The Joint Electoral Management Body on
Sunday launched a seven week Voter Registration for Afghan refugees who
are returning with UNHCR assistance from neighbouring countries between
July 17 and September 8, 2005.
Afghans over the age of 18, who do not
yet have registration cards, must register if they wish to vote in the
September 18 Wolesi Jirga and Provincial Council elections. Voters must
have a registration card which states the province where they live and
will vote.
Returnees who participated in IOM Out-of-Country Voting for Afghanistan's 2004 Presidential Elections in Pakistan or Iran will not be able to use their IOM Out-of-Country voter registration cards to vote in the 2005 Wolesi Jirga and Provincial Council elections.
Voters may only cast ballots in the province listed on their registration cards.
Refugees officially returning through UNHCR from July 17 will be able to register through six UNHCR encashment centres for the province where they will live and vote.
The UNHCR encashment centres where refugees returning through UNHCR can register are located in the cities of Herat, Cazerga (on Herat's outskirts), Kabul, Zaranj (Nimroz province), Daman (Kandahar province), and Muhmand Dara (Nangarhar province).
In order to register, returnees must produce their UNHCR Voluntary Repatriation Form (VRF).
Returnees who do not have a registration card, or who used an IOM Out of Country Voter Registration card to vote in Pakistan or Iran during the 2004 residential Election, should visit a registration centre.
For more information please consult www.jemb.org or contact:
JEMB National Spokesperson:
Sultan Ahmad Baheen
Mob: + 93 (0) 70 29 89 92
baheensultana@unops.org.af
JEMB International Spokesperson:
Bronwyn Curran
Mob: + 93 (0) 70 16 44 94
bronwync@unops.org.af