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Experts, Everyday Afghans React To Afghan Presidential Debate

Afghans watch the debate at a shop in Kabul.

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August 17, 2009

KABUL (RFE/RL) -- When the dust had settled, there was no clear winner among the three Afghan presidential candidates who participated in a live televised debate on August 16, but their participation was being celebrated as a sign of democratic progress.

The two-hour debate, in which incumbent President Hamid Karzai squared off against challengers Ashraf Ghani and Ramzan Bashardost, was broadcast live by the Afghan state television channel RTA and RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan.

It was also broadcast live by seven independent Afghan TV stations and numerous radio stations across the country, making it one of the most viewed media events in recent Afghan history.

RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan queried experts and everyday Afghans about their impressions of the event:

"Dr. Bashardost was speaking very critically. Dr. Ashraf Ghani was answering all the questions incisively and was putting forward concrete plans. Karzai was criticizing the problems of his own administration while proposing new initiatives."
                                                         -- Afghan analyst Nasrullah Stanekzai

"This debate laid a foundation for democratic deliberations. This was a nice initiative and as you heard from your listeners, it was widely welcomed. I hope that this discussion will not end with the debate and, whoever is elected, we will be able to remind him of his promises, so that we can see how they have acted upon their own promises. Continuous discussion and debate are critical for preserving democracy and the rule of the people."
                                             -- Afghan parliamentarian Shukaria Barakzai

"All the candidates expressed their views. And if I can tell you the truth, I see a conflict between what these people say and do. We have seen a lot of people making tall tales, but they failed in the real world. Ramzan Bashardost does not even speak our language, but he always speaks the truth, and his hands are not stained with the blood of the innocent."
                                            -- Kandahar resident Haji Ghulam Nabi Sayed

"This debate was very interesting. It would have been even better if Dr. Abdullah Abdullah had also participated. This was not good for him and it upset a lot of people in Afghanistan. Dr. Ashraf Ghani's pronouncements were highly informative. In second place, Karzai also said good things."
                                             -- Kabul resident Sharafuddin Totakhel

"How can I vote? I voted in the past, but what they did for me? So why should I vote now? How can I trust them? Nobody has talked to me about my problems and the work I need so much. Nobody has talked to me about how I can have a better tomorrow free of all these problems."
               -- Khair Muhammad from northeastern Badkhshan Province,
                who has been forced to look for work in neighboring Kunduz

"I really liked the debate because the head of the current government participated in it. The way these candidates criticized each other is a sign of the strength of democracy and the freedom of speech in our country."
                                             -- Noor Mohammadi, a journalism student at
                                                          Balkh University in Mazar-e Sharif

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Comments

by: Shakila from: Washington, D.C.

August 17, 2009 21:03

Congratulations RFERL for facilitating this first historic event. It hopefully will pave the way to a long, uphill journey towards embracing a civilized, and most importantly, much needed elements of social, political, cultural and ethnic civilities, Afghanistan so disparately needs.

In order to put decades of chaos and dist ruction behind, which has stemmed mostly from lack of respect and practice of the rule of law, human rights, religious, and equally ethnic rights in Afghanistan, I believe, ultimately, the people of Afghanistan, especially the younger generation, and the leaders of Afghanistan must carry the responsibility and ever heavy burden of bringing about real change, however, It has to fully recognize the social, cultural and religious sensibilities of the Afghan society, and adapting to a special brand of democracy which encompasses and dealing with all the essential political ingredients pertaining to harsh realities of Afghan society, such as the destructive and divisive issue of ethnic lines, which have eroded the foundation for a functioning society.

There is no other way out of this current chaos, if the Afghan ethnicity is the key to power. It has been in the fabric of the Afghan history and society. We must own that fact as painful as it may be.

It is a known fact that old habits die hard, but Afghanistan has been on the path to a very inhuman, slow and painful political death for decades and the leaders of Afghanistan must stop these forms of slow death, and instead, work much harder to change the old ways or they simply will further adding to the slow death of people who are simply too tired and fed up to want to hope.

No foreign power, intervention, aid, military or civilian participation and commitment would bring about the fundamental change unless the leaders of Afghanistan do not truly take full responsibility for the direction Afghans and Afghanistan must embark. Yes, it will be a very challenging, difficult and a tall order to make the shift, however, the alternative would be a taller order of chaos, as it has been so far.

It is time to shift the political finger-pointing at the Afghan and foreign elements. The fact is that there always be damaging, sabotaging and destructive outside influences beyond our control, effective leaders have the ability to tackle that whiles focusing on the internal dysfunctional, and if needs be, take responsibility and ownership of it. Postponing that, will only add to the social and political vulnerability of a society, which ironically in turn, weakens its status and makes it a prey to outside interference. A quick glance in the resent history of Afghanistan is a perfect example of what went wrong when
Afghanistan lost its sense of political self due to the divineness of the civil wars which initially came about against the invasion of outside powers.

History shows us that peace, democracy, civility, equality, justice and a basic functioning civil society, never came about easily. Based on the realities on the ground, no one claims the emerging of a fully functioning democracy in Afghanistan, no one makes the rhetorical assumption that it will be an easy proverbial "walk in the park" for the leaders and people of Afghanistan, however, brining change will be even more unattainable, if they do not make every attempt to start this long difficult journey sooner.

I believe the future leaders of Afghanistan, must realize, accept and face this fact, no matter how challenging the external political factors and games they have to play, will be! Because ultimately, those factors cannot be used as excuses/cover ups for neglecting their responsibilities in delaying their actions to achieve the establishing of internal stability and a functioning society.

by: Shakila from: Washington, D.C.

August 17, 2009 21:04

It is obvious that the people of Afghanistan are ready, and eager to trust their leaders in order to start healing from the indignities of wars, loss and suffering for so long and have the basic means to be able to lead a simple peaceful, and self-sustaining life. To be able to have access to the most basic human rights such as food, shelter, education and jobs.

If the Afghan leaders who do not pour their souls into meeting the people's basic needs and expectations, then their fate will be added to another familiar chapter in the history books as the agents of obstacles to peace, progress and the provision of basic human rights. While they are in power, the choice is mostly theirs to change that legacy, but the ultimate power lies with the judgement of the the people. It always does.

Shakila Khalje is an Afghan-American Journalist/Social Activist.