Ensuring independent elections in Afghanistan

By Captain Jennifer Kellerman

In 2004, three years after the fall of the Taliban, Afghanistan held its first direct Presidential election. A president was chosen, and the success of the process was seen as a great embarrassment to Taliban efforts. Five years later, Afghanistan has come a long way with a recognized government and its own Independent Election Commission (IEC). This year’s election, held August 20, 2009, was the first planned and led under the sole authority of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

It is no easy feat to organize an election in a country with intermittent electricity, little experience of democracy, and a dire security situation. Brigadier-General Jonathan Vance, commander of Joint Task Force Afghanistan, acknowledged these difficulties in a recent interview. “Trying to run an election in the midst of a conflict is a challenge to any country,” he said. “This is a new democracy, a new army, a new police force. And it’s a threatened environment.”

The Afghan government, the IEC, the Afghan national security forces — the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police —and the citizens of Afghanistan can all take pride in the effort to ensure a safe, fair democratic process. Committed to choosing their government democratically, they planned and organized the election, setting up polling stations and delivering ballots. They also provided security, with support from the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

The Canadian task force in Kandahar Province, and all of ISAF, have maintained a supportive role over recent months, but also provided direct support to election preparations when requested. As well as framework patrols and operations, the manoeuvre units of Task Force Kandahar — the 2nd Battalion Royal 22e Régiment Battle Group and the 1st Battalion 12th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army — conducted a summer campaign to locate and destroy insurgent IED factories and weapons caches, and disrupt insurgent command-and-control networks to hinder their ability to attack civilians on Election Day. The Canadian military and civilian police of the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team ran training courses for 250 officers of the Afghan National Police (ANP), most of whom provided security at polling stations in Kandahar City. The Operational Mentor and Liaison Team continued its work with the increasingly professional and capable 1st Brigade, 205 Corps, the component of the Afghan National Army deployed in Kandahar Province.

How would all this play out on Election Day? Canada’s task force did everything it could to assist while Afghans took charge of the process. On August 20, the Afghan national security forces took the lead, with Task Force Kandahar as a “third-line” security force, out of the public eye but prepared to assist if requested. The ANP and ANA were both willing and ready to protect their fellow citizens from any dangers that might arise.

Even before Election Day, Task Force Kandahar’s Chief of Operations, Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Patrick, already considered it a success from the organizational point of view: “This considerable work in the planning phase by the IEC has enabled a capable security plan by the Afghan national security forces. The insurgents’ actions on the day will be adequately dealt with and, all that remains is for the population to exercise its democratic rights,” he said

The Afghan people and their government and security forces proved that a democratic process is an important piece of rebuilding their country and ensuring internal security. In itself, that is a giant step that cannot go unnoticed. Regardless of the outcome of the elections, the efforts by these people amidst chaos and uncertainty indicate the strongest resolve to bring about a better future for themselves.

Capt Jennifer Kellerman is a Public Affairs Officer deployed with Joint Task Force Afghanistan Headquarters.