Peter Galbraith, sacked as deputy UN special envoy to Afghanistan, said his dismissal sends a “terrible signal” about the world body’s commitment to a fraud-free election for the country’s next president.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday sacked Galbraith, who had been embroiled in a dispute with his boss over Afghanistan’s controversial election.
“The secretary-general has decided to recall Mr Peter Galbraith from Afghanistan and to end his appointment as the deputy special representative for UNAMA,” a UN statement said, referring to the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan.
“I disagree with this decision not just on personal grounds but because it sends a terrible signal when the UN removes an official because he was concerned about fraud in a UN-sponsored and funded election,” Galbraith told the BBC in an interview late on Wednesday.
Differences between Galbraith, an American, and UN special representative to Afghanistan Kai Eide, of Norway, over dealing with fraud allegations became public last month when Galbraith abruptly left Kabul to return to the US.
Afghanistan held elections on Aug. 20 but the final result is yet to be announced as ballots are audited and recounted amid allegations of ballot-stuffing, mostly directed at supporters of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Preliminary results put Karzai on about 55 percent and his nearest rival, Abdullah Abdullah on about 23 percent. The victor needs 50 percent plus one vote. Results are expected within two weeks.
Differences between the two men began before the poll when Galbraith wanted to eliminate “ghost” polling centers that posed a risk of fraud as they were too insecure to open on election day.
When fraud evidence became “very extensive,” he said — citing high vote numbers from regions where turnout was known to be low — Eide would not allow the information to be disseminated even to ambassadors based in Kabul.
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