I joined Beyond Boundaries: Afghanistan’s rights and in general the interest of the people was the center of attention. The values that I as a modern politician have been fighting for in our own traditional politics where the grounds for such fights are regarded to be culturally very frictional. 

In contrast, here I was delighted to participate in such civil society dialogue between the two countries’ vibrant delegations where they have the common language of values and principles of human rights, freedom of speech and democracy.

The Afghan delegations were composed of women rights activists, human rights defenders, civil society advocates and 3 modern politicians with their clear distinctions, including two former MPs. 

The night before the event, I browsed through our Pakistani delegation biography and noticed that very strong individuals with academic, human rights, civil society and business backgrounds were selected and I thought that the combination of both groups could create a formula of challenge for traditional politics on both sides of the border. 

I felt pleased and wanted to ensure that the first thing I should do is to leave my political hat at home and concentrate on the colorful dialogue of civil society as an Afghan woman, as a citizen, as a human rights believer and as a person who as opposed to war was determined for peace, an outspoken belief that led me in to politics. 

In the morning when the dialogue officially started in the presence of media, ambassadors and some well known activists, I was trying to listen to the panelist and capture the optimism in the atmosphere, then all of a sudden I realized the scene was changing.

While one of the Afghan panelist who lived in Pakistan expressed the exhaustion and pain of the Afghan nation with regard to peace and war processes, from the past up to present in order to bring the challenge of people’s demands at our table (to the two side delegations) to make us realize where we started our mission and how responsible this delegation is, relevant to the people’s current situation.

Immediately, the automatic reaction of our Pakistani friends to the realistic point of the Afghan panelist crushed the civil society border by means of which the political question dominated now the atmosphere: why is India/Indian Ambassador not happy with the sound political gesture of President Ghani and Prime Minister Sharif in Europe? Why did his view reflect on the media? The angry and disappointed voices of our Pakistani friends demanded an answer from the Afghan delegation. 

I was surprised to hear such overwhelming disappointment on a dialogue where it is supposed to be about the common values of democracy, human rights and the value of our two nations’ blood and life, not the political frustration of our governments in blaming Afghans for India’s freedom of expression or to blame the Pakistani people for any Afghan government shortcomings.

As a world citizen of the 21st century, belonging to a 15th century war torn country, I am constantly under pressure of my ambitious mind with regard to human rights, democratic values and freedom of speech by the means of which I can be critical of our internal politics for the lack of commitment and violation of those democratic values and various freedoms of citizens that we hold so dear.

Here, I was surprised to witness such anger from the Civil Society delegates of a country that I thought would be more advanced in respect of such values, due to their relatively peaceful environment and security stability in comparison to our own country. However, I did not allow myself to show any surprise with his excellency the Ambassador of Pakistan’s reaction and expression who intimated the reality of Afghanistan on the ground to be pessimistic and negative, mainly as he represents the government as a political figure. 

As a host with a political background among this dynamic civil society and activist members I abstained myself in order to not get attracted or distracted by the political questions which were rhythmically dancing around the room in the inaugural session of this dialogue. Thus, I restrained myself from reacting or raising my voice during this tense atmosphere. Thus, I decided to leave that point as a civil value core discussion for later discourse. When we had the topic of narrative I sincerely made my emphasis on the civil society’s responsibility that the table had in front of it, with the reflection on the reality of people’s lives on the ground. 

Throughout the dialogue we were constantly invited by our Pakistani Civil Society friends to understand that we were not regarded as an enemy to Pakistan but repeatedly we were encouraged to recognize their enemy and it’s reference to us was to take their side to be safe!

During the course of the debate we tried to clarify our positions that we represent Afghanistan, not India. When our delegation expressed our concern and discomfort that our sovereignty and independence in relation to our neighbor is constantly being violated and we must not be expected to prioritize Pakistan’s interest over Afghanistan when it comes to our foreign relation, the responsive answer came as: Pakistan respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty and accepts it as an Independent country, but it is deeply concerned with Afghan opinions because Pakistan believes that Afghan thoughts and opinions are developed in India then exported to Afghanistan and imposed on our mindsets. All of these so called civilized views shocked me to the core, affecting my credible ambitions within our civil society talks.  

I realized that we Afghans are very ambitious with high expectations regarding our civil society demands. Therefore, we tend to prejudge others to have more concentrated values other than political demands in their civil society discourse. Thus, even in our political nature we are more independent within our unsatisfied demands of freedom than that of our neighbors. We not only echo our government’s political views when it touches our civil society, human rights and women’s rights ambitions, but we are too free to express our civilized dreams and the people’s will to touch the globalized values regardless of the reality of war affected political climate.

The recent hundred thousand supported public demonstration, famous for Tabasum/Smile Revolution, is a bold example of Afghan citizen’s demand. I noticed that our Pakistani friends do not follow the same democratic road we have been walking through. They belong to a strong traditional army institution, which influences almost everyone’s mindsets. Therefore, perhaps unintentionally, they automatically echo what the government preaches. Where the Afghan Civil Society with their critical minds can and do without any doubt criticize their government when they realize their democratic values are under threat, not only that but our civil society relationship with the media attracting and pressurizing Politicians to join their fights! 

Our Pakistani counterparts found it difficult to believe that the Afghan media within 14 years turned into the 4th pillar of power in reflecting the freedom of speech and various concepts of conflicting views. I noticed that we prejudge each other by reflection of our own circumstances and the conditions within our country, thus, we judge each other through our own understanding. 

At the end of our first table flamboyant dialogue one of our Pakistani delegate with a business background rightly mentioned something important that is valuable for me to mention here: we both suffer but we lack empathy!

I would like to share my experiences relating to this argument from the past in order to exhibit what kind of Civil Society and Media Afghanistan with all its shortcomings has developed in the past 14 years.

I will start by touching on my experience as a MP who joined the civil society during the Chicago Conference to lobby and ensure that the International Community would not blindly support our army and military group in an unbalanced manner in order to undermine our democratic achievements such as freedom of expression and citizen rights. We voiced our concerns loudly that we could not accept a disproportionate power in Afghanistan to become a threat to our freedom whereby in the name of protection, we will not be held hostage by our rights.These voices of values have empowered the civil society community in Afghanistan that now in the midst and heart of war they can speak freely!

I can further add Tabasum’s Revolution which recently not only changed the image of Kabul but Afghanistan to highlight the importance of citizen movement in this teen age democratic country which is not post conflict country but still in war. 

I as a political person who has been heavily involved in the presidential election am not considered to be in opposition at all but instead, a supporter of the government for its good services. In the above mentioned civilized revolution for the fight of my citizen’s values I left my political coat in my wardrobe and eagerly joined the hundred thousands citizens’s public demonstration on the volatile roads and streets of Kabul. On the street the colorful women and men were of different age groups, the dynamic civil society along with angry activists were highlighting the NUG government’s shortcomings regarding their promises for the protection of citizen’s rights and freedoms!

In this demonstration the public critically demanded the accountability of their security contract and reminded the NUG of the power of their votes. In that demonstration citizens, let me clarify not the politicians, angrily critical of the government where the government unlike its traditional source of power ensured the people’s safety and security instead of suffocating the public’s voices. Eventually, the President with the CEO stood in front of the media to explain and ensure more efforts would be made for the people’s security. With all the risks that I have taken as a politician to join that demonstration now I can give the credit to the 14 years of teenage democracy emerging throughout my land. 

As a politician who believes in human rights values I understand the complexity of discrimination beyond the borders of national territory where the national citizen and national product of any given country can get priority over the others. However, on a civil society table I find it difficult to understand why it should be the color, religion, gender and geographical border or the realms of human history that has been a failure of the definition of civilization due to their bloody colors is turning to an important criteria for using us as scapegoats as to what we do wrong as a human. Even though politically my view on the subject of history might differ when it touches my political responsibilities.

I heard one of my Pakistani friends, who in the peak of a dominated political atmosphere of the table expressed his concern regarding his civil society values. He turned the mic once in that concern but I thought that he spoke from the heart and represented the civil society values in Pakistan. I want to hear more voices like him in the group, even if the emergence of such voices needs people like myself being half politician out of the group to make it pure Civil Society discussion.

As I stated in our dialogue I repeat that politics have failed in peace talks between the two countries but of course you never fail until you stop trying! Hence, I am not asking my field to be hopeless in our attempt but I am strongly asking the civil society to raise their voice loudly for the common values not for the common political games!

View expressed in this article are of the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Pajhwok’s editorial policy.

 

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