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'I knew the risks, but I wanted to vote'
Politics
Friday August 21st 2009
Saifullah Ahmadzai is a research analyst from Kabul. He talks about his experience of voting in the Afghanistan elections of August 20 2009, as the city came under assault from suicide and rocket attacks launched by the Taliban
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Friday August 21st 2009
A man with an inked finger after voting in the Afghanistan presidential election. Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PA
Early in the morning on polling day, I heard a huge explosion in my area of Kabul. It was followed by rapid-fired gunshots. I ran out of my house and enquired with local people who said three gunmen inside a house were firing indiscriminately at the local police station. After a brief exchange of fire these gunmen were overpowered and arrested by the police. I think the guns were mainly meant to scare away voters from stepping out of their houses to cast their votes – and they succeeded in scaring away voters judging from the low turnout of in my area.
I am well aware of the Taliban’s command to the people not to vote and so I knew the risk I was taking, but still I ventured out to cast my vote. I wanted to vote because there were some issues that really concern me in this election. I wanted to vote for a candidate who could bring social justice, strengthen national unity and improve relations with our neighbours. I think this will help bring security and peace in my country. We need social justice in our society, we have to strengthen better understanding between various tribal and ethnic groups for the sake of maintaining national unity. If we succeed in this, then my people will focus more on changing and improving their lives and will not worry about their security.
When going out to vote my main concern was security. When I stepped out of my house and walked toward the polling booth I was worried that something might happen on the way or perhaps inside the polling booth. I was sure voters who came out to vote shared similar fears. People were simply scared. On the run-up to polling day, there were many suicide attacks and rockets attacks in Kabul city. Such incidents terrorise the people and deter them from stepping out of their house to vote. But the government did its best to convince and encourage the people, through the media, to participate in voting.
When we compare the presidential candidates with the provincial council candidates, the latter's campaigns were weak. They were not so visible, so their promises were not very clear and expectations were not high.
The controversial rape bill passed by president Karzai does not apply to all women of Afghanistan but to Shia women, so I don't think it would have affected the chances of current president Hamid Karzai.
It was 1.30pm when I went to vote. The polling centre was in Rakhman High School located in the 'eighth phase' of Kabul city. It took me just ten minutes to complete the procedure because there was no long queue of people at the polling centre. I didn’t see any women come to vote. Obviously they had more fear than us.
Surprisingly, there was only one police officer at the entrance of the polling centre – there were no Nato or US troops. I had to produce my voting card before I was allowed to enter the polling booth. The officer guided me to the next person who punched a hole on my voting card and then applied colour to my index finger. Then another officer handed me two papers. It had a list of candidates for the presidential and provincial council elections. I made my selection in a hidden corner and then dropped it into the relevant box. The officers were kind and cooperative.
But the turnout in my area was poor. There was always that threat the Taliban could disrupt the election, and no one wants to put their life in danger. The Taliban had warned the people that if they voted they would cut their fingers.
People, including me, have lots of expectation from this election. I think the candidates who win and do not deliver what they promised, the people of this war-ravaged country will be terribly disappointed and they will lose faith in democracy.
• Saifullah Ahmadzai was interviewed by journalist Rajen Nair
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