THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT, 4/10-4/16: CIVILIAN

UNCLAS KABUL 000969

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL AF
SUBJECT: THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT, 4/10-4/16: CIVILIAN
CASUALTIES DOMINATE DEBATE


1. Outrage against civilian casualty incidents in Khost and
Kunar provinces dominated Parliamentary debate and action (or
in some cases inaction),stalling most other legislation in
Parliament during the week of April 10-16. MPs in both
houses tabled work on laws or resolutions concerning private
security companies, possible impeachment of the Information
Minister for refusing to enforce the media law, and the
Supreme Court statement in support of President Karzai
remaining in office after the May 22 constitutional
expiration of his term. Instead, MPs lashed out against US
and Coalition forces for the reported deaths of civilians
during operations in Khost and Kunar. Lower House Khost MPs
staged a boycott on April 11, stating they would not attend
parliamentary sessions until the government negotiated a
strategy to limit civilian casualties with Coalition military
leaders. Upper House Khost MPs led a one-day walkout on
April 12, supported by nearly three-quarters of all
parliamentarians, ending the Upper House's session.


2. MPs like Mawlawi Ludin (Nangarhar, Pashtun) accused US
forces of not respecting international laws. Ludin called
for the government to prohibit foreign forces from entering
the homes of Afghans or conducting operations without the
coordination of Afghan security forces. MP Abdul Jabbar
Shulgari (Ghazni, Pashtun) agreed, comparing Coalition
operations to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. "Civilians
were killed during Russian airstrikes, but even the Russians
never entered our homes," he said. Other MPs called for a
status of forces agreement and a withdrawal timeline for
international forces. Only a few MPs spoke in favor of
Coalition forces, pointing out that Taliban and other
insurgent groups purposely targeted civilians, whereas
Coalition-caused incidents were accidental. Speaker Qanooni,
generally a supporter of foreign forces' presence in
Afghanistan, ended two of the week's sessions early as MPs'
speeches grew more emotional. Qanooni assured MPs that
Parliament and the government would strike an agreement with
Coalition military leaders to reduce civilian casualty
incidents.


3. In between civilian casualty debates, Parliament's houses
moved some legislation forward. The Lower House passed a law
codifying relations between the three branches of government,
and began work on a law regulating the national Chamber of
Commerce. The Upper House passed a law on the structure of
the judicial system. A personal rivalry among female MPs has
kept the Lower House Women's Committee leaderless since
January, stalling work on a number of bills. This week,
Qanooni threatened to fold the committee into the Auditing
and Oversight Committee if Women's Committee members did not
resolve their differences and elect a chair.
RICCIARDONE