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By: Gulabuddin Sukhanwar
As you approach the end of your time in the presidential palace, I wanted to talk to you a bit about your time in office.
First, as an official observer at the last two presidential elections, I want to reflect on the election process and its many failings.
If only you had remembered me, and your promises to the younger generation in Afghanistan, when you became President. As member of a political coalition, I spoke to more than 50,000 Afghans at the Ghazi Stadium in support of your presidential campaign in 2009.
As Head of the Cultural Committee for Youths Association of the National Unity Party, I appealed to you and the next government in my 2009 speech, to meet our conditions in exchange for our support.
We called for equal and balanced development for ALL of Afghanistan, as well as the inclusion of all ethnic groups at government level. You showed great insincerity by promising certain reforms aimed at young people, but never actually implementing them.
Neither did you keep your promise to ensure the representation of young people in the Government, especially in terms of improving access to education in remote areas.
Almost five years have passed, and while I don´t regret making a speech in support of your presidential campaign, I am deeply disappointed that you turned your back on us.
Dear Mr. President, Let´s talk about what happened at the 2009 election.
To our dismay, fraud and irregularities in the way that votes were collected and counted are sadly what we most remember about that crucial point in our history.
If someone – just a man on the street like me – was aware of this fraud, which acted in your favor, then of course you were too. Yet you did nothing to ensure a fair and open democratic voting system.
The so-called Independent’ Election Commission, which you controlled, initially declared you to have received 54% of the vote. Due to irregularities, a recount was made, and your vote was reduced to less than 50%.
Despite this, US Secretary of State John Kerry, announced that you would still be the next President – well, someone had to be!
Of course, we don´t deny that some limited improvements have been made in different sectors. However, a consequence of you not implementing the changes you promised is that most people even don’t trust the election process.
With billions of dollars invested by the international community, you could have achieved so much more. Your inability to do so will hold us back for years to come.
Nothing has fundamentally changed over the 12 years of your presidency. You did not use your power to strengthen the country in terms of democracy, the rule of law, to create more jobs, improve access to education, or ensure rural and economic development. You even allowed warlords and unscrupulous power-brokers to retain in the power.
By: Gulabuddin Sukhanwar
As you approach the end of your time in the presidential palace, I wanted to talk to you a bit about your time in office.First, as an official observer at the last two presidential elections, I want to reflect on the election process and its many failings.
If only you had remembered me, and your promises to the younger generation in Afghanistan, when you became President. As member of a political coalition, I spoke to more than 50,000 Afghans at the Ghazi Stadium in support of your presidential campaign in 2009.
As Head of the Cultural Committee for Youths Association of the National Unity Party, I appealed to you and the next government in my 2009 speech, to meet our conditions in exchange for our support.
We called for equal and balanced development for ALL of Afghanistan, as well as the inclusion of all ethnic groups at government level. You showed great insincerity by promising certain reforms aimed at young people, but never actually implementing them.
Neither did you keep your promise to ensure the representation of young people in the Government, especially in terms of improving access to education in remote areas.
Almost five years have passed, and while I don´t regret making a speech in support of your presidential campaign, I am deeply disappointed that you turned your back on us.
Dear Mr. President, Let´s talk about what happened at the 2009 election.
To our dismay, fraud and irregularities in the way that votes were collected and counted are sadly what we most remember about that crucial point in our history.
If someone – just a man on the street like me – was aware of this fraud, which acted in your favor, then of course you were too. Yet you did nothing to ensure a fair and open democratic voting system.
The so-called Independent’ Election Commission, which you controlled, initially declared you to have received 54% of the vote. Due to irregularities, a recount was made, and your vote was reduced to less than 50%.
Despite this, US Secretary of State John Kerry, announced that you would still be the next President – well, someone had to be!
Of course, we don´t deny that some limited improvements have been made in different sectors. However, a consequence of you not implementing the changes you promised is that most people even don’t trust the election process.
With billions of dollars invested by the international community, you could have achieved so much more. Your inability to do so will hold us back for years to come.
Nothing has fundamentally changed over the 12 years of your presidency. You did not use your power to strengthen the country in terms of democracy, the rule of law, to create more jobs, improve access to education, or ensure rural and economic development. You even allowed warlords and unscrupulous power-brokers to retain in the power.