A strong presidential system enshrined in Afghanistanâs new constitution, tailor-made for Afghan leader Hamid Karzai, could lead to a dictatorship, a former president of the country said yesterday.
| That's the risk, isn't it? The alternative is eternal deadlock... |
Former president Burhanuddin Rabbani, who led the opposition against Karzai at the constitutional loya jirga (Grand Assembly), said the impact of the new charter, passed on Sunday after weeks of wrangling between rival ethnic factions, would be limited. He accused government ministers of meddling in the 22-day debate and said the constitution was not one that represented a national consensus as claimed by its architects. âThe discussions were held on limited issues and they cannot resolve the broader problems,â Rabbani said in an interview. âThe consensus was on basic issues and emergency steps were taken to resolve them, but the major and fundamental issues were not solved,â he said. âIf this issue is not dealt with, I am concerned that this will push Afghanistan to a dictatorship.â The bearded Islamic professor was among the overwhelming majority of 502 delegates who stood up to show their support for the charter, although the dissent that characterised the debate has refused to go away. Rabbani was instrumental in bringing together more than 200 delegates from ethnic minorities including his Tajik clan, Hazaras and Uzbeks, who argued for a stronger parliament. |