I couldn’t participate in election because I am under eighteen and far away from my country, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I saw how Abdullah Abdullah went into the provinces and told people how he would rebuild the streets. I watched when Ashraf Ghani told the other side how he is going to build new schools. It looked like these are two really good men who Afghans could vote for and we’d have a nice country.
I have three questions for them. You claimed that you are going to all of these good works for my country and make dreams come true. Is being elected president the only way that you will work for my country and try to make true on these promises? Are all of your promises tied to votes? Will you do these things if people don’t elect for you?
I do not know if I can get answers to my questions but I dream that the slogans will come true. Must they only be speeches? To say you are going to solve these things means you believe they are serious problems. Can you not just remind us of our injuries, but make them heal?
People exchanged their fingers to vote for you. Please do not forget these pledges. I am breathing so that the promises will come true.
By Basira
The author is a student abroad. Photos of Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai (by S.K. Vemmer) and Abdullah Abdullah (by Philippe Grangeaud).
Dear Basira, Such wise words for someone your age. I commend you on your excellent questions, and for sharing them with us.
Pat
Dear Basira: Your essay is short, but it packs hard punches. I was very moved by this line of questioning:
“You claimed that you are going to all of these good works for my country and make dreams come true. Is being elected president the only way that you will work for my country and try to make true on these promises? Are all of your promises tied to votes? Will you do these things if people don’t elect for you?”
To me, those are deep and important questions. Ones that all of us should be asking the people who say they wish to lead us: what were you doing when you weren’t seeking our votes? Were you doing anything to help us before? Or are these pretty promises of help only connected to the drive for power?
Keep asking your important questions, Basira! Stacy