June 15, 2002	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 3, 1423

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NEW YORK, June 14: Afghan war lords are hindering the Loya Jirga, Afghanistan’s traditional assembly, in its efforts to set up a representative government, Human Rights Watch said Thursday.

Delegates to the Loya Jirga are subjected to intimidation and surveillance by Afghan intelligence services, the rights group said in a statement here.

“After subverting the voting process in many regions of Afghanistan, the warlords are now trying to hijack the Loya Jirga itself,” said HRW’s Saman Zia-Zarifi.

“If the warlords succeed in their nefarious quests, the security of the Afghan people will be put squarely in the hands of those most likely to threaten it,” the group said.

Afghans nominated more than 1,500 delegates to represent them at the Loya Jirga, a traditional gathering of tribal leaders, which was called to fill the power vacuum left after the fall of the Taliban extremists at the hands of Afghan, US and international forces.

“On Tuesday, warlords not appointed to the assembly were allowed inside the tent where the Loya Jirga is in session, mingling with the delegates and threatening those who called for their exclusion or opposed their agenda.

“Several delegates, including some women, reported threats when they complained about the warlords participation in the grand national assembly. Other delegates reported alarm at the heavy presence of agents from the Afghan Intelligence Service,” the HRW said in the statement.—AFP