[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 76 (Tuesday, June 11, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H3303]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              EVENTS CONCERNING THE AFGHANISTAN LOYA JIRGA

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Chairman Karzai, the 
interim administration, and the Afghan people for holding the Loya 
Jirga to select the new transitional government in Afghanistan.
  Unfortunately, due to threats by certain Afghan factions and 
consequent actions by a small select group of U.N., U.S. and Northern 
Alliance officials, the Loya Jirga process has been marred. These 
officials forced the King to make a statement saying he would not run 
for any elected position in the government.
  Sadly, preventing the people from choosing their own leader 
substantiates the concerns of the Afghan people that the U.S. and the 
international community have only their own interests at heart, not 
just that the Afghan people have peace, freedom, democracy, and 
fundamental human rights.
  The Afghan people were looking forward to deciding their own future 
on their own. Yet before the Loya Jirga was even convened, they were 
denied the right to choose their own leader. Unfortunately, it appears 
that intimidation won again.
  I am concerned that the Afghan people will not forget that the U.S., 
U.N., and Northern Alliance prevented the King, a highly respected 
leader, from holding a leadership position and helping bring peace, 
stability, and reconciliation to their nation.
  Our State Department should have had more diplomacy.

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