Posted on 12-8-2004
Afghanistan's
Lone (Female) Star
Laura Winter: 8/08/04 A EurasiaNet Partner Post from RFE/RL
She’s back again. And for some here in Kabul, Masuda Jalal
just doesn’t
seem to know when to give up.
She failed to gain the presidency two years ago at the Emergency
Loya
Jirga. And now she is challenging Karzai again in the country’s
first
direct presidential elections, in early October.
For many, this 41-year-old mother of three is the only presidential
candidate that represents the hope of real change in this male-dominated
country.
Not surprisingly, her candidacy has earned her admiration and
support from
other women. But what makes Jalal more than just another feminist
leader
is the fact that she appeals to many men as well.
Hesrau Nazari traveled 11 hours from Tahar Province over the
Hindu Kush
mountains to volunteer for her campaign.
But isn’t it strange for an Afghan man to help a woman’s
political campaign?
"Well, no. Because men were always at the head of government,"
Nazari
said. "And instead of serving society, they created divisions
among the
ethnic and religious groups. To have a woman as the head of
the government
is to have a mother to look after society. And a mother never
creates
prejudice. And it will be an honor to have a woman candidate
and to vote
for her."
Jalal’s foray into politics started two years ago when
she represented her
Kabul neighborhood district as a delegate to the Emergency Loya
Jirga. In
that historic meeting, she ran in the race for president of
the interim
administration. People snickered.
Karzai won with 1,295 delegates supporting him in the poll.
But Jalal
earned significant respect when she placed second with 171 votes.
People aren’t laughing at her any more. And Jalal says
her supporters have
not given up: "So after the Emergency Loya Jirga, hundreds
of people from
different strata, different classes, different provinces, different
directions, different tribes, different ethnicities started
coming to my
house and saying ’Go on. Take part in the forthcoming
election ... We will
be voting for you.’ I told them I have no political party,
I have no
money, I have no military power."
Afghan Transitional Administration Chairman Hamid Karzai has
warned the
international community that armed warlords pose a risk to the
validity of
the October election.
Many warlords are reported to be controlling votes from their
regions to
gain favor with the two top candidates: Karzai and Mohammad
Yunos Qanuni.
Qanuni has said he has the support of Defense Minister Mohammad
Fahim, who
in addition to being chief of the Afghan National Army, also
leads the
nation’s largest private militia.
But Jalal’s candidacy has proved surprising -- and even
worrisome -- to
the competition. Jalal said the Afghan Supreme Court’s
Religious Order
Department has twice been asked to declare her candidacy as
un-Islamic and
illegal. She said she has received death threats as well.
But in spite of threats and a lack of resources, Jalal said
she could not
ignore her supporters’ calls to join the campaign. So
she set out the
rules: only a grassroots campaign will work: "They were
requesting me to
take part again. I promised them [I would,] provided they provided
me with
support. With votes. And they take part in the campaign. People.
Because I
don’t have the tools. I don’t have the campaigning
tools: radio, TV,
press. I don’t have money."
Jalal’s campaign posters have started showing up on walls
around the
capital. And local television has followed her campaign, broadcasting
news
about her submitting her application to run and declaring herself
a
presidential candidate.
Perhaps her best campaigning tool is her husband, 45-year-old
Faizullah
Jalal. The Jalals have been married for 10 years and now have
three young
children, all under the age of 10.
Faizullah said at first, he was not supportive of his wife’s
efforts: "I
was telling her, ’You do not have any political party.
You don’t have any
money. You don’t have any military forces. And in the
end your candidacy
will have no result.’ At the beginning I did not agree.
She had a lot of
reasons and she was arguing and explaining. Even I told her
at that time,
’It is a crazy thing that you are doing.’ And she
told me, ’I am going to
take my candidacy seriously.’"
Now the presidential candidate depends on her husband to help
serve tea to
guests and organize her supporters. He has also taken on more
responsibility in running their household: "I think my
cooperation has
increased with her. If she cooks, I take care of the children.
If she
takes care of the children, I cook. It’s very natural
and it is not
tiring."
Without much money, or military power, Jalal will likely need
all the help
around the house -- and around the country -- she can get.
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