Definition: "Loya Jirga" is a Pashtun term that means "grand assembly" representing various ethnic groups, tribes, religions and political groups. A loya jirga is summoned by Afghan rulers at seminal moments in the nation's history to settle matters of overriding national concern--to resolve conflicts between tribes, set national boundaries, define leaders' authority, or approve constitutions.
About 1,500 delegates took part in a loya jirga in Kabul, the Afghanm capital, in June 2002 to choose a transitional government following the fall of the Taliban in 2001. The last loya jirga was held two years later to adopt the national constitution.
Often referred to by the Western press as a centuries-old Afghan tradition, the current format of loya jirga, was in fact, set by Abd al-Rahman Khan (1880-1901), Amir of Kabul, and formalized in the 1923 Afghan constitution. Only the tribal form of jirga, a Pashtun custom of communal assemblies that did not involve other tribes or ethnic groups, dates back to the 18th century.
Also Known As: Grand Assembly, Great Council
