Ali Ahmad Faizyar, a candidate for Parliament in the upcoming elections, was busy reviewing his campaign posters at a printing house in Herat city. With about two and a half months to go before the September 18 poll, he wants to get his campaign going as quickly as possible. But he is facing a problem: some tribal elders in various districts of Herat province are trying to control which candidates can campaign in their areas.

“Before the start of the campaign, tribal elders and gunmen in some districts, particularly Kashk-e-Kohna and Turghondi, took the decision to ban all candidates except the ones they have chosen from running their election campaigns in those districts,” he said. “This decision by tribal elders will affect the results of election. People will vote for those who are confirmed by the elders.”

Faizyar added that tribal conflict was the main reason for such a move.

Ghulam Farooq Majroh, who is also standing for Parliament, is afraid that his campaign, too, will be limited by this decision, as well as by the growing insecurity in Herat.

“Every candidate has the right to run his or her campaign in any area of the province,” he said. But gunmen and armed opposition in Farsi, Chesht and Keshk-e-Kohna districts would most likely make it impossible for him to campaign there, he complained.

Afghanistan’s Parliamentary elections are run on the Single Non-Transferable Vote (SNTV) system, according to which all candidates run as independents, and all candidates run from their province as a whole. Approximately 150 candidates will be competing for Herat’s 17 seats in Parliament,

According to the law, no one can prevent a candidate from campaigning in any district of his or her province.

But a tribal elder from Herat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that district leaders regularly tried to determine which candidates would be elected in their areas.

“This is nothing new,” he said. “We hold meetings and decide whom to vote for and whom not to vote for.”

The elders’ decisions have a great deal of influence over the people within a particular district, say residents.

“In the presidential elections last year the elders took similar decisions,” said Aziz Ahmad Popalzai, who lives in Turghandi district. “ The people then voted for a particular candidate.”

But the elders are sometimes pressured into their decisions, insisted Jamshid Temori, a resident of Chesht district. “Gunmen from illegal armed groups play a key role in this process,” he said. “Tribal elders have to accept their views.”

The government bodies in charge of overseeing the election process maintain that no one will be prevented from conducting a fair campaign.

“Every citizen has the right to stand for election and to vote,” said Awalorahman Rodwal, head of the Herat sub-office of the Independent Election Commission. “No one can deprive a candidate of his or her rights.”

Rodwal said that his office had not yet received any notification that tribal elders were banning candidates from their districts, and added that he had not observed any similar problems in last year’s presidential elections. However, he emphasized, the commission would intervene if anyone tried to interfere with the free conduct of the campaign.

“We will take strict measures against violators,” said Rodwal.

The security forces also have their role in ensuring that the elections run smoothly.

Abdul Rauf Ahmadi, spokesperson for the Western Zone Police, insisted that all candidates had the right to campaign in any area of the province. He also said that the police had not yet received any complaints from candidates that they were unable to campaign, but would deal with such incidents should they arise.

“Candidates may campaign without any problems,” he said. “The police have specific programs to ensure their safety.”