Written by: Kabuli

Translated by: ZIARMAL

Note: It is translated to inform those who are involving and financing the coming census program and to pay their attention for the facts in the field. The pashto version is here in larawbar website.

Taking the census has much importance if number of students in a school did not known for its office than all necessities such as Books, rooms, teachers, tables, chairs and etc will not be possible to be provided. The census has the same worth for a country, where no development plan can be made and no its implementation in all aspects such as education, health, economic, house building, water supply, electricity provision, agricultural programs and etc. If a country does not have accurate census from its population than will be confused in all its activities as we do witness Afghan ministers when they provide figures from their administrations on which they put themselves in a fraud, the government and international communities in general.

If census be acceptable for Afghan nation and international communities it has to be accordance with international standards, which are as below:

1. International Communities has to monitor the process


2. People have to provide accurate all necessary information to census staff during taking the census. That information is: number of male, female, age of sexes, education level, occupation and marital status.

With out the above mentioned conditions it will not be acceptable for international communities and will not have benefit for Afghan population. If international communities do not approve the result of the census then will not be accepted for any party and ethnic here in Afghanistan.

Problems for census prior from the coming elections:

1.          There are several much security challenges in all provinces, which are located close to Pakistani border.

2.          Most of the armed groups and parties, which are inside government or out side the government they still have weapon and not went through DDR and DIAG process.

3.          More than 3 million people are still living in neighboring countries as refugees and majority of them are from Pashtoon ethnic. Ignorance of refugees during the census will have negative effect on the process.

4.          Central government is weak to tackle out all sabotaging activities of the insurgents.

5.          Most of the population is uneducated and do not aware of the importance of the census.

6.          Villagers are still not willing to explain number of female member of family, their ages, occupation and marital status.

7.          Afghan Census Department staff can not go to remote areas in the country.

8.          Most of the political parties do not cooperate with the process, but they might pave situation for sabotaging.

9.          Afghan Census Department is mostly consist of one ethnic and they are well know to all in term of discrimination and Afghan people do not trust on this organization for their non affiliation.

10.     Strategy for census is still not prepared to show either control the population are keep it as it is.

11.     People do not differential between elections and census therefore the oppositions will take opportunity from the gap and even some people working on their plans who to create problems for census and how to corrupt the process.

12.     Afghan Census Department staffs do not have the capacity and experience.

13.     Corruptions and ethnical discriminations reach to its highest peak.

14.     The public awareness programs had not been launched yet as they are needed.

15.     International communities can not monitor the process due to security deterioration especially in Pashtoon populated areas therefore every opposition can reject easily the result of the census and all expense and struggle will become useless.

16.     No one can reject the possibility of casualties, if casualties take place in each province than all process will bring under its shadow.

17.     Some governmental organization might reject the census due to security reasons.

18.     Neighboring countries can easily disturb the process in the border areas.

19.     5 or 6 million nomads are living in different areas while they are always in moving their census is much difficult. If they deprived from the process than will make problem and will undermine the fairness of the process.

20.     If census start and sabotage during the implementations than all expense will be useless and UN will not support such process in the coming future and will lose its international credibility.

If census take place in 2011 than following benefits will gain:

1.          Security will be improved in general.

2.          Education level will be increased.

3.          Working capacity of the Afghan Census Department staffs will be increased.

4.          Public awareness will be sufficient for the process and people will be aware of the importance of the census.

5.          Corruptions and fanaticism will be controlled.

6.          Strategy will be prepared for the control of the population increase.

7.          Weapon will be collected.

8.          Measures will be taken for the casualties.

9.          The insurgents will not disturb the census in the pretend of the elections.

10.     International Communities will easily monitor the process.

11.     The political thought of the people will be much changed.

12.     Refugees will be returned.

13.     The settlement of the nomads will be improved.

14.     Expense of the process will not be useless.

Because of the above mentioned reasons the census program has to be postponed till the atmosphere and conditions to be suited and take census in fair way and to be accepted for international communities and Afghan nation. When international communities do its monitoring and approved its fairness than no one can rejects the result, and neighboring countries can not do any thing for its sabotaging.