Dr. Evelyn Farkas urges new approach to democracy in Afghanistan | in The Daily Beast

This piece discusses the perceived impact and importance of the recent elections for ordinary Afghans and points out that while intimidation was certainly a factor in discouraging voter turnout, so was apathy.  Farkas points out that while the international community remains focused on the presidency, ordinary Afghans, and especially women, would benefit more from improving decentralized institutions of government and bolstering local leaders who can partner with the U.S. on the ground. 

Read the piece here, published in The Daily Beast: 

The outcome of the Afghan elections may very well make the task for the international community in Afghanistan suddenly even harder than it appeared just a week ago, when there was already plenty of teeth-gnashing generated by the question of sending even more U.S. troops there. We need a legitimate government—and ideally a popular one—in order to make progress on achieving our objective: an Afghan government able to prevent its territory from being used as a safe haven by terrorists intent on attacking the United States.

Unfortunately, what the elections have demonstrated so far is that enthusiasm for them was lower than during the first round of democratic elections in 2004-2005. It will take probing by social scientists and pollsters to figure out how much of the lower turnout this time was due to intimidation or apathy (more specifically, the sense that the outcome was a predetermined victory for President Karzai).

Anecdotally, several international election observers could not help but be struck by poll workers and interpreters who “forgot” their voter registration cards, even in Kabul, where intimidation was less of a factor than in Taliban-controlled areas. Jahed Mohseni, the young Afghan head of the Moby Media group, responsible for the western-style presidential campaign debates, speaking with a perfect Australian accent, told a group of election observers, “What we are tackling is apathy.” So, despite all the television programs and the colorful blue-tinted campaign posters plastered over Afghanistan’s dusty storefronts, lampposts and fluttering from fences, perhaps Afghans felt helpless in the face of their president’s deal-making with warlords and rivals. In the end, the leaders of groups—tribes, militias—would decide rather than individuals.

For too long the U.S. and international effort has focused on the central government, and specifically the presidency, exerting efforts that go against the historical grain of this decentralized country.

We need a credible dynamic government in Afghanistan, one willing to fight corruption and empower Afghan citizens, especially women, who have the motivation to work for mutual interests with the international community. We also need dynamism on the U.S. and international side of team.

Flikr photo by Canada in Afghanistan used under a Creative Commons license.