June 13, 2002	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 1, 1423

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KABUL, June 12: Afghans were set to make US-backed Hamid Karzai their new leader at the Loya Jirga, but some delegates walked out of the gathering on Wednesday saying they had not been given a say after 23 years of conflict.

With speech-making extending into the evening, and delegates preparing to vote for a chairman of their traditional parliament, the election of Afghanistan’s president was delayed until Thursday.

About 70 delegates, frustrated over what they said was the lack of a free vote over the country’s future, walked out on the second day of an event that has gathered some 1,600 people from all walks of life.

“Who are they to make fools of us?” one delegate said angrily outside the giant white marquee housing the assembly. He said choices were being thrust upon the delegates.

But the unprecedented gathering of outspoken women, turbaned religious figures, Afghan exiles in business suits, bandits and warlords, artists and artisans is a landmark in Afghanistan’s transition to democracy.

Ex-king Mohammad Zahir Shah set the stage at the opening of the meeting on Tuesday, saying he did not want to restore the monarchy and threw his support behind Karzai.

The ensuing thunder of applause led Karzai to mistakenly assume he was being voted president by acclamation. But the delegates want him to earn that with their votes.—Reuters