| Submit your comments on this article |
| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Rabbani sez he'll back new Afghan president |
| 2004-10-04 |
| Former President Burhanuddin Rabbani, the leader of one of the largest political parties in Afghanistan, declared his support on Sunday for President Hamid Karzai in the presidential election on Saturday. He said he did so in the interests of the stability and security of the country. The announcement will further strengthen Mr. Karzai, who is already the favorite among a field of 18 candidates. But it might also disappoint many voters who had hoped that a new mandate would free Mr. Karzai of the need to make deals with the powerful mujahedeen leaders who have dominated politics in Afghanistan for the past two decades. His move will undercut Mr. Karzai's main rival, Muhammad Yunus Qanooni, who is expected to draw voters from the same support base of mujahedeen and ethnic Tajiks as Mr. Rabbani. Two influential commanders from north of Kabul were present when Mr. Rabbani made his announcement at a news conference. Mr. Rabbani's support for the incumbent was widely expected because Mr. Karzai chose as one of his vice-presidential running mates Ahmed Zia Massoud, Mr. Rabbani's son-in-law. Mr. Massoud is also the brother of the famous mujahedeen commander Ahmed Shah Massoud, who was killed on Sept. 9, 2001, by assassins suspected of being Al Qaeda operatives. Mr. Rabbani, a religious conservative, is the leader of Jamiat-e-Islami, one of the seven mujahedeen parties that opposed the Soviet invasion. The party draws support mainly from the rural areas; the Tajiks, the second largest ethnic group in the country; and the mujahedeen, the fighters who waged war against the Soviet occupation and later against the Taliban. Mr. Massoud said the decision was based on an agreement reached with Mr. Karzai four months ago that he would take certain actions. Among the measures they agreed on, Mr. Massoud said, were promises to support Islamic values, include mujahedeen in the government, fight corruption, narcotics and terrorism, and campaign against anyone attacking Islam. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |