Great Afghan Election Resource: Alive in Afghanistan

It may be difficult for journalists to circumvent the Afghan government’s ban on reporting pre-election violence. But a friend tips me to Alive In Afghanistan, a tool for Afghans to report and compile their own short observations about security, the election and more in their area. It is accessible through text, Twitter, Web or email. For instance, I click on one icon on the Afghanistan map, near Kabul, and it brings up the following:

Poll convoy attacked, polling stations hit with rockets
33 polling centers in Ghazni stay shut
Beggar: Wants government help
Student: Failed to get registration card
Shopkeeper: Wants a candidate whose hands are clean

I’ll be checking this out a lot tomorrow and in the following days.