UNAMA - Statements Attributable to Spokesman

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan (SRSG), Jean Arnault, is profoundly outraged by the deadly attack against female staff of the Secretariat of the Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) in the outskirts of the city of Jalalabad, Nangarhar Province. Two women were killed. Three other women are in critical condition as well as a boy child accompanying his mother. Nine suffered lighter injuries.

At about 8:00 this morning an explosion hit a locally hired mini-bus transporting JEMB Secretariat staff to begin today’s voter registration activities in the district of Rodad, Nangarhar Province. Preliminary information is that explosives were placed in the mini bus. Although the vehicle’s driver left the mini-bus shortly before the explosion, he was subsequently caught and is now in the custody of Afghan Authorities.

The explosion killed or wounded 13 women and two children. These were Afghan women working for Afghan women in the East to enable them to join millions of other Afghans who will vote in the upcoming elections. They were successful. The Eastern region is second only to the Kabul region in voter registration, with close to 600.000 registered voters. Thirty-five percent of these are women with their numbers rising fast, in spite of well-known cultural limitations. Their killers probably wanted to stop this momentum towards broad female participation. They will not reach their goal.

The Special Representative sends his deepest condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who were killed. He wishes the prompt recovery of those who are wounded.

UNAMA has sent a team of doctors and nurses from Kabul to support the Jalalabad Hospital staff who are taking care of the wounded. The critically wounded are being evacuated from Jalalabad by helicopter.

As a temporary precaution while the situation is being assessed and further security measures taken, the electoral authorities are restricting the movement of the Secretariat’s female staff. The registration of women continues wherever possible.

President Hamid Karzai has been in contact with the Special Representative to express his concern and support. The Special Representative has met with the Chairman of the JEMB, Zakim Shah, and with the Director of the JEMB Secretariat, Farooq Wardak, to review measures to be taken following this incident. The three officials are meeting with the Minister of Interior, Ali Ahmed Jalali, to review further security measures to be taken by the Government.




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		Statement Attributable to the Spokesman of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan on the Killing of Electoral Staff in Jalalabad
		The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan (SRSG), Jean Arnault, is profoundly outraged by the deadly attack against female staff of the Secretariat of the Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) in the outskirts of the city of Jalalabad, Nangarhar Province. Two women were killed. Three other women are in critical condition as well as a boy child accompanying his mother. Nine suffered lighter injuries. At about 8:00 this morning an explosion hit a locally hired mini-bus transporting JEMB Secretariat staff to begin today’s voter registration activities in the district of Rodad, Nangarhar Province. Preliminary information is that explosives were placed in the mini bus. Although the vehicle’s driver left the mini-bus shortly before the explosion, he was subsequently caught and is now in the custody of Afghan Authorities. The explosion killed or wounded 13 women and two children. These were Afghan women working for Afghan women in the East to enable them to join millions of other Afghans who will vote in the upcoming elections. They were successful. The Eastern region is second only to the Kabul region in voter registration, with close to 600.000 registered voters. Thirty-five percent of these are women with their numbers rising fast, in spite of well-known cultural limitations. Their killers probably wanted to stop this momentum towards broad female participation. They will not reach their goal. The Special Representative sends his deepest condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who were killed. He wishes the prompt recovery of those who are wounded. UNAMA has sent a team of doctors and nurses from Kabul to support the Jalalabad Hospital staff who are taking care of the wounded. The critically wounded are being evacuated from Jalalabad by helicopter. As a temporary precaution while the situation is being assessed and further security measures taken, the electoral authorities are restricting the movement of the Secretariat’s female staff. The registration of women continues wherever possible. President Hamid Karzai has been in contact with the Special Representative to express his concern and support. The Special Representative has met with the Chairman of the JEMB, Zakim Shah, and with the Director of the JEMB Secretariat, Farooq Wardak, to review measures to be taken following this incident. The three officials are meeting with the Minister of Interior, Ali Ahmed Jalali, to review further security measures to be taken by the Government. Kabul 26 June 2004 _______________


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