Voices from an Afghan contender and his team

(Ghani campaign photo)

Lael H. Adams, a Boston University student working as an intern this summer for the Afghan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation, sought answers from Ashraf Ghani (above), one of the top contenders in the presidential elections to be held Aug. 20. Here are his written responses as well as interviews by Adams from four of his campaign workers.

Q. Western media reports tend to give the impression that Afghanistan is a state in dire straits. What is your opinion on the status of reconstruction in this country?

A. Afghanistan stands at a crossroads. The corruption and cronyism of the [Hamid] Karzai regime have indeed left the country in dire straits, where wealth accrues to only a few and reconstruction funds are routinely stolen. This past March the current finance minister even admitted that 70 percent of potential domestic revenue is lost to corruption and mismanagement. When I was finance minister from 2002 to 2004, I helped set Afghanistan on the path to growth and reconciliation, reforming the economy, introducing transparent accounting, and recruiting private investment.

Q. Being the president of Afghanistan is arguably one of the most difficult jobs in the world to have right now. Why do you want this job?

A. I want to fulfill my moral duty to give the people an alternative to the corruption and lawlessness of the Karzai regime. I want to create a just order and give Afghans hope for a better future. We cannot afford another divisive leader who panders to ethnic identities. We need a unifying figure that represents all Afghans, who has experience in development issues .

Q. Warlordism, the illicit drug trade, and corruption seem to be some of the most pressing issues Afghanistan is facing now. How do you plan to approach these problems if elected?

A. Agricultural development is the key to eradicating the drug trade. Four dollars a day is the tipping point for rural farmers’ incomes to disincentivize poppy production. We need to invest in agriculture and security for the farmers.

Q. What role do you think the international community should play in Afghanistan, presently and in the future?

A. It is the mutual goal of the international community and the Afghan people to get foreign forces out of the country as soon as possible. Before this can happen, though, we need to establish a framework for stabilization that installs a lasting peace, and that could allow a peaceful withdrawal.

Q. When you were slated as a candidate to succeed Kofi Annan as Secretary General of the UN in 2006, you were quoted in the Financial Times as saying: “I hope to win, through ideas.” This comment seems to also reflect your current appeal in this campaign to many well-educated Afghans, particularly the diaspora. Do you think it would be fair to say that your campaign is an intellectual, academic, policy-driven one grounded in ideas? If so, how do you think that appeals to the majority of the population of Afghanistan, who reside in the rural villages and may be more likely to base their votes more on ethnicity or tribal loyalty rather than policy?

A. My goal is to unify the country. Politics in Afghanistan have for too long been based on ethnic identity. I want to make this an issues-based campaign, instead of an ethnic-based one, and the good news is that the people are listening. On July 23 we had our first presidential debate broadcast live on Tolo TV. Since then more than half of all Afghans have listened or heard parts of that debate. The people of Afghanistan are interested in the issues, they are engaged in the public discourse, asking questions, supporting candidates. I am peeling away vote blocs that have traditionally supported candidates only out of tribal loyalty. Yesterday I hosted almost 1,000 women at my home to discuss the importance of women’s participation in civic politics. The group of working women pledged their support to me because of my ideas and policies.

Voices of campaign staff

(Photos by Liny Suharlim)

Homaira Haqmal

Homaira Haqmal, who is from the southern province of Wardak, is a law professor at Kabul University and head of a women’s organization, the Movement of Afghan Sisters. Haqmal, 41, and mother of six children, first became involved in the campaign when she met Ghani with her women’s organization to share their opinions for what has now become plan for the country, published as a book in Dari and Pashto. “Dr. Ghani said to us, ‘It’s not my book, it’s your book,' '' said Haqmal. " 'You all have your own opinion and your own answers in this book.' '' Haqmal said she is hoping for a positive change and is frustrated with current president Hamid Karzai’s administration. “All of the candidates say we are doing this and this, but they don’t have any platform or strategy,” said Haqmal.

Sahera Sharif

Sahera Sharif, 47, is a member of Parliament from Khost Province in the south. After living as a refugee in Pakistan since 1989, she returned in 2001 with her husband and four children, working as lecturer of women’s affairs at the university in Khost and advocating for women’s awareness during the 2004 election. As a member of Parliament, Sharif said she has witnessed corruption in the Karzai government. She supports Ghani because of “his personality, his character, and his strength in his ideas.” Campaigning door-to-door in Kabul and in the provinces, Sharif said she has registered nearly 600 women to vote, explaining to them Ghani’s policies on issues that matter most to her: maternal health, female education, and job creation for rural women. “Whenever I explain Dr. Ghani’s work plan and strategy for them, they really accept it and like it,” said Sharif.

Salma Alokozai

Salma Alokozai, 20, was a student of Pashto literature at Kabul University and now plans to join American University to study finance. She became involved in the campaign three months ago through friends, and is now employed as a national media adviser. Alokozai has been a supporter of Ghani since he was minister of finance, following his interviews and reading his articles. "I became a big fan," said Alokozai. “I convinced my parents to vote for him.” She said especially appreciates his “respect for women.” Alokozai said she is most concerned with issues such as insecurity, corruption, and civilian casualties.

Treena Sarwari
Treena Sarwari, 22, teaches Dari literacy classes to adult women in a private college in Kabul and also studies literature at a local university. Sarwari was introduced to Ghani by the headmaster of the college where she teaches, and then decided to volunteer for the campaign. She said she has discussed Ghani’s policies with the 40 women in her class. Sarwari is particularly drawn to Ghani’s stance on education for women. "He will work for women to provide them literacy opportunities, to seek knowledge, and to have more rights."