(14 Dec 2003) CORRECTION FARSI CHANGED TO DARI
1. Various former Afghan monarch, Mohammad Zaher Shah and President Hamid Karzai arrive
2. Various delegates
3. Various former monarch, Mohammad Zaher Shah and President Hamid Karzai standing for national anthem
4. Various children singing
5. SOUNDBITE (Dari) former monarch, Mohammad Zaher Shah:
"Respected representatives, people have trusted you and you do not forget them from now it is your duty and responsibilty that without any fear to uphold the rights of the people. You must take the pressure with patience."
6. Various delegates
7. SOUNDBITE (Dari) President Hamid Karzai:
"With the name of God who is the most merciful and the most gracious. All the praises are to God and we seek help from him. Today for all of us, for the father (the former King) of the nation, the representatives of the people, for the respected leaders of the holy war (jihadi), for my colleagues of the cabinet, for the commission of the constitution, and for Mr Ibrahimi (Special U.N Representative for Afghanistan), the outsiders, the nation of Afghanistan it is very pleasant moment of prosperity that we the people of Afghanistan are gathered together."
8. Mid shot western observers
STORYLINE:
A landmark constitutional convention began in Afghanistan on Sunday with solemn prayers, the hopeful songs of children and a stirring speech by the nation's former king, who echoed the aspirations of his war-weary countrymen with a call for unity and peace.
Some 500 delegates- from village mullahs to Western-educated exiles- were gathered at a huge tent in the battle-scarred capital, Kabul, to hammer out a new constitution in a traditional loya jirga, or grand council. Among the issues they were expected to spar over were the role of Afghan women, Islam's place in politics and the sharing of power in a nation accustomed to fighting over it.
"The people are relying on you and you should not forget them," the 88-year-old former monarch, Mohammad Zaher Shah, told the assembly. "I hope you will try your best to maintain peace, stability and the unity of the Afghan people."
The loya jirga is a key step in the two-year drive to stabilize the country under an empowered central government, and is supposed to lead to landmark national elections slated for June.
The king spoke after a reading from the Quran by a blind cleric and a rendition of a traditional Afghan folk song by a group of young children, wearing Nike shirts under richly embroidered traditional vests, that brought several delegates to tears.
Security was extremely tight after warnings from the U.S. military that Taliban militants might try to attack the convention. Afghan soldiers lined the roads leading up to the meeting site, and everyone entering the tent - including the delegates - was patted down for weapons and explosives.
Many delegates wore fine silk robes, some with western suit jackets slung over them. Yellow, burgundy and cream colored turbans jutted out from the crowd, as did the simple woolen caps worn famously by slain former Northern Alliance commander Ahmed Shah Masood.
It could take 10 days to several weeks for the loya jirga, meeting at a Kabul college campus, to finalize a 160-article draft drawn up by a constitutional commission.
Delegates predicted fiery arguments over calls by the U.S.-backed President Hamid Karzai for a strong chief executive, with opponents pushing for a prime minister who would share power. Karzai this week said he would not stand in next year's elections if a strong prime minister's post is created.
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7 сен 2024
