For the first time in 3 decades, Afghanistan
has a popularly elected parliament. The last year that an elected national
assembly functioned was 1973, before coups and a Soviet invasion brought
30 years of conflict and despair to the country. Elections took place in
September, but the parliament was officially sworn in and convened on December
19 2005, marking the conclusion of the political transition process agreed
on by Afghan factions in December 2001.
Hopes are high that a renewal of Afghanistan's
democratic institutions will bring about a much needed stability and help
to achieve a development in the populations prosperity. Conflict and the
previous Taliban regime have led to the disintegration of state services.
Education and healthcare provision are desperately inadequate as is the
infrastructure and potential to earn a living.
As such, the tasks facing the new parliament are of a serious magnitude. Its ability to function effectively and with the general concerns of the Afghan people in mind will determine how much of an improvement will be felt in peoples lives. Some outside observers have expressed concerns that the parliament will not be able to fulfil its function and will neglect the needs of the population for their own ends. They cite the prevalence of provincial warlords, who make up the majority of the legislature, and illiterates alongside westernised refugees, as a determining factor.
The Afghan economy is still reliant on trade in domestically grown Opium, the southern and western regions are in a state of turmoil due to the ongoing Taliban insurgency and the majority of the population are suffering the effects of chronic poverty. How well the government will be able to tackle these problems is unknown. What is clear, is that NGO's will need to work alongside the government, in order to continue assisting as many people as possible, effectively. Despite any concerns that have been raised, the government has been elected democratically and fairly, by the people of Afghanistan.
"The situation in Afghanistan at the end of 2005 remains very challenging," said Graham Wood, Ockenden's Head of Policy, at a recent forum. "A complex political situation in which remains a very volatile environment. With some 50% of its export earnings coming from poppies, there is clearly a very long way to go for the countries economy. It is very important that the international community continues to provide support to one of the poorest countries on earth and that Afghanistan does not become another forgotten emergency."
Jeremiah Mwang