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KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Attorneys from Laghman, Kunar and Nangarhar provinces will be able to better help the Afghan people with legal issues and disputes after attending a Jalalabad seminar the last week in May.
International Security Assistance Forces and local attorneys conducted the week-long seminar for 48 Legal representatives from the three provinces. The seminar intent was to bring legal awareness to the home districts of the attorneys.
"We did the seminar to improve the ability of the attorneys to solve disputes in their districts and to bring consistent legal awareness to the attorneys," said Azizurahman Niazai, an attorney working with the legal office of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.
The seminar began with a speech by Master Sgt. Timothy Conner, non-commissioned officer in charge of the 3rd BCT, 1st ID legal office. Conner's speech emphasized that ISAF is committed to assisting the Afghan people as they rebuild their country.
"The job of the attorneys is legal awareness, and until now there was no standardization in the legal system," Conner said. "This kind of training makes them aware of the laws and brings stability to the legal system across the provinces."
The seminar consisted of various lectures, and the instructors attempted to provide the attorneys with the best educational experience possible.
The program was designed to give the attorneys the most pertinent information for their respective situations.
"We did all the planning for the seminar with attorneys and judges. They identified what topics would be most important and we built the class around them," Niazai said. "All the planning took about three months for this seminar. We gave lectures and also practical exercises, scenarios and a mock trial so they could see the laws and ideas in practice."
The training covered many topics including legal awareness, Civil Procedure Code, property and laws on procedures of acquisition of rights. Other issues discussed were debts, personal status and marriage.
"This is a great seminar for us," said Ghulam Esa, attorney from the Lapor district of Nangarhar province. "This is the first time they've done this and I think it is very important for us to bring the correct laws and rules back to the people in our districts."
The attorneys who attended the seminar not only learned a great deal, but will also take their new knowledge back to their districts to teach others.
"I represent all the attorneys in my district," Esa said. "The things I learn here I will teach to my people. It is important for everyone in my department and it will help us all solve issues with the people. We are attorneys, but we are also teachers and must teach the laws to the village elders."
Only half of the attorneys from the three provinces were invited to this seminar. Those who stayed behind to maintain legal representation in their districts will attend another planned seminar this fall.
"We took 50 percent of the attorneys from these provinces and will take the other 50 percent the next time we do the seminar," Niazai said. "We did it this way so someone would still be in the districts to practice law and solve disputes. We will hold the seminar again in October."
The attendees for the seminar were grateful for the training and felt it will help the Afghan people and their future.
"This training will help me and my colleagues as we go back to help our people," Esa said. "This will create hope for the people and they will be able to stand on their feet."
| Date Taken: | 06.06.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 06.06.2009 16:07 |
| Story ID: | 34652 |
| Location: | KUNAR PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 212 |
| Downloads: | 189 |
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