Karzai, Afghan parliament set for clash in constitutional crisis

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Karzai, Afghan parliament set for clash in constitutional crisis
By Saeed Shah | McClatchy Newspapers
Posted on Thursday, January 20, 2011

KABUL, Afghanistan — President Hamid Karzai and Afghan lawmakers appear headed for a major clash after Karzai postponed the inauguration of the new parliament and politicians elected in the controversial vote said they'd start their work unilaterally.

The first test in the looming constitutional crisis will occur Sunday, when many of those elected will attempt to enter the legislature, and the government will have to decide whether to order security forces to prevent them.

"If the government stops us entering the parliament building" by deploying police or soldiers "we are ready to accomplish our goals by laying down our lives," said Abdul Hafiz Mansoor, who was elected from Kabul. He added, "Sunday will be the day when it is decided whether we will have democracy or autocracy."

Karzai's office said late Wednesday that he'd defer by a month the already much-delayed inauguration of parliament, which had been scheduled for Sunday, in deference to a special court that's examining allegations of fraud in last September's elections. It was unclear how the court can properly investigate the fraud that's widely thought to have taken place in such a short time. The constitutionality of the court itself is under question.

The United States has backed the outcome of the parliamentary election, seeing the legislature as an important part of the U.S. drive to enhance governance in Afghanistan. Better administration and an improved security situation are key to the U.S. plan to exit Afghanistan.