FORMER KING DEFLECTS POLITICAL CONTROVERSY AS AFGHAN VOTE WAITS
Camelia Entekhabi-Fard: 6/10/02

Afghanistan was supposed to begin the process of appointing a new government on June 10, with the convocation of the Loya Jirga. Instead, Afghanistan’s former king Mohammed Zahir Shah found himself momentarily caught in a media spotlight while the legislative process stalled. The former monarch on June 10 moved to end a nascent movement to name him Afghan head of state with an announcement that he would not seek or accept such an appointment. Nevertheless, support for Zahir Shah to assume a leadership role remains strong.

The turmoil surrounding Zahir Shah’s possible candidacy contributed to the postponement of the Loya Jirga. The grand council, which brings together 1,500 delegates from across Afghanistan, had been scheduled to begin June 10. It is now slated to start a day later. "As a logistical and practical decision, the opening of the Loya Jirga is postponed by 24 hours," US envoy Zalmai Khalilzad told reporters on June 10 outside the American embassy.

Khalilzad became the first official to acknowledge rumors that have buzzed around Kabul the past few days: that supporters of the former monarch would push to make him head of state instead of interim government chairman Hamid Karzai. Prior to the weekend, many observers had expected Karzai to be the near-automatic choice to lead the two-year transitional government that will be selected by the Loya Jirga.

Khalilzad, whose own government backs Karzai, sought to promote this expectation. "The former King is not a candidate for any position in the transition government," he said. "Moreover there is no basis to the suggestion that he is against a Karzai candidacy." Khalilzad may have been trying to staunch the flow of rumors. Instead, he may have given them credence. He also appeared to figure in the political maneuvering June 10.

Even though the 87-year-old Zahir Shah has on multiple occasions renounced the idea of running the country, some Afghans sought to use his presence to block Karzai’s presumptive inauguration. Some delegates, chiefly from areas where ethnic Pashtuns dominate, have started what looks like a powerful movement to circumvent Karzai or his cabinet by endorsing the former king. Pasha Khan Zadran, the ex-governor of Paktia, was the first to publicly attack Karzai when, on June 9, he told reporters that the former king had agreed to accept any position the people assigned him. He also warned that a government without Zahir Shah at the top could lead to "armed conflict." Zadran had a motive to try to mobilize delegates against Karzai, who removed Zadran from his governor’s post this spring.

All through June 9 and the morning of June 10, Zahir Shah’s residence was a hub of activity. The former king had returned after 28 years in exile in order to give the Loya Jirga process his blessing. Mostly, he maintained a low profile. On June 10, as political operatives tried to keep the Loya Jirga process on track, Zahir Shah held a press conference to clarify his position.

"There has been contradictory information about my political position in the media and I need to clarify that," he said in a statement. "Unfortunately that information confused the public mind. As I have always mentioned I don’t have any interest in reviving the monarchy system or being a candidate for any position at the emergency Loya Jirga. My soul is suffering for my people."

Accompanied by Karzai, Khalilzad, and his own relatives, Zahir Shah left no doubt about what he meant to accomplish with his press conference. "I appreciate the valuable service done by Hamid Karzai, and… allegations that any opinion or interview [may] have attributed to me do not reflect my political position." He then shook hands with Karzai, who referred to Zahir Shah in his own remarks as "his majesty" and stressed that the "Loya Jirga would decide" whether Afghans acted on Zahir Shah’s endorsement.

The orchestrated press appearance suggested that the United States is playing a large role in the Loya Jirga process. Khalilzad claimed to have spent long hours with representatives of all Afghanistan’s factions, trying to ensure a smooth process.

But the king’s announcement may not be sufficient to ensure a smooth Loya Jirga. Former president Burhanuddin Rabbani, Herat politician Mohammed Rafiq Mojadadi and Wali Massoud - brother of slain Northern Alliance commander Ahmed Shah Massoud - all reportedly want to run for the presidency, though their prospects seem remote. The presence of this weak field, combined with the delay in the Loya Jirga’s commencement, may lead to renewed calls to draft the former king as head of state.

Indeed, support appears to remain strong for Zahir Shah. Just two hours after Zahir Shah’s press conference, Minister of Frontier and Tribal Affairs Amanullah Zadran told journalists to go near the former king’s house to see a demonstration of about 800 delegates urging Zahir Shah to change his mind. Zadran has already told western journalists that the former king could keep Afghanistan peaceful by becoming head of state. Zadran earlier warned that Afghanistan faced renewed conflict if Zahir Shah did not assume a leadership role, according to Western news agency reports.

Editor’s Note: Camelia Entekhabi-Fard is a journalist who specializes in Afghan and Iranian affairs. She is currently in Afghanistan reporting for EurasiaNet.

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Posted June 10, 2002 © Eurasianet
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