Senate Approves Seat For Hindu Minority

Wednesday December 25, 2013
Kabul (BNA) At the Senate Meeting chaired by its speaker Fazul Hadi Muslimyar, the senate in addition to confirming of three international documents, confirmed the draft amendments at the election law pertaining to allocation of a seat for the Hindu community at the House of People.
Meanwhile, the agreement of friendship and cooperation between Afghanistan and Indonesia, the strategic agreement between Afghanistan and the Royal Government of Denmark and an agreement between Afghanistan and Britain and Northern Ireland with respect to aid to the academy of national army officers were adopted by the Senate meeting.
Meanwhile, the draft amendment and addition to the election law pertaining to allocation of a seat at the House of People for Hindu and Sikh community was adopted with majority vote of the senators.
However, the House of People in its general meeting had rejected it earlier while the senate considering allocation of the ten seats for the Kuchis and considering an empty seat at the House of People justified its confirmation.
It is said that in order to remove the differences of views between the Senate and the House of People a joint commission will be formed so that one of these options are confirmed.
At another part of the meeting, the senate discussed the complaints of the public with respect to electricity shortage in some parts of the Kabul city and it was decided that the head of the Breshna Company should summoned to one of the senate general meeting to provide explanation in this respect.
They also complained over the weak welcome of the protocol department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the International Kabul Airport and the head of the ministry’s protocol department was summoned to a senate meeting.
The senators also raised the issue of highway robberies and abductions on the roads towards Maidan Shahr and Ghourband were irresponsible armed people are behaving inappropriately with the commuters.
They asked the Ministry of Interior Affairs to undertake necessary preventive measures to stop such practices.
They also touched on a report released by the (One TV) that terrorists and abductors and the organizers of suicide bombings are freed with the meddling of the High Peace Council while this council without advancing reasons threatened the TV network for publishing this news.

Courtesy:bakhtarnews dot com dot af

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Hindu Backlash to Lower House Seat Refusal

News - Afghanistan  

Members of the Sikh and Hindu minority in Afghanistan on Tuesday criticized the Lower House's refusal to approve a Presidential Decree that would designate a single seat to them in Parliament.
Although the Senate voted in favor of the change this week, it must now be forwarded on to a joint-chamber commission to have its fate decided.
The Hindu & Sikh Council called the Lower House's vote discriminatory, and demanded that their democratic rights be respected.
"We still cope with many religious and ethnic problems, and only a few people in Parliament can defend them...so the presence of one representative or more than one that could serve the interests of the Hindus in Parliament is essential," said Zehra Sepahr, the Chairperson of the Development & Support of Afghan Women & Children Organization.

The Hindu & Sikh Council argued that the addition of a new seat for the religious minority, which would raise the total number of seats in Parliament to 250, would not have any detrimental effect on the rights and powers of the other representatives.
"This is the 250th seat approved by the Upper House, and the rights of others wouldn't be violated," said Rawul Singh, a member of the Council.

The Hindu & Sikh Council in a resolution of their own declared that their civil and political rights had been violated by the Lower House stance, calling on the United Nations and other international bodies to take steps to protect religious minorities in Afghanistan.

Source:tolonews dot com

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House Rejects President’s Decree For Allocating A Seat For Hindu Community

Sunday, December 15, 2013
Kabul (BNA) The House of People while rejecting the decree of President Karzai with respect to allocation of a seat for the Hindu community of Afghanistan, emphasized on the punishment of the perpetrator of violence against a woman in Herat province.
Chaired by Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi speaker of the house of People, the members of the house strongly condemned the violent act against the women and called it against Islamic teachings.
The members of the House touching on cutting of lip and nose of Mrs. Sitara by her husband in Herat and killing of the girl in Baghlan said that non-punishment of the perpetrators of such criminal acts by the judicial organs causes increased violence against women in the country.
The meeting also issued a statement condemning violence against women urging the government and judicial organs to punish the perpetrators of violence against women.
The house of people discussed the decree of President Karzai for allocation of a seat to the Hindu community and rejected it and called it against the Constitution of the country.

Courtesy: bakhtarnews dot com dot af

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MPs Reject Hindu, Sikh Parliament Seat

KABUL (WNA-Dec.14, 2013): Afghanistan parliament on Saturday rejected President Karzai’s suggestion and called it against the country’s constitution the Hindu-Sikh minority have as seat at the house of people.

They said the president had acted against the constitution, as Hindus with long Afghan nationality are the lowest in population in the country, where there are many other minorities.

Nazir Ahmad Hanafi a house member blamed the presidential office endorsement a draft law allowing Afghan Hindus, Sikh have a seat in the parliament against the constitution and said the move would trample other minorities’ rights if inked by the national assembly.

Ahmad Behzad lawmaker, also believed the move to let the Hindus minority have a seat in the Wolesi Jirga violates the country’s constitution, though he acknowledged they were Afghan citizens like other Afghans.

But, Shukria Berekzai and some other MPs said like other Afghans, they were Afghan citizens and should be provided with a seat in the house of people.

Speaker, Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi delivered the issue to the lawmakers’ verdicts after disputes against and favor overshadowed the decision making session atmosphere.

73 lawmakers voted against the approval of the draft, while 51 others cast in favor, a figure less than the eligible quorum helping Afghan Hindus get a seat in the house.

The Afghanistan constitution doesn’t allow non-Muslim Afghans to enter the election for presidential and parliamentary process, but the president recently inked a draft law based on, a Hindu could attend the parliamentary election to represent his/here minority.

Report: Rahim Malikzai

Edit: Wakht   

Courtesy:wakht dot af

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