Afghans agree on new constitution

[salin]

Afghans agree on new constitution

Posted 1/4/2004 5:37 AM Updated 1/4/2004 9:43 AM

Afghans agree on new constitution
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan's constitutional convention agreed on a historic new charter on Sunday, overcoming weeks of division and mistrust to hammer out a compromise meant to bind together the war-ravaged nation's mosaic of ethnic groups.
Just a day after warning that the meeting, or loya jirga, was heading toward a humiliating failure, chairman Sibghatullah Mujaddedi announced that last-ditch diplomacy had secured a deal.

After the new draft was circulated, the 502 delegates gathered under a giant tent in the Afghan capital rose from their chairs, standing in silence for about 30 seconds to signal their support for the new charter.

"Let's promise before God and our people to implement this constitution," Mujaddedi said. "If we don't, it will bring us no good."

more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2004-01-04-afghan-council_x.htm

Worth reading the whole thing - spells out some of the items/issued covered in the new constitution.

[salin]

1. BBC article : Afghans eye up new constitution

Afghans eye up new constitution

By Crispin Thorold
BBC correspondent in Kabul

For most democracies, the foundation stone of the state is a written constitution.

Most take years to write - but in Afghanistan, one has been produced at break-neck speed.

In just eight months, a draft has been prepared for consideration by 500 delegates to a loya jirga - a grand assembly of tribal and regional leaders.

The meeting is being held in the Afghan capital, Kabul. But many fear the constitution, rather than uniting Afghans, may divide them further.

more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3303895.stm

[Just Me]

2. Appears quite positive,...

,...I hope it is a success.

[conservdem]

3. Seems like great news.

The article says that the constitution contains wording "that men and women should be treated equally — a key demand of human rights groups."

Let's hope implementation goes well and the same happens in Iraq.

[salin]

4. It took me all day to print up and try to read carefully.

On the whole it appears to be quite deliberately crafted with an attempt to address potential problem/conflict areas. I am cautiously optomisitic. I am less optomisitic, at this point in time, about Iraq. And I remain to have great concerns in Afghanistan re: the many news reports over time that al qeada and the taliban have regrouped and been gaining strength in some of the outer lying regions. Let's hope this does not become like Somalia where the government is only able to assert control over a small geographic part of the country. That said - this is still hopeful news. May my concerns be proven wrong in the long run. The Afghans have lived through so much strife, war and oppressive conditions - I hope that this move leads to greater and greater stability and improved human rights.

[demdave]

5. Good news

This and the finishing of the road from Kabul to Kandahar http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0309/14/sun.03.html are bound to help the country and it's people.

[radwriter0555]

6. I'm sure the northern alliance had their pederasty and heroin trade

legalized, thanks in whole the US military might.

Noble Victory for King George! Noble Victory!

[demdave]

7. Oh, I forgot, those Afghanis are all involved in crime

To hell with all of them. <sarcasm>

[radwriter0555]

8. Just the Northern Alliance. You know, the ruling party...that bush put

back into power.

Their stock in trade is young boys and heroin.

[conservdem]

9. kick