THIS YEAR ELECTIONS ARE VERY GOOD: AFGHAN YOUTH

UNCLAS KABUL 001238

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PGOV AF
SUBJECT: THIS YEAR ELECTIONS ARE VERY GOOD: AFGHAN YOUTH
ENGAGE IN WEBCHAT


1. (U) SUMMARY: In a webchat engaging over 100 university
students and other youth through Lincoln Centers in Kabul,
Jalalabad, Bamyan, and Mazar-e-Sharif, Embassy officers
discussed the role of civil society in elections, with the
theme of "more than just a voting day." The students welcomed
answers to their many questions, while the questions in turn
provided a snapshot of public opinion. Students had a lively
interest in voter turnout, security, and transparency.
Overwhelmingly, these young Afghans were eager to know
whether the US supported Karzai or another candidate. The
participants displayed a keen interest in the elections'
outcome as well as enthusiasm about this milestone in
Afghanistan's democratic development. We are scheduling
similar dialogs with a variety of audiences about every two
weeks between now and August. END SUMMARY.


WORRIED ABOUT TURNOUT AND SECURITY
--------------


2. (U) A variety of questions linked concerns about
possible lower voter turnout to the performance of the
government, a common phenomenon as countries move into the
second democratic election. Reza, a young woman in Bamyan,
asked, "Do you think people are interested to participate in
this election when they see that most the issues, about which
the government made promises, are not finished?" From
Jalalabad, Hashim Khan wrote, "The people are not satisfied
with the government of Afghanistan. They don't want to
participate in this process. What do you think?"


3. (U) Other participants wondered whether voter turnout in
insecure areas would be so low that the legitimacy of the
vote would come into question. In Jalalabad, Faroq noted
that "some people still do not have a voter registration card
for security reasons." A Bamyan student, enjoying the
relative security of the north, nonetheless asked, "How sure
are you of voters participating in the south and east of
Afghanistan?" Hafizullah, from Jalalabad, wrote, "If the
situation gets worse like the Khost event (a complex suicide
attack),then is it possible for the voting?" Nasir asked,
"How can election be held in the south while the fighting is
going on?"

CURIOUS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY
--------------


4. In questions about the transparency of the electoral
process, most students were seeking information rather than
expressing a point of view. "Tell me about the transparency
of elections in Afghanistan," one student wrote. A Jalalabad
participant asked which country would help Afghanistan keep
the process fair. Nasir cheerfully sent in, "What do you
think about vote rigging?" A few students doubted the role
of the incumbent. Noorshah complained, "When Hamid Karzai is
in power, how can we say elections are transparent?"


WHO WOULD YOU PICK?
--------------


5. (U) The webchat participants, to a man and to a woman,
were determined to know, even if with resentment, who was
"the US candidate." "Does President Obama support especially
one candidate, or all?" asked a Bamyan student. Mokhtar
chimed in, "I want to know, does USA support Mr. Khalilzad?"
Gulham Saki noted, "We know the American decision about this
election is so important. How many percent can we hope that
the US does not chose a president for Afghanistan?" Ahmad
wanted to know, "If Karzai becomes the next president, will
the international community respect Afghans' decision, or
not?"


MOST IMPORTANTLY, A CHANCE TO HAVE A SAY
--------------


6. (U) The large number of participants meant students
stood three and four deep in the Lincoln Centers to share the
available computers. Their lively, rapid-fire questions
signaled that these youth, despite healthy skepticism and
some concerns, are engaging in the democratic process and see
the electoral outcome as important to their future.
Jalalabad's Farhad acknowledged, "This year elections are
very good." Hashim, likewise from Jalalabad, wrote, "Thank
you very much for the election of Afghanistan."


EIKENBERRY