Some Random News:

• Met Masooda Jalal, ex female president candidate and now the Minister of Women’s Affairs. (see photo). Impressed with her and hope to have a number of projects supporting the ministry such as a campaign against child marriages.
• The Italian NGO worker, Clemantina, has been released. It was a strange situation with the police having arrested the gang’s mother and them kidnapping Clementina to exchange for their mother. The police found the mother was innocent but it was difficult to release this innocent woman as it might increase kidnap attempts.
• Warnings of conduct assassinations, suicide attacks, kidnapping and bombing activities in and around Kabul. Do not think they left anything out.
• Our movements are being restricted to house and office and no walking, shops, restaurants etc. It is increasing stress for those who adhere to this. Penalty is being thrown out of the country. About 5 UN workers have been dismissed so far.
• Apparently a use of maruana seeds is feed for ducks as it warms the body and helps with the hatching of eggs. Apparently some seeds then get passed through the duck and germinate which accounts for the occasional bush.
• Cholera is just one more thing Afghanistan does not need but over 2,000 cases in Kabul so far. The much greater rain fall this year and poor sanitary conditions are to blame. Houses that do have septic tanks do not have sealed ones and have well near by.
• Reports of a number of the Afghan army deserting
• A national elections worker has been killed
• UN is preparing for when not if internationals are killed this year
• There are about 130 parliamentary candidates who have not disarmed and have until end of June to do so. As there is no time for them to actually disarm they will have to start disarming before end of June. Those who do not will be struck off the list but not the ballot papers which might cause some confusion. Apparently there will be posters in registration sites telling people who has been struck off. Those who are made an example of by being struck off will not be too happy especially as plenty with blood on their hands and weapons will be candidates. It would make more sense to have all candidates accepted for the ballot. After all most governments have war criminals in them even in the West.
• Hopefully people will have decided who to vote for and will not have to do it on the day as some provinces have over 80 candidates and there will be a ballot booklet with all of them in. looking through the booklet to count the votes will be great fun also.
• There is going to be one seat for every 100,000 people of voting age. As most people do not know their age this is not a precise science. The last census was in about 1978 so what they are going to do is add this to the recently ‘completed’ housing listings and then half it. Unfortunately the housing listings have not been completed in five difficult provinces. These are Pashtun provinces and the result is likely to be the under representation of Pashtuns. Complaints are already being made.
• Bottom line is that if the elections happen roughly on time and there is lots of spin they will be called successful and democracy will reach yet another country America has bombed and Iraq will only be a matter of time.
• In the meantime the poppy eradication is of course being a great success as was the UN party last Friday. Lack of ice for the cocktails but what the hell it is a hardship posting