Elections in Afghanistan

On Thursday August 20th, 2009, people in Afghanistan went to the polls and voted to elect their next President and Provincial Councils. 

The election was a significant event, and there had been fears among people both in Afghanistan as well as in other parts of the world that it would not be peaceful and free of major problems. 

In recent years, the government in Afghanistan has undergone changes. In the mid-1990’s, a group called the Taliban gained control in Afghanistan. The Taliban is an ultraconservative, religious group popular among some of the people in the country. However, many people in Afghanistan and in other parts of the world disagree with many of the Taliban’s principles, such as unequal rights for women and severe forms of punishment. 

In 2001, Britain and the United States fought against the Taliban forces in Afghanistan, following the violent attacks made on the United States on September 11th of that year, which were believed to be linked to people and groups in Afghanistan whom the Taliban refused to banish. 

After the U.S. and Britain were able to weaken the Taliban’s hold in certain places, a new interim government came into power, followed by Democratic elections in October 2004, won by Hamid Karzai.

In spite of having a democratically elected president, problems in Afghanistan have continued. The Taliban still retains power and displays acts of violence as well as threats.

As Afghanistan’s next round of elections approached, many people both within the country and elsewhere were fearful that the elections would not be peaceful. – The Taliban had threatened that they would retaliate against the elections with violent acts. Some were also concerned that the elections would be corrupt or run unfairly.

The final results of the elections have not been counted yet, although many people around the world are offering congratulations to the people of Afghanistan who bravely risked the threats of violence and went to the polls to cast their votes. – It is essential to the success of a democracy that citizens exercise their right to vote, and so it is very significant that the people of Afghanistan held their commitment to democracy in spite of the difficulties they faced!