Communist Leader Complains of Violations

Text of report by the Tajik news agency Asia-Plus on 29th February
Who is lodging a complaint to the Central Electoral [and Referendum]
Commission? The leader of the communists [the Communist Party] of
Tajikistan, Shodi Shabdolov, said this on 28th February at a news
conference for correspondents. He said that in the elections held on 27th
February there were breaches of the law on elections to the Republic of
Tajikistan. In particular, the political advertisements of some candidates
were not removed in time. Likewise, observers and proxies of communist
candidates were not allowed into some electoral districts in the capital.
In the opinion of Shodi Shabdolov, these actions were connected with the
desire of some officials to get their people into the bodies of power.

Source: Asia-Plus news agency, Dushanbe, in Russian 0811 gmt 29 Feb 00
BBC Mon CAU 290200/** JF/SK
 

Tajik Islamic Rebirth Party says it was barred from observing elections

Text of report by the Tajik news agency Asia-Plus on 29th February
Representatives of the Islamic Rebirth Party of Tajikistan were not allowed
into electoral districts as observers in the majority of regions of the
republic, the Asia-Plus news agency was told by the head of the press
centre of the electoral headquarters of the Islamic Rebirth Party of
Tajikistan, Mahmadali Haitov, on 29th February. The parliamentary elections
in Tajikistan were held last Sunday [27th February]. According to Haitov,
the party's leadership "has reliable information at its disposal" that
representatives of the Islamic Rebirth Party of Tajikistan were not allowed
into electoral districts in Frunze and Oktyabr districts [of Dushanbe],
Lenin District [21 km south of Dushanbe] and in a number of districts in
the north of the republic [Leninobod Region]. "In some cases observers from
the Islamic Rebirth Party of Tajikistan were not allowed to participate in
counting ballot papers. The Central Electoral [and Referendum] Commission
of the republic and the joint UN and OSCE mission for monitoring the
parliamentary elections in Tajikistan were notified about violations,"
Haitov said.

Source: Asia-Plus news agency, Dushanbe, in Russian 0811 gmt 29 Feb 00
BBC Mon CAU 290200/** JF/SK
 

Tajik parties criticize elections - Iranian radio

All Tajik political parties, except the pro-government People's Democratic
Party, have criticized the parliamentary elections held on 27th February,
Iranian radio said. A commentary the following day said that the elections
were said to have been rigged in the capital and there were "falsifications
and violations". The chairman of the government-opposition National
Reconciliation Commission, Sayed Abdullo Nuri, who is also the leader of
the Islamic Rebirth Party, said that the elections were not "democratic and
fair", it added. The radio said that the existence of many "illegal armed
and even legal forces" may make the situation in Tajikistan worse again.
The following is the text of the report by Iranian radio from Mashhad on
28th February:

According to preliminary information, 87 per cent of the electorate turned
out in the Tajik parliamentary elections yesterday. It should be said that
the Central Election [and Referendum] Commission announced turnout results
every hour yesterday, but it has not managed yet to announce even
preliminary results of the elections after over 20 hours of the opening of
ballot boxes.

It is surprising that the capital of the independent republic [Dushanbe]
does not have telephone communication with its regional centres on the day
of the elections or during the counting of votes today. Electricity is said
to have been cut off in the town of Kulob [the second major town in
southern Khatlon Region] during the opening of ballot boxes yesterday
evening. And no reports on the results of the polls in this electoral
district had been received by the time this report was being prepared - at
a time when counting should be carried out continuously until finished
after the closure of the polls.

Representatives of the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan, or President
[Emomali] Rahmonov's supporters, won in four constituencies of the capital
of Tajikistan, Dushanbe. No report has so far been received on the victory
or superiority of any independent candidate or political party except Mr
Rahmonov's supporters and his party. All this is happening at a time when
breaches of the law were observed almost in all polling stations.
The heads of all political parties, except the People's Democratic Party of
Tajikistan, simultaneously criticized the holding of yesterday's
parliamentary elections. In particular, the elections are said to have been
rigged in the capital of Tajikistan and its Oktyabr electoral district. The
chairman of the Communist Party of Tajikistan, Shodi Shabdolov, said: We
will apply to the Supreme Court to hold runoff elections in the Oktyabr
electoral district.

The chairman of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan, Muhammadruzi Iskandarov,
said: There were falsifications and violations in the elections
particularly during the counting of votes in the Oktyabr electoral
district. Mr Iskandarov said that he had not even imagined that the
villainy of his opponents went this far.

The head of the former opposition and chairman of the National
Reconciliation Commission, Sayed Abdullo Nuri [who is also the chairman of
the Islamic Rebirth Party], also said that the elections were not held
democratically and fairly.

All this is happening at a time when the former opposition, who are now a
main political force in the country, have refrained from armed
confrontation for the sake of parliamentary struggle. And only half a year
has passed since they announced that they have no armed forces at their
command. The events which occurred in the run up to the elections and which
caused concern among people in the country show the presence and influence
of dissatisfied forces in Tajikistan. Moreover, there exist many illegal
armed, and even legal, forces which may possibly contribute towards the
deterioration of the situation again. It is possible that the perversion of
truth by forces and authoritative figures of society may bring two offended
forces together. The first are former servicemen who have been dismissed
and the second are those who have also been sacked or those who have failed
[to be elected] as a result of falsifications. In addition, it should also
be noted that a large number of former fighters and supporters of the
government [who brought Rahmonov's government to power in 1992] were not
allowed to take part in the elections.

A statement by the UN and OSCE joint mission of observers circulated today
also reports that the elections were full of irregularities. However, it
should be said the mission of observers themselves, who had not only to
observe, but also to assist the holding of the elections in line with the
general agreement on the establishment of peace, ignored all violations and
irregularities during preparations for the elections.

The election of a professional parliament will be considered the final stage
of peace only when opposition political forces gain seats in it. The former
United [Tajik] Opposition gained only 5 per cent or 50 positions instead of
30 per cent, or more than 2,000 [as said] positions, in executive agencies.
But this peace surpassed everybody's interests. They have also to tolerate
the holding of these elections which are full of differences.
Voice and Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dushanbe.

Source: Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mashhad, in Persian 1600 gmt
28 Feb 00
BBC Mon CAU 290200/** JF/MI