the traditional method Afghans have used throughout history to solve their political crises.
It is the ONLY political process honored and accepted by all the ethnic and religious groups of Afghanistan as the legitimate method to select a representative government that will be recognized and followed by all Afghans.
In order to support the United Nations peace efforts, reaffirmed by UN General Assembly Resolution 203 A and B of 18 December 1998, the Union shall continue to: ... (j) follow closely and support efforts by influential Afghan individuals and organisations, such as the "Rome Process" launched by former King Zahir Shah which envisages the holding of a Loya Jirgah as a step in the process towards peace and a broad-based government ...
The word "Jirga," meaning a circle of people, is used in Afghanistan for various kinds of consultative gatherings. Tribal and local jirgas are held often to settle everyday disputes among individuals or tribes. A Loya Jirga, or a Grand Assembly refers to a national gathering in which matters of national scale and importance are discussed and settled. This traditional method stems from both pre-Islamic local practices and the Islamic/Arab concept of "shura," or consultation.
