CBS 5 (San Francisco/Bay Area)
09/24/2004
By Dana King

While most eyes are focused on Iraq, the story of Afghanistan has slipped off the front pages. But now, nearly three years after the U.S. led an invasion force to get rid of the Taliban, the country is at a pivotal crossroads.

Join Dana King inside Afghanistan this Monday through Friday at 5pm and 11pm, then join us for a 30 minute special report "Inside Afghanistan" Wednesday, September 29th at 7pm on CBS 5.

Country at a Crossroads
A Kabul Family Speaks Out
Exploring Democracy
Millions of Orphans
Bay Area Woman Trains Teachers
Women's Rights
Road to Bamiyan

Country at a Crossroads

At the base of the famed Hindu Kush Mountains is Afghanistan's dusty capital city.

Kabul is booming. Apartment complexes are built with simple sun-dried brick that would horrify California building inspectors, but for Afghans who watched the destruction of their country for the past 25 years, it's big progress.

Three years after the U.S. drove the Taliban from power, women don't have to wear the burqa anymore. But most still cover up because they want to, or because their family insists. Girls are back in school, and Afghans can enjoy simple pleasures like music, which the Taliban outlawed. Also back is the hugely popular pastime -- competitive kite-flying.

For all the progress, few are under any illusions. Afghans see their army as ineffective. Kabul is safe only thanks to ISAF -- the international security force that patrols the streets -- and 18,000 U.S. troops stationed on three bases.

In the countryside, security is dicey. People owe their allegiance to the leader of their ethnic group. It's these same leaders who tore apart the country during the Afghan civil war. In the western neighborhoods of Kabul, thousands live in bombed out shells of buildings -- a reminder of how Afghans are used to settling scores. Tanks in all stages of destruction pepper the countryside. They are harmless, but unexploded ordinances and landmines continue to be deadly. Afghanistan is the most landmined country in the world. The wounded and maimed are everywhere.

The country is dirt poor. Raw sewage flows in the streets. Access to clean water is such a luxury that many women in the capital do laundry in the filthy Kabul River. Unemployment is rampant. The men working construction are mostly Pakistani guest workers, because they are experienced. Afghan laborers wait for work in Kabul's traffic circles.

The economy is further strained by a 12-year drought. The Lora River used to provide water to countless farms up and down its banks. In fact, this region was once so abundant that farmers used to export their crops to neighboring countries. But because of the drought Afghanistan has to import food from Pakistan and Iran.

Farmers are in such dire straits they're planting poppies, which are easy to grow and profitable. But most of these poppies end up as heroin on the streets of Europe. The drug crop represents at least a third of the economy. That, and the influx of U.S. and foreign aid, are the only things keeping the Afghan economy afloat. The Central Bank Governor says the international community can't afford to walk away.

"God forbid, if Afghanistan becomes once again a failed state, the security consequences will be quite serious," said Anwar-ul-Haq Ahady.

A Kabul Family Speaks Out

Farid and Raheema Ali's home in Kabul is a place where the entire family gathers -- all three generations -- for weekly meals.

Politics is often the main course for this middle class family. The presidential election is October 9.

"It's clear. Everybody knows that it will be appointed from U.S. side," said Farid.

Roshana Ali said, "We appreciate this because we know the United States is one of the countries that can bring peace to Afghanistan, and we need peace."

Millions of Afghans have registered to vote, and according to the United Nations, about 30% are women. We asked Kabir Durrani if he would mind his wife voting.

"She has got any kind of freedom," he said. "She can vote for anyone she wants."
All of the younger women in this extended family are college-educated, yet only one of them is planning to cast her ballot next month.

"It's our fault that we did not get the cards. It was because we were not interested in this election," said Roshana.

Whether voting or not, they all support the interim government run by Hamid Karzai, considering him the best of the worst.

"President Karzai was not able to do a lot of things... but he did at least something," said Farid. "He could bring stability and peace and a portion of the people to work."

That peace and stability has produced tangible progress -- new buildings, roads, and schools. But there is family consensus in the need for the nation to be patient, because time is needed for more change to occur.

"We suffered from war for 25 years, which was very difficult to suffer," said Farid. "Now we should be patient for this improvement, which is something very simple compared to war conditions."

They are also as willing to wait for a change in the perception and treatment of women.

"This Afgani culture is imposed on woman in Afghanistan," said Roshana. "They are sacrificed for their culture, which is imposed by a man on them."

While some rights are returning, women are still not a part of the social fabric of life. For example, you will never see a woman exercising in public.

"Since we have a cultural country and we are dedicated to our religion, no Afghan man can accept to allow his sister or his wife to go to swimming or to go to a playground, play football and soccer, anything like that," said Roshana.

And if a woman is caught doing that, the consequences are severe.

"If some courageous woman can go swimming or go to play football then she has to leave their house forever," said Farid. "If she is married she has to leave, she has to leave her husband. If she's not married she has to leave her family."

It's a cultural divide the family agrees will only be bridged by education.

"Most of the men they have spent 20 years of their life fighting, how can we expect them to think about the rights of women?" said Farid.

Kabir said, "We have one problem in Afghanistan, men are not educated. Ninety percent of Afghans are not educated. If we could have them educated then they would never oppose the rights of women."

Exploring Democracy

In just the last 25 years, Afghanistan has seen it all -- a Soviet invasion, a brutal civil war, a Taliban government that dragged the country back into the dark ages, and most recently, the American war against the Taliban.

Now, Afghans are grappling with another foreign concept: democracy. We asked people on the street if they had their voting card, and most did.

"With this, I can determine who will be the next president of our country," one man said.

A woman told us, "I can be an Afghan citizen like every man. I can vote and determine the next president of our country, and I will vote for a person who will work for us to improve our rights."

Eighteen candidates are running for president of Afghanistan, including one woman. The favorite is Hamid Karzai, the current interim president who has the U.S. behind him. This country has gone from a place where you couldn't fly a kite, listen to music, even watch a movie, to one that has a new constitution, registered millions to vote and will elect its first president. For all of the problems, there is a buzz if excitement for Afghanistan's future.

The United Nations claims to have registered 90% of eligible voters. It sent teams of workers into the cities and villages to give people a crash course in Democracy 101. It's not an easy lesson, and it was far from perfect.

"I have seen a person have ten different cards, registration cards by different names," said Nasir Ahmad, a student from Ghanzi. "They think they can sell the cards and they get money."

Abdul Ghafour Wahdat is a U.N. election coordinator.

"Probably, there will be some mistakes," he said. "But in our case we are very optimistic regarding the process we started, the new phenomenon we started in Afghanistan."

Afghan women in particular are still struggling to keep up with this new phenomenon. Only 30% have registered to vote. But the main worry before the October 9th election is security, especially outside of Kabul. In the last ten days, assassins in a southern province tried to kill President Karzai by firing on his helicopter. And when Karzai sacked a popular warlord as governor in the western part of the country, deadly riots broke out. Adding to it all, resurgent pockets of the Taliban are pressuring people not to go to the polls. These security troubles have given opposition candidates a platform to blast President Karzai.

"He's a wonderful person to represent Afghanistan outside," said rival candidate Homayoun Shah Assesy. "But inside it's a complete failure."

For Afghans, well accustomed to violence, campaign rhetoric is new. So security concerns or not, most are looking forward to voting.

Millions of Orphans

Begging is considered shameful in Afghan culture, but it's an unfortunate way of life that provides money for many of Afghanistan's homeless street children.

Many spend at least eight hours on the streets, eat nothing, and collect less than $1 for their efforts. The amount of children forced to live this way is staggering -- up to four million children who survived decades of war whose parents are either dead or have abandoned them.

There are 36 orphanages in Afghanistan, home to 8000 children according to UNICEF. But the children in the orphanages are the lucky ones compared to those living on the streets. Mohammed Alem watches over 200 children at the Parwan orphanage in Chardakar, two hours north of Kabul.

"They are studying here," Alem said. "We feed them and provide them with a place to stay and lay down."

At 17, Mohammed Niem has been here the longest.

"It's difficult for me because with the Taliban we suffered a lot," Niem said. "It was difficult for us. We lost everything from our orphanage."

During the Taliban years there was intense fighting in the Chardakar region. In fact, they thought the people in this village were supportive of the Northern Alliance. But it went beyond that, because the Taliban occupied the orphanage and when they left, they left it in shambles. An Italian relief agency just finished rebuilding the compound. But much is still needed.

The children seem unaffected by their austere surroundings. Their eyes are bright, they laugh and smile readily, and are comfortable around the staff. Maybe the biggest indicator of their wellbeing is young Mohammed's desire to give back.

"I just want to grow up to be a teacher and to serve my country. To do something for other children, to help them," he said.

After our interview, the orphanage's assistant director shared his wish list with me: a freezer to store food, winter clothing, transportation, and an iron, so the children can look more presentable.

Bay Area Woman Trains Teachers

A group of teachers in Afghanistan is learning how to make ice cream.

Milk, ice, sugar, and vanilla are important elements, but the main ingredient is Camilla Barry -- a Bay Area science teacher donating her time in Afghanistan to train teachers.

"The reason I came in the first place was because I was very angry at hearing the Taliban stopped education, because that's what I do," Barry said.

The Taliban wouldn't allow science to be taught during its six-year reign. Male teachers were threatened. For women, it was worse. They weren't allowed to teach anything. So this co-educational seminar represents a new Afghanistan.

These 20 teachers will share their science experiments with thousands of children in the Ghazni district of Afghanistan, the second largest province in the country. Ghazni's history is peppered with lessons it's had to learn, from the 13th century Mongol conquerors to the Taliban. Now the people are trying to absorb another foreign concept -- democracy. But democracy requires understanding grounded by education, a problem when the vast majority of its people are illiterate.

"Education is very important for us, for the new Afghanistan, and for the future generation," said Haji Asdullah Kheld, the governor of Ghazi.

Kheld admits that progress is slowed by the need for qualified teachers.

"We haven't enough teachers to teach science, languages, and a lot of things," he said.

Aside from the training issue, teacher pay is exceedingly low -- about $44 U.S. per month. That money that has to go toward living expenses, not classroom materials, so a major challenge in this training program is to teach experiments that can be replicated with few materials.

"We did some physics lessons," Barry said. "We talked about the electromagnetic spectrum and sunlight and visible colors, so we made rainbows one day with mirrors and water. We talked about density, how fresh water is less dense than salt water."

This is Barry's third trip to Afghanistan, but it's her first training teachers. At first, she said she was intimidated by the appearance of the bearded, turbaned men.

"They looked fierce to me when I arrived," Barry said. "But they were really tender and gentlemanly and caring men."

Barry's time in Afghanistan extends beyond the classroom, saving much of the learning for herself and her friends and colleagues back home.

"Many of my friends seem to think that Afghanistan maybe doesn't want an American presence here," said Barry. "It's a well meaning but mistaken liberal attitude. What they are concerned about is that we are imposing ourselves on Afghanistan and I've found that people in Afghanistan want more of us, not less."

Women's Rights

When talking about women's rights in Afghanistan, many point to the number of women working in the public and private sector.

There are two female cabinet level ministers, and the human rights commission is headed by a woman. But what is like for everyday women on the streets and in homes?

Women no longer need male escorts to be on the streets, and while many still wear the burqa, it's not mandatory. A United Nations training session is an example of the nation's commitment to bringing women into the political process. Even though less than 40% of women registered to vote in the country's first presidential election, it is considered a success.

"It is a great achievement, for women are steps ahead compared to past years and regimes," said U.N. elections coordinator Abdul Ghafour Wahdat. "Equal opportunity, 100% ... it is beyond our expectations."

Education is the thread that bundles desire and progress into success. There are reportedly four million children enrolled in schools in Afghanistan, and a quarter of them are girls -- more than any other point in Afghan history.

"Families of the students realize that without education, they cannot to anything here, they cannot determine their future," said Suraya Abudi, director of a school in Kabul called Afghans for Tomorrow. "That's why they sent 17-year-old girls to schools for 4th and 5th grade."

Woefully behind their male counterparts because they were not allowed to get an education under the Taliban, girls at Afghans for Tomorrow are making up for lost time. Rural schools are catching up as well. In one several hours northwest of Kabul, boys and girls learn together. But rural life in general is not so equitable. It is well understood that women are still not in control of their lives.

"They are sold. Their parents are selling them to somebody that is very rich," said Roshana Ali. "Maybe she is given to a man who's married three or four times, and he's 70 or 80 years old, and she's 15 years old or 20."

Life is especially hard for rural Afghan woman. Their lives are lived in survival mode. According to the CDC, death during childbirth is one of the most common ways to die, killing 1600 women per 100,000 births. In the U.S., the number is 12 per 100,000. Unsafe water, disease, rape and abuse are also risks in difficult lives that rarely see the age of 45.

Road to Bamiyan

The road to Bamiyan is veiled by dust.

Nothing escapes it -- not plants, not animals, least of all travelers.

There are many who journey in and on what they can afford. They travel along a winding, bumpy road that is as unyielding as it looks. It breaks down the mighty and the meek. Five hours into our hopefully seven-hour journey, our van broke down. Our driver, Heider, was able to figure out the problem -- overheating -- and we were once again moving, watching life pass by slowly.

The market offers daily social activity, a chance to barter for goods and gossip. But only amongst the men. The women and girls we encounter are working the fields and flocks. However, we do find others in school, just down the road.

They sit in the open, boys and girls together, acceptable now since the Taliban are not in power. Lessons cover all the basics including ethics and morality.

Across the road, packed inside a crumbling straw and mud structure, the little ones learn to write in Dari, one the Afghan languages. They attend class in shifts because the building can only accommodate so many at one time.

Outside the classroom, a crowd gathered, and town leaders politely questioned me about the best way to get a medical clinic built in the area. They want a way to help their wives survive childbirth. It's a nationwide crisis as thousands of women die giving birth in Afghanistan, a country with the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. And in this agrarian culture, families need many children, the average household with six to seven.

Many never leave, never journey beyond this type of existence. The road that winds through village after village brings the world in but often takes nothing out. Nothing, that is, but the dust.

(http://cbs5.com/news/afghanistan)