud.
The Karzai campaign has made counter allegations of vote rigging and intimidation by Dr Abdullah's supporters.
Mr Karzai leads the former foreign minister by 42.3 per cent to 33.1 per cent, according to preliminary results taken from 17 per cent of the five and a half million votes cast.
Final, certified results are not due until September 17, leaving the country in a tense political limbo for three more weeks. If a candidate does not win more than 50 per cent of the vote, the election will enter a second round run off, with the winner not announced until at least mid-October.
Dr Abdullah said the international community was concerned the drawn-out elections could worsen security, but denied he had come under pressure to make a deal with the government and avoid a lengthy battle.
He said: "They cannot pressure me to be part of a mafia system, a 'narcostate' as they themselves defined it.
He added: "The international community must be aware of the conduct of this regime and I don't think they would like me to be part of this."
Source:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6105494/Abdullah-Abdullah-warns-survival-of-Afghanistan-is-at-risk.html
Abdullah Abdullah, the main challenger to Hamid Karzai, said he had been shocked at the scale of vote-rigging in the August 20 poll, which threatened to remove all legitimacy from the government.
He said he would exhaust all legal avenues to counter what he alleged was "state-engineered fraud", but said if that was unsuccessful he would not recognise the elections.
His comments will heighten fears that if the election is widely perceived to be stolen, the country could be shaken by destabilising demonstrations or unrest.
Election officials have said they have contingency plans to deal with "Iran-style" protests similar to those held in Tehran after that country's disputed presidential elections in June.
Dr Abdullah spoke out as reports emerged of a heated row over the election between Richard Holbrooke, Barack Obama's super envoy to the region, and Hamid Karzai over the election.
The two are said to have had "sharp exchanges" after Mr Holbrooke complained about ballot box stuffing from the Karzai campaign.
The Afghan election watchdog has received more than 1,500 complaints since polling closed, including more than 100 from the Abdullah campaign. More than 160 have been judged "high priority", including allegations of ballot box tampering and ghost polling stations which could prove "material to the outcome".
In insecure southern districts where Taliban intimidation scared away nearly all voters, ballot boxes are said to have returned stuffed with votes for Mr Karzai.
In an exclusive interview, Dr Abdullah told the Daily Telegraph: "I think if the process doesn't survive, then Afghanistan doesn't survive.
"Because what does that mean? The same sort of regime that crafted this massive, massive rigging will be imposed upon Afghanistan for another five years.
"On top of whatever problems this government, this administration had, there will be its illegitimacy.
"We will exhaust all legal avenues. But finally, if it worked, all well, if it didn't we will not accept the legitimacy of the process and then this regime will be illegitimate."
The country's Election Complaints Commission has the power to disallow suspect votes and ballot boxes, but Dr Abdullah said it "remains to be seen" if it was strong enough to deal with the fraud.
A Western diplomat said a regime thought to be fraudulently elected would struggle to bring security in the face of a worsening Taliban insurgency.
He said: "Every time they tried to do something, people would throw it back in their faces that you are not a proper government anyway.
"Abdullah is enough of a diplomat that he knows he cannot threaten protests while the count is under way, even if in political discussions he lets it be known that such developments would be difficult to stop."
Dr Abdullah has previously appealed for his supporters to remain calm, patient and responsible in the face of mounting evidence of fraud.
The Karzai campaign has made counter allegations of vote rigging and intimidation by Dr Abdullah's supporters.
Mr Karzai leads the former foreign minister by 42.3 per cent to 33.1 per cent, according to preliminary results taken from 17 per cent of the five and a half million votes cast.
Final, certified results are not due until September 17, leaving the country in a tense political limbo for three more weeks. If a candidate does not win more than 50 per cent of the vote, the election will enter a second round run off, with the winner not announced until at least mid-October.
Dr Abdullah said the international community was concerned the drawn-out elections could worsen security, but denied he had come under pressure to make a deal with the government and avoid a lengthy battle.
He said: "They cannot pressure me to be part of a mafia system, a 'narcostate' as they themselves defined it.
He added: "The international community must be aware of the conduct of this regime and I don't think they would like me to be part of this."
Source:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6105494/Abdullah-Abdullah-warns-survival-of-Afghanistan-is-at-risk.html
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