Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Why Republicanism Matters for Afghans

Afghan people during most part of the history of the country have been governed by dictators; a single ethnic group or family had absolute power and the majority of them had no say in the politics decision making processes. This means that the Ruler or King had complete control and the rights of the people were suppressed systematically. The leaders of dictatorships were usually backed by powerful groups of certain ethnic or religious groups. The dictator ensured the rights and interests of the certain ethnic or religious groups and they supported him unconditionally against other ethnic or religious groups. The ultimate result of these processes of governance was ethnic conflicts and suppressions, unequal distribution of opportunities and resources, military coups and sustainable political mistrust and instability in the country. Absolute poverty, low rate of literacy, poor health conditions, wide spread unemployment, weak economy were the main characteristics of Afghanistan. Even now, we just struggle to transfer from the socio and political structures of dictatorship system that has been the overarching tradition of government system in the country; indeed, Afghanistan has made efforts in some period of its history to overcome such suppression system, but neither such efforts have been sustained and nor they have succeeded due to the ethic oriented government system that preferred one ethnic group on others.
However, the current generation of Afghans know what governance system can ensure the rights of all the ethnic and religious groups equally and how it can ensure a prosperous Afghan national. Afghan people have learned very well from the dark and unfair government system of the past. To be a kingdom or emirat means the same for Afghans. They have the same experience from the most Kings and Emirs like Abdur Rahman Khan and Mullah Omar. For instance, In order for a dictatorship to form, all opponents of the dictator ultimately need to be removed. It was what Abdur Rahman Khan and Mullah Omar did with many ethnic groups, especially ethnic cleansing of Hazaras. Under Kingdom of Ubdul Rahman and Emirat of Mullah Omar, many people were persecuted for reasons including their ethic or religion status.
Republicanism As a sustainable solution to the Conflicts in Afghanistan
In general, republicanism refers to the ideology embraced by members of a republic, which is a form of representational government in which leaders are elected for a specific period by the preponderance of the citizenry, and laws are passed by these leaders for the benefit of the entire republic, rather than select members of a ruling class, or aristocracy. In a democratic system, men are all equal; equal they are also in despotic governments: in the former, because they are everything; in the latter, because they are nothing.
The US and Taliban Talks, fear of Compromising Democracy
When the first round of the US and Taliban talks started, many ordinary Afghan people feared that the US may compromise democracy for a peace deal with the Taliban. And most of the Afghan political elites played a very negative role in public awareness on the issues of the peace talks; they mostly reflected and highlighted what that Taliban said and rarely focused on what the US negotiators said or what issues were highlighted and were focused by the Afghan government. This approach, created a negative environment about the peace talks, return of the Taliban with the same ideology and political behavior. However, The Especial Envoy of the US, Khalilzad, clarified two issues very clearly that the deal was finalized and ready for the approval of President Trump and non-acceptance of the Emirat Government system by the US.
Afghan people have suffered nearly during the course of the history of Afghanistan from dictatorship systems. It does not matter what they named themselves, i.e. Kingdom or Emirat, but they suppressed equally the Afghans. As a result, this time the Afghans will defend the Republicanism by all forces they have. They will not allow the Taliban return and rule them under Emirat system that denies the ethnic and religious freedom of them. They will stand against the Emirat system as system of suppression of minority groups, especially the women, and they will ensure that the Republic system will remain in place to acknowledge that all Afghans, women and men, are equal members of the society.