The Constitution of Afghanistan Year 1382 (2004) Preamble

I have a bit of a fascination with Constitution Preambles and when I looked this one up today, I thought it was worth sharing. This current constitution is based largely on the 1964 Afghan constitution. The current version was drafted by a 9 member commission appointed by Karzai and reworked after a public consultation process. In December 2003, a Loya Jirga of 502 delegates vigorously debated the document. On January 4, 2004, the Loya Jirga ratified the Constitution by consensus in spite of complaints about the process.

Preamble

We the people of Afghanistan:

With firm faith in God Almighty and relying on His lawful mercy, and believing in the sacred religion of Islam,

Realizing the injustice and shortcoming of the past, and the numerous troubles imposed on our country,

While acknowledging the sacrifices and the historic struggles, rightful Jehad and just resistance of all people of Afghanistan and respecting the high position of the martyrs for freedom of the country,

With the understanding that Afghanistan is a single and united country and belongs to all ethnicities residing in this country,

Observing the United Nations Charter and respecting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

For strengthening national unity, safeguarding independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country,

For establishing a government based on people’s will and democracy,

For creation of a civil society free of oppression, atrocity, discrimination, and violence and based on the rule of law, social justice, protection of human rights, and dignity and ensuring the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people,

For strengthening the political, social, economic, and defensive institutions of the country,

For ensuring a prosperous life and sound environment for all those residing in this land,

Finally for regaining Afghanistan’s deserving place in the international community,

have adopted this constitution in accordance with historical, cultural, and social requirements of the era, through our elected representatives in the Loya Jirga dated 14 Jaddi 1382 in the city of Kabul.