Tuesday, Aug. 19, government celebrated the 95th independence anniversary of the country.  TVS and Radio channels conducted discussions and called on analysts to ponder over the issue from different angles. But there are bitter realities: part of the people only become aware of their country independence through TV and Radio Channels.  Walking on Kabul streets, actually the surrounding was completely as any other days. People were not in mood of celebration and indeed I have heard no one in mood of talking about the Independence Day. When I put the issue, some ignored, some other criticized of whether we had ever independence or not and many others generally referred the issue to grave economic condition. Sincerely speaking, I did not face with any individual to express a joyful feeling about the celebration.

On the other side, some analysts were talking that some foreign countries are trying to degrade the importance of Independence Day. But what for such efforts should be made, I did not hear any logical answer to the question. In other words, there is no propaganda against the Independence Day of the country, I think, rather far critical issues that has led to dominant frustration.

First of all, King Amanullah was a character that Afghan people and even politicians who consider themselves as democrats of twenty first century cannot accept his ideals. He can be compared with his contemporaries like Mustafa Kamal Ata Turk, the founder of present secular Turky. Though he did not announce formally to separate religion from the government but the path he had chosen necessarily would have led to a democratized country with institutionalization of individualism and liberalism.  He initiated mass reforms in political structure and embarked to series of changes at ground level. He was not the kind of person---like the present leaders and common people who want democracy for the their neighbors---started opening society from his home.  Queen Thurraya can be called the icon of women freedom that King Amanullah wanted for his entire country. He wanted to step on the very steps of Western countries and break all chains that considered hindering freedom, liberty and modernization.

Now, does any Afghan leader be as democrat as King Amanullah? Our leaders rarely allow their women to be photographed. Nobody has seen Afghan first lady, the wife of Mr. President Karzai on the screen of television. Same is the case with other leaders.

The situation has gone to such an extreme that when some journalists taped the wives of two frontrunner of presidential candidates, the so-called supporters  of democracy and women rights reacted positively saying that it was a good move forward! We can easily guess how Afghan leaders stuck in traditional norms and values that when their women exercise their most basic human rights spark discussions among their supporters and call it as commitment of candidates to women rights. Currently, even those who lead the democratic process cannot accept equal rights and status for their female relatives. They cannot allow their female relatives to wear cloths at will saying that is against Islamic and Afghani values.

No one has the guts to start reforms from their own house. Though they call for women rights and gender equality but deep down in the back of their minds they still want to keep their women behind closed doors.

Hence, with the dominance of such mentality, can anyone come forward and talk about King Amanullah character and personalities? Can anyone appreciate him for his democratic measures? Can anyone appraise him for efforts he made for women rights and while the teller himself does not have any believe on that?

I am sure if today anyone appears on TV channels and talk about the personality of King of Amanullah and his aims for democratized country, people will brand him as puppet of foreign countries that received money to destroy the Islamic values. Thus, people get less interest in celebration of the Day because they actually find King Amanullah in the opposite front. So, will they come celebrate the achievement of a King who wanted to modernize the country? Of course the answer is negative.

Secondly, it becomes around three hundred years that the country is ruled by one ethnic group. Despite great and grand jobs done by King Amanullah for nation building, he does not have the due popularity among other ethnic groups due to his communal linkage. Such a concept has led to a kind of fake arrogance among one community and vice versa an underground opposition to other communities. Hence, lower popularity of Independence Day has also something to do with endemic communal problems in the country.

Thirdly, people are worried about the future. Day by day, the economic situation is deteriorating. Instability is on rise and thousands of civilians are killed each year. The political condition is entirely uncertain. In such an environment, people are concerned how to fill their stomachs and stay alive. The celebration of Independence Day has least importance to them. Their obsessions are protection and provision of essential goods for their families not celebration on Independence Day.