What follows is an interview with Habib Mangal a presidential candidate of the Inclusive Democracy and Progress Party of Afghanistan.

Election Transparency:

Q. Will election be transparent, free and fair?

A. Unfortunately the last three months of campaign has proved it. The transparency and free and fairness was in doubt since the beginning and were extensively violated. Freedom, some have undermined it by importing millions of dollars from unknown sources. Fairness for some the government officials campaigned. Ministers, governors and district mayors have been in the service of some candidates. Airplanes and security measures were at the disposal of some of the nominees. For some other candidates there is not even one helicopter to carry him for campaigns in the provinces. I should have been to three provinces but as there was no helicopter so I could not go. There is the probability of fraud during the votes counting. Hence election cannot be trusted as democracy and the young democracy of Afghanistan is badly affected.

Corruption:

Q. What is the real cause of state-corruption?

A. The main cause is system and its composition. The power is in the hand of some robbers. The fish turns rotten from head. In a department if there is a talented, clean and loyal minister there is no corruption. In a place where its officials are trying to rob the public property there is corruption. Then corruption spread from government structure, forces and the corrupt officials.

Q. What are your plans to eradicate corruption after victory?

A. I will hire clean officials who are patriot and committed to constitution, rule of law and social justice. There are thousands of as such officials in the country, who have no opportunity to work in the departments. If I appoint those persons who fight with corruption and are not corrupt but are patriot and progressive we can have a sound and healthy system.

Q. Where do you find these clean and virtuous officials in Afghanistan?

A. Some of this officials, professionals and experts who are educated outside and inside the country and many of them are jobless today and are working in streets and bazaars. Instead of them there are some officials who are taking several times greater salary; in dollars and Afghani or have come in the name of advisors from foreign countries.

Q. Are these people you named included in the process of administrative reforms and civil services?Have the people you mentioned gone through the administrative reform process?

A. Some of the officials are hired after they have gone through examinations. But many others are appointed through favoritism and connections.

Negotiation with Taliban:

Q. Some of the presidential candidates have said that they will open the door of negotiation and reconciliation with Taliban and Hezb-e Islami. What are your programs in this regard if you win the elections?

A. Some of those who raise these voices have no interest in negotiation with Taliban; what they say these days is just for campaign and nothing more than that. During past several years they have several times called upon Taliban but did not have any result. I favor talks with Taliban within the framework of Islamic, national and civil values and constitution of the country and democracy.

Q. Some of the Taliban are accused of human rights violation during their Imarat Isalami. Are they also included in the reconciliation?

A. Justice cannot be sacrificed in the name of peace and reconciliation.

Transitional Justice:

Q. What is your definition of transitional justice?

A.The transitional justice is related to the crimes and violations that took place during past regimes and the people of Afghanistan have the right to judge the past. Those who committed crimes in the past should be tried in a just and impartial court.

Q. What is your program about transitional justice after victory? What measures and mechanism will you take?

A. I will act keeping in view the political stability, peace and normalization of the political situation. I will act according to standards of the UN and human rights principles.

The action plan of government of Afghanistan says that the process should have been implemented by March 2009. The date has expired. What is your opinion?

Steps should have been taken in this regard. I believe the situation developed in a way that the government of Afghanistan was unable to finalize the process for justifiable reasons or not.

Q. What is your program in this regard?

A. If I win I will take measures in this regard keeping in view the security and political situation of the country.

Q. What is your definition of Peace and Reconciliation?

A. At first, reconciliation takes place between the fighting parties, particularly at that time when both the parties understand that they can not be victorious on the other. Secondly, reconciliation takes place for the sake of national interest. Just like now that our country is in a critical situation and it is in the interest of our country that Afghans sit together and put aside all ideological, political and other differences and think to save their country. In such a situation we can reach a just peace.

Q. How do you see the relationship between peace and justice and what is your definition of peace and justice?

A. They are dependent on each other. There is no peace without justice and there is not justice without peace. Justice is the foundation of just and lasting peace. In the meantime justice can be implemented when the situation is normal and peaceful and not in a violent situation when armed people are fighting with each other.

Q. During past three decades there have been many human rights violations. How successful has Peace and Reconciliation been to implement justice or lay the foundations of justice?

A. In spite of great national and international opportunities, our last government has not been able to lay the foundations of justice. Only punishment is not included in justice. Social justice is most important of all. Social justice is nothing more than providing equal opportunities for all citizens. Socially, economically and culturally, these equal opportunities have not been created during the past seven years and a big gap is drawn between poor and rich that has created the grounds for violence and discontentment of people. I believe the pillars of justice generally is social justice, however implementation of justice and the rule of law are integral components of a committed state.

Q. How successful has the Peace Commission of government been to implement justice?

A. I believe we have not yet taken any measure in this regard, particularly when parliament has declared the National Amnesty Charter and has created problem in implementing the process of transitional justice.

Q. What is your opinion about the National Amnesty Charter of parliament in relation to transitional justice? Is this not against the Action Plan?

A. We must separate today from yesterday and think of future. We must think that the holocausts, violation of human rights, wars, sorrows and the animosities are not repeated again tomorrow. If we are to assess the previous deeds we cannot reach a solution. In this regard we must accuse great sections of the society in some waus. I believe the previous crimes should not be repeated in the future and the political elites and the people of Afghanistan must preserve their national solidarity. In this regard we must to some extent show tolerance, forgiveness and patience.

Q. The problem is this that the victims of war claim of their rights and no one can forgive the rights. What is your opinion?

A. It is true. Eventually, only the victims can decide to forgive the violators of human rights after they are investigated and found guilty in a just court.

Q. The current is facing problems because it includes violators of human rights. What will you do to remove perpetrators of human rights violations after your victory?

A. There will be no place for criminals and violators of human rights in my government.

Q. In that case your government will face problems. If you remove them they might stand against you or join the rank of anti-government forces?

A. In that case Afghanistan has thousands of patriot and clean hearted citizens who are not the violators of human rights and are not accused of any crimes. They will be hired to serve people. Those who are accused of human rights violations should face trials. If not proved, there are many other ways to live. They should trade or earn in some other ways. We have system, law and government.

In reality those who stand against the government are in the wrong way and it is not lawful that they perpetrate. There are opportunities stated in the constitution and it is not right that people stand against the government and fight to get the political power.

Those who fight the government are actually fighting the people.

Q. It looks you are advising and making a moral statement. What are your practical solutions?

A. It is not moral statement or advises rather it is a political approach. Those who could not and can not serve the people have no place in the government. The government and the system should be controlled by some patriots, those who really serve the people and are not criminals or violators. It is unusual all over the world that to control a country some people get on the mountain and get political bribes.

Q. Which one of models for implementation of transitional justice in other countries do you propose for Afghanistan?

A. I believe that copying models from foreign countries has not been successful in Afghanistan. It does not seem suitable in the field of ideology, politics, economy and transitional justice. We will do our work with respect to the condition of Afghanistan, particular situation of country and the demands of political and social process in this regard.

Q. What will be your plan in particular to satisfy the victims and also implement the process of transitional justice so that your government does not confront any difficulty?

A. I will act keeping in mind political stability and national unity.

Q. Just like the Commission for Strengthening Peace of Mr. Karzai?

A. No. Karzai has unfortunately not been successful in solving the problems of Afghanistan. We will work together and with the advice of national progressive forces, civil society and political and democrat intellectuals of the country.

Q. What will be the program of your government in particular to implement transitional and do not face any challenges?

A. Reconciliation and rule of law and consolidation of social justice principles

Q. If the victims of war do not agree with reconciliation as an opinion poll from 6000 victims showed that more than 80% of them wanted the trial of war criminals and if they demand justice, what will be your response?

A. I will pay attention to their demand. We will listen to them and together with them act while keeping in mind the high interest of the country.

Q. Will you have the power to bring into justice the accused?

A. The law is above all and more powerful than anyone.