Despite the presence of foreign troops and billions of dollars in foreign aid, Afghanistan has been passing through a political turmoil and instability over the past one decade, said Governor of Balkh province, Atta Mohammad Noor, Addressing a gathering marking Afghanistan's 92nd Independence Day, which was attended by High-ranking officials, ISAF commanders, diplomats and tribal elders were in attendance.
"Power-hungry politicians, the continuing insurgency and interference from neighboring countries are hindering Afghanistan's economic development," the governor said, claiming foreign aid had not been used honestly.
Needless to say, Afghanistan was not familiar with democracy and with democratic principles, institutions, as well as with the complete structure of democratic forms of government. However, some footprints of a kind of a relative open government, in some extent depended on civilians' demands, can be traced in some period of Afghanistan's history, but indubitably the current ruling democracy is the initial and the first experience of Afghan civilians and officials. And it is the first time that Afghans are practically set in democratic process, which certainly takes time transform into strong rules and its essential principles gain the potential to bring about a uniform social and political transformation and eliminate the so-called twinkle of the long-last-ruling traditions, cultural and religious sensitivities of people.
Afghanistan transited from a very critical situation of a downright perverted theocratic government, and yet after affliction of daunting blows, that not only caused bruises, injuries, but produced a complete gab of political power in the country, which was the strong factor behind division of people on the grounds of race, ethnic, language and religion. Subsequently, when such political power gab was filled by extremist Islamic group—Taliban regime, the political structure furtherer elapsed to hand of full-fledged theocratic government.
Apparently, the current incumbent government, though democracy was imported and by forces as well as incentives to penetrate into all the social, religious, political, educational structures and system, but it should not be omitted from memories that Afghanistan and Afghan people are still have not reached on a level of conscience to show absolute reluctance to the possible emergence of prior traditions and values. Thus, the government, under the present circumstances, cannot avoid from the flowing ashes of previous governments and former establishments. And if government suddenly applies all the democratic principles with its large sphere, the odds of politically immature uprising may hit the height.
Therefore, though we own political government and universal adult suffrage, which is granted by constitution, but we largely are limping behind the actual development and evolvement of democratic essentialities. There is need of enough time space for the development of those issues along with the growth of political conscience of civilians.
The political struggle is in the hotbed of those democratic government's essentialities. In the great democracies of the world both presidential form of government or parliamentary once, or even where, if we put it more generally, demands and desires of people are depicted in the political establishment of the society, all variety of political parties are fully involved in relentless efforts to topple down the given government through all legal channels and justified means.
In deed, many countries of the world have bi-party system where only two political parties are constantly competing with each other to win the election, while some other countries have multi-party system where multiple political parties engaged in campaign to gain the political power.
And, likewise, along with nation-wide political parties, there are many other interest groups and pressure groups, the former implies those groups of people who come together on a common interest among them, and the later infers to those interest groups that lobby government policies and pressurize incumbent administration to attend effectively to their so-called common interest. Both pressure groups and interest groups are formed and continue to maintain their activities till the fulfillment of their interests, while the political parties are based on larger sphere as well as having broad-based agendas, such as the fulfillment of one would not cause the disintegration of the party.
Thus, political parties are engaged in long-lasting struggle with broad agendas and with ever-changing-clear-cut manifestations. And, more importantly, the activities of all those political parties are contributing to evolvement and development of democratic norms and strengthening of democratic principles.
But the case in Afghanistan widely differs. The democracy is new and so fragile as well as exposed to cultural and religious avalanche. Initially, the political parties are not formed in the country, in modern sense of term, however, more than 80 political parties are registered in the country, but non of them have enough potential effectively to take part in the political process. In addition, while the political parties in the developed democracies form the government and the rest of parties function as oppositions.
But in Afghanistan does not have, as mentioned, enough potential to lead an anti-government move that forces government to watch out more cautiously to country's political policies and measures. Therefore, the existence of such factors to bring about the strengthening and maintenance of democratic rule, are negative. And individuals are entitled to much more influence than the political parties. Thus, influential individuals play role in the country.
On the other hand, the pillars of democracy are so unstable and fragile. Emergence of small-scale storm can end its life. In such circumstance, the political struggles yield not to stability and ultimately destabilize the democratic establishment. The call of Mr. Atta contributes to development and reinforcement of democracy, strengthening of government establishment and rule of law. Currently, the issue which enhances a functional democracy is cooperation, prodding of officials for particular elapses, not political uprising. Political uprising endangers existence of complete democratic establishments, because it itself has not place among democratic political terms.