Afghan men to vote for women: they are more "honest and educated"
The population is wary of "dirty" candidates. Party symbols feature animals to help illiterate people. There is great enthusiasm for the "prospect for a better country".
Kabul (AsiaNews) Their wives may lead hidden lives, staying at home and going out only if they are covered with their burkas, but the men of remote villages in Ghor province will vote for women candidates in the upcoming parliamentary election Sunday. The reason: they have a reputation for being more "educated and honest".
Paul Hicks, a manager of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Herat told Asianews that in the last month, he travelled extensively in this central province. "I spent a lot of time with some community leaders in the district of Sharak," said Hicks. "The residents of Ustuwa village told me that they will vote for a woman candidate; they hold women to be more trustworthy, because they are more 'educated and honest' than other candidates."
The electoral campaign closed on Thursday with the commitment of all parties to work for the "good of the country". However sources of AsiaNews in Kabul said the local press and people are very wary especially of those candidates with a "dirty" past. Yesterday President Hamid Karzai invited the electorate to vote for "honest people": an understandable recommendation if one considers the long list of participants in the country's first parliamentary elections since 1969.
There are new faces like Jamil Karzai, second cousin of the president, but there are also war lords and opium lords and even former Taleban.
"In general there is great enthusiasm among the people even in areas outside the capital," said Hicks. "Cities and small centres are plastered with posters, depending on candidates' economic resources. Each one has a symbol, often an animal, to reach out to the large number of people who are illiterate, who will go to the polls Sunday. On the streets, voters chat among themselves about the upcoming electoral date."
According to the CRS worker, this is the first event in Afghanistan which enjoys the backing of most of the population: "It's true that hundreds of foreigners are behind the organisation of the election, but the electoral campaign was carried out exclusively by Afghans. This must be highlighted and credit given to the courage and enthusiasm of these people in building a better country."
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14/10/2004
