News Analysis: Democracy has still long way to take roots in Afghanistan

Kabul, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Electioneering is taking pace in Afghanistan as the date for presidential and provincial council polls is drawing closer, yet the enthusiasm is still needed at the public level.

"The enthusiasm Afghans displayed for months before the 2004 elections is sadly absent (in the 2009 elections)," a survey published about the Afghan presidential election said last week.

The survey, published by Canada's largest publication firm, Can west Global Communications Corp, further said: "Voters' hopes have been shattered, expectations not met. This is not only in material terms -- food, jobs, housing -- but they face deteriorating human security, an increased Taliban threat, criminal incursions and little respite from drug lords' and warlords' overbearing presence."

There are widespread accusations of administrative corruption, lack of governance, and rampant insecurity in the country while the Taliban insurgency is constantly rising.

Social-economic and political development of Afghanistan is high on the agenda of the United States and its international allies, yet little can be seen on the ground. While peace is elusive in the country, job opportunities are very scanty, forcing people to seek livelihood in Pakistan, Iran, and other countries.

Latest media reports showed that Afghans now increasingly oppose the presence of foreign forces in their country as these forces could neither contain the Taliban insurgency, nor ensure infrastructure development in the country.

The main expectation from the international forces was to end warlordism and lay a foundation for civil society in Afghanistan. That goal still remains in pipe dream

A focus group discussion conducted by the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit recently found that there was a general consensus that democracy does not exist in Afghanistan.