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Afghanistan: Two days before the elections

paul (transmitted by societelibre) | 07.10.2004 12:30 | Anti-militarism | Oxford | World

As I sit typing this at 14.20 local time on Thursday 7th October there is a bomb scare 100 metres up the road. A suspected car bomb near the UN guest house.

Ducks in garden
Ducks in garden


Most international staff of IOM have left the country and all the national staff went home at lunch time today. I have Pavarotti blaring and am trying to catch up with work. It is strange. Until I am involved in a bomb blast it is not real. If the suspected car bomb goes off I will probably be blown across the room but in the quiet of the office with opera this seems very unlikely. Security is getting very tight. It is based on general rules that the security officers, mostly ex military men, follow without much logic. It has been very quiet over the last two weeks which has caused a lot of speculation by some that it will blow up soon and by others that it will stay calm.

In the last five months I have started 62 projects including bridges, libraries, water sources, poultry breeding and human rights courses. This took a lot of lying to our donor, USAID. The director of Women's Affairs is fully involved in this project means in reality the greedy cow has no interest at all except what she can get out of it, The department of Rural Development will actively monitor this project means they have no money and are begging us for payment to be involved. The contractor has interacted with the community means he has pissed off local men who are threatening to blow him up. A local commander is interested in the project means he has threatened to pull up the water pipes unless he is paid. Next I am introducing solar lamps to Afghanistan and supplying books and equipment for the setting up of provincial libraries. Change is not going to come fast here and perhaps it is better if it does not. Most sustainable change seems to be evolutionary with the assistance of activists pushing it along and waiting for the rest to catch up.

The political campaigns have been almost non existent. The presidential candidates messages have been mostly vote for me because I am of the same ethnic group as you. There have only been a few rallies and quite a lot of posters. Some candidates admit they have no idea how to campaign and those that do risk their lives.

I am likely to be in lock down (confined to my house) for the next couple of days. After this the speculation will probably be over. My ducks do not seem to care.
As I sit typing this at 14.20 local time on Thursday 7th October there is a bomb scare 100 metres up the road.

paul (transmitted by societelibre)

Comments

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The US plan for the elections

07.10.2004 13:12

Thanks Paul, for another trenchant report about the lead-up to the elections. I've got a question. Here on TV there have been news features on Moussada Jalal, the sole female candidate. While she herself appears to be of unimpeachable character, and a lot better politically than the other candidates, it looks like she is being used as part of the Bush campaign propaganda. In other words, the Americans can crow about the success of these elections by citing her example, safe in the knowledge that she cannot win, while their man Karzai coasts to victory. It's normal for the US to support heavily its preferred candidates in ballots all around the world, thereby grossly distorting the electoral process by outside intervention. Is this happening currently in Afghanistan?

richarddirecttv


Yes Richard

07.10.2004 15:06

You are right. Bush has his photograph taken with Afghan women athletes and talks about how the lot of women has changed thanks to American intrevention. Articles I have attached show another story and these are from the mainstream press. It is only really in Kabul that a few women do not wear buquas and some of them were brought up in Pakistan. Those who do not get stared at. Outside Kabul the buqua is also a defence from unwanted attention like rape and abduction.

Of course Bush has stacked the odds as much as possible in Khazai's favour. The biggest donar here is USAID and they want as much visibility as possible for the present government and their man. Afghans realize this but most still seem to feel he is the best bet for stability and continuing US aid money. They seem to see him as an interim necessity. they are not looking for democracy, where ever that is, but just stability at the moment.

IOM's donor is USAID. I try to maximise the money going out through projects and minimise US visibility. USAID thinks that all these people are grateful to US and Afghan govenment. Those that do know, which is few, just want water or an income and i do not think they are nieve enough to become pro American because of it. The American ambassador has more power here than ministers.
What does trenchant mean??!!

Paul


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