Protesting candidates threaten hunger strike if demands not met

KABUL candidates from 12 constituencies term the last year’s polls as ‘a black coup’ on the 31^st day of their strike and warn of initiating hunger strike if their demands are not met.

Around 20 candidates from Helmand, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Maidan Wardak, Paktika, Logar, Baghlan, Takhar, Badakhshan, Samangarn, Herat and the Kuchi tribe have been demanding the formation of a special court to address election related disputes.

Farzana Farahmand, a candidate from Baghlan province, said: “We have been protesting for the past 31 days and during this period no authority heard our voices while police treated us badly and removed our tents.” 

She said citizen rights were always violated in political deals as people witnessed the last year elections were like an open market of buying and purchasing.

Sediqa Mubarez, a candidate from Maidan Wardak province, termed the October elections ‘a black coup’ and called them were the worst elections in the history of the country because individuals who had money became victorious.

Former IEC head Fazal Ahmad Manavi stressed officials should hear complaints of these candidates.

He warned if justice was not done, people would not vote future because one of the key pillars of democracy was justice.

nh/ma