The Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) is a non-profit, independent policy research organisation. It aims to bring together the knowledge, experience and drive of a large number of experts to better inform policy and to increase the understanding of Afghan realities. It is driven by engagement and curiosity and is committed to producing independent, high quality and research-based analysis on developments in Afghanistan. http://www.aan-afghanistan.org Citha D. Maass and Thomas Ruttig: Afghanistans 2010 Parliamentary Vote - Missed Chances for Electoral Reform and Political Manoeuvring Weaken the New Parliament, SWP-Aktuell 2010/A 66, September 2010 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1016 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1016 Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT info@afghanisthan-analysts.net (The Afghanistan Analysts Network) The second part of an analysis on elections in Herat province mainly deals with how candidates campaign and their worries about the increased insecurity as well as possibilities of fraud in the upcoming elections. AAN analyst Fabrizio Foschini tried to gather their opinions and confront them with reported facts. http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1012 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1012 Wed, 8 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT info@afghanisthan-analysts.net (The Afghanistan Analysts Network) Herat is the second largest province of the country and the most populous after the capital. Its importance is reflected in the considerable number of parliamentary seats it is allocated, 17, and the outcome of the forthcoming elections will thus significantly contribute to defining the new parliaments outlook. Through interviews with candidates, officials and other Heratis, AAN analyst Fabrizio Foschini got a look at the major political features of the province. http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1011 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1011 Wed, 8 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT info@afghanisthan-analysts.net (The Afghanistan Analysts Network) There is a strange detachment of international actors in Kabul when it comes to the parliamentary elections here in just under two weeks time. Our guest author Scott Warden(*) calls it a see no evil, speak no evil approach. He asks what the consequences of another flawed election will be and advocates a strict scrutiny of the process by both domestic and international observes, backed by international support for a fair and transparent complaints process to avoid the worst-case scenarios. Unfortunately, with only very small EU and OSCE missions with a downgraded mandate (they are no observers), it doesnt seem likely to happen. http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1007 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1007 Tue, 7 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT info@afghanisthan-analysts.net (The Afghanistan Analysts Network) Almost one fifth of the candidates running for Kabul in the upcoming parliamentary election are young, between 25 (the minimum age required by the law to run) and 35 years old. The proportion of young candidates varies, but provinces with big urban centres like Balkh, Nangrahar and Herat tend to have more. Some of these young Afghans appear to be genuine idealists. Others just seem to be using the election to promote themselves for personal ambition. AAN political researcher Gran Hewad has met dozens of these young men and women and has been looking at their political agendas. http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1003 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1003 Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT info@afghanisthan-analysts.net (The Afghanistan Analysts Network) Belquis Ahmadi(*) is an Afghan aid worker who had known, cooperated and traveled with Tom Little under the most difficult conditions of the 1990s civil war. Read her warmly commemorating the slain aid worker in this guest contribution to our blog. http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1002 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1002 Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT info@afghanisthan-analysts.net (The Afghanistan Analysts Network) In the second part of his pre-election analysis of Loya Paktia with the three provinces of Paktia, Paktika and Khost -, AAN researcher Fabrizio Foschini takes a closer look at some of the candidates, the equilibrium of power that shapes their chances in the 18 September poll and ponders what will happen to the ballot boxes. http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1001 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=1001 Sun, 29 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT info@afghanisthan-analysts.net (The Afghanistan Analysts Network) Loya Paktia, as the three provinces of Paktia, Paktika and Khost are sometimes referred to, is one of the portions of Afghanistan most hardly affected by the insurgency. With a long history of low degree of state control and an equally long border shared with Pakistans FATA, the region does not look like the perfect ground for a democratic election in these hard times. Why are people running as candidates, then? In the first part of a pre-election analysis, AAN researcher Fabrizio Foschini looks at the situation in which the 18 September poll will tale place. http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=998 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=998 Sat, 28 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT info@afghanisthan-analysts.net (The Afghanistan Analysts Network) Kabul is a city of dramatic contrasts. In the streets, shiny black-windowed limousines drive immediately alongside scruffy pushcarts with wobbly wheels. On the sidewalks, one-legged beggars hold out hands to well-dressed business men in sharp, knitted suits and gleaming shoes. In the built environment, too, these contrasts seem nearly infinite writes our guest blogger Anne Feenstra (M.Arch.)(*). http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=994 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=994 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT info@afghanisthan-analysts.net (The Afghanistan Analysts Network) In July, the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and UNAMA published their mid-year reports on civilian casualties and protection of civilians in the conflict in Afghanistan. AAN Senior Analyst, Sari Kouvo, takes a closer look at patterns identified on violations against and protection of civilians in the war in Afghanistan and brings in other, lesser known data. http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=992 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=992 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT sari@afghanisthan-analysts.net (Sari Kouvo) Paktika is not one of the most accessible places in Afghanistan. Hit by insecurity and forgotten by most development actors , Sharana, a dusty small town and the provincial capital, is a place rarely visited by outsiders. But thanks to the eager support to NGO involvement by the civilian team at the PRT in Paktika, our guest blogger Tina Blohm(*) was able to get on a flight to Sharana. Here is what she saw during a short stay in Sharana. http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=990 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=990 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT info@afghanisthan-analysts.net (The Afghanistan Analysts Network) There has been the first on the record condemnation by a senior member of the Taleban of the killings of eight foreign aid workers in Badakshshan on 5th August. Qari Malang, the representative of the Western Nuristan Taleban front, told AAN the Nuristani Taleban considered the killings to be murder. The initial claim of responsibility made by the Taleban spokesmans is looking ever more far-fetched. AANs senior analyst, Kate Clark, asks, if this was not an operation carried out by Taleban based in Badakshshan or Nuristan, why is the Kandahari leadership continuing to maintain its silence over the murders? http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=986 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=986 Fri, 20 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT info@afghanisthan-analysts.net (The Afghanistan Analysts Network) A north-eastern Taleban leader has been in touch with AAN to condemn the execution of unarmed aid workers in Badakhshan ten days ago. His statement reveals unease and disagreement within the leadership about this extreme act of violence. According to the Talebans own new code of conduct a copy of which AAN has also obtained it is clear that these killings were in clear contravention of Taleban rules. In other words, their spokesman should have condemned, rather than claimed responsibility for them. At the same time, as AAN senior analyst, Kate Clark, reports, there has been near silence from the Government side about what was probably the worst attack on humanitarian workers in Afghanistan in the last thirty years. http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=985 http://www.aan-afghanistan.org/index.asp?id=985 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT info@afghanisthan-analysts.net (The Afghanistan Analysts Network)