VZCZCXRO6169
PP RUEHDBU RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #1238 1370403
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 170403Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8906
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS KABUL 001238 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV AF
SUBJECT: THIS YEAR ELECTIONS ARE VERY GOOD: AFGHAN YOUTH 
ENGAGE IN WEBCHAT 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY: In a webchat engaging over 100 university 
students and other youth through Lincoln Centers in Kabul, 
Jalalabad, Bamyan, and Mazar-e-Sharif, Embassy officers 
discussed the role of civil society in elections, with the 
theme of "more than just a voting day." The students welcomed 
answers to their many questions, while the questions in turn 
provided a snapshot of public opinion.  Students had a lively 
interest in voter turnout, security, and transparency. 
Overwhelmingly, these young Afghans were eager to know 
whether the US supported Karzai or another candidate.  The 
participants displayed a keen interest in the elections' 
outcome as well as enthusiasm about this milestone in 
Afghanistan's democratic development. We are scheduling 
similar dialogs with a variety of audiences about every two 
weeks between now and August.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
WORRIED ABOUT TURNOUT AND SECURITY 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U)  A variety of questions linked concerns about 
possible lower voter turnout to the performance of the 
government, a common phenomenon as countries move into the 
second democratic election.  Reza, a young woman in Bamyan, 
asked, "Do you think people are interested to participate in 
this election when they see that most the issues, about which 
the government made promises, are not finished?"  From 
Jalalabad, Hashim Khan wrote, "The people are not satisfied 
with the government of Afghanistan.  They don't want to 
participate in this process.  What do you think?" 
 
¶3.  (U)  Other participants wondered whether voter turnout in 
insecure areas would be so low that the legitimacy of the 
vote would come into question.  In Jalalabad, Faroq noted 
that "some people still do not have a voter registration card 
for security reasons."  A Bamyan student, enjoying the 
relative security of the north, nonetheless asked, "How sure 
are you of voters participating in the south and east of 
Afghanistan?"  Hafizullah, from Jalalabad, wrote, "If the 
situation gets worse like the Khost event (a complex suicide 
attack), then is it possible for the voting?"  Nasir asked, 
"How can election be held in the south while the fighting is 
going on?" 
 
CURIOUS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY 
-------------------------- 
 
¶4.  In questions about the transparency of the electoral 
process, most students were seeking information rather than 
expressing a point of view.  "Tell me about the transparency 
of elections in Afghanistan," one student wrote.  A Jalalabad 
participant asked which country would help Afghanistan keep 
the process fair.  Nasir cheerfully sent in, "What do you 
think about vote rigging?"  A few students doubted the role 
of the incumbent. Noorshah complained, "When Hamid Karzai is 
in power,  how can we say elections are transparent?" 
 
 
WHO WOULD YOU PICK? 
------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U)  The webchat participants, to a man and to a woman, 
were determined to know, even if with resentment, who was 
"the US candidate."  "Does President Obama support especially 
one candidate, or all?" asked a Bamyan student.  Mokhtar 
chimed in, "I want to know, does USA support Mr. Khalilzad?" 
Gulham Saki noted, "We know the American decision about this 
election is so important.  How many percent can we hope that 
the US does not chose a president for Afghanistan?"  Ahmad 
wanted to know, "If Karzai becomes the next president, will 
the international community respect Afghans' decision, or 
not?" 
 
 
MOST IMPORTANTLY, A CHANCE TO HAVE A SAY 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U)  The large number of participants meant students 
stood three and four deep in the Lincoln Centers to share the 
available computers.  Their lively, rapid-fire questions 
signaled that these youth, despite healthy skepticism and 
some concerns, are engaging in the democratic process and see 
the electoral outcome as important to their future. 
Jalalabad's Farhad acknowledged, "This year elections are 
very good."  Hashim, likewise from Jalalabad, wrote, "Thank 
you very much for the election of Afghanistan." 
 
 
EIKENBERRY