By Ehsan
In Afghanistan’s tense political atmosphere, voices keep coming from far away, claiming that change and transformation are on the way. Most of these voices come from outside the country, where they try to present themselves as “resistance fronts” or “opposition forces.” But what they say from abroad is far removed from what is actually happening inside Afghanistan.
What has emerged abroad against the Islamic system is not a serious political movement. For the most part, it is a propaganda phenomenon that tries to keep itself alive through rumors, exaggerating ethnic and sectarian differences, and stirring up political divisions.
To understand this phenomenon, one basic question needs to be answered: why have these fronts, after years of activity, failed to bring any change to Afghanistan’s internal equations?
None of them has real popular support. They have emerged on the margins of society, far from the realities on the ground, mostly among refugees and asylum seekers. Through media content and exaggerated interviews, they try to make themselves appear bigger than they really are. But the people of Afghanistan have seen the past record of these people with their own eyes. They know that the promises coming from these fronts are nothing more than a mirage.
History itself is a witness. Most of the leaders and followers of these fronts are the same people who held positions in foreign-dependent structures during the twenty-year occupation. They left bitter memories among the people through corruption, embezzlement and the looting of the country’s wealth. The very people who sat in seats of power at the cost of the blood of thousands of Afghans, and used the country’s national wealth for themselves and the interests of their foreign supporters. Today, from outside the country, they present themselves as defenders of the people’s rights and repeat the same deceptive language. But can such claims be believed by a people who had grown tired of carrying the burden of their crimes?
Interestingly, most of these fronts have no practical strategy or clear plan for changing Afghanistan. Their work mostly amounts to holding virtual meetings, issuing repeated statements and occasionally appearing in foreign media. Instead of offering solutions or constructive criticism, they prefer worn-out slogans and stirring up divisions. One speaks about ethnic rights, another about religious darkness, while another cries out about political injustice. Yet none of them has a practical program for dealing with poverty, unemployment, migration or the country’s long-term development.
Their aim is not to rebuild Afghanistan. They are looking for an excuse to keep their names alive among the people and to secure financial and political support from certain foreign powers. The people of Afghanistan today understand these political games better than before. They have felt the pain of the previous corrupt government in every part of their lives. They also know that the sweet promises of those living abroad can once again turn into the same bitter results.
The historical memory of this nation is full of names that once raised people’s hopes with grand and deceptive slogans, only to leave them in despair through betrayal and flight. That is why very few people in Afghanistan take these propaganda fronts seriously today. People know that what is happening on the ground is very different from the claims being made from outside the country.
There is another problem within these fronts themselves: internal disputes and deep divisions. The very people who speak about unity have never been able to form one united front. Ethnic, linguistic, ideological and even personal differences have kept them divided. Afghanistan’s recent history has many examples of this. Even outside the country, where they could work together, they cannot. Each group continues to pursue its own interests. More than anything, this shows how far removed they are from today’s Afghanistan.
But the biggest reason behind the failure of these fronts is their lack of popular support inside the country. The people who have accepted the Islamic system through all its ups and downs and want to build the future of their country through cooperation and mutual understanding have no desire to return to the bitter experiences of the past. They understand that those living outside the country are not seeking positions and standing for the people. They are seeking positions and standing for themselves. This understanding among the people is itself the biggest obstacle in the way of their propaganda and deception.
The return of these fronts is nothing more than a mirage. A traveler in a dry and burning desert may mistake a mirage for water and run toward it. In the same way, some people imagine that with foreign support and media propaganda they can once again control the situation in Afghanistan. But the reality is that the Afghan people are more aware than ever, and they will not be deceived by such mirages.
Those who left behind dark and bitter memories through crime and betrayal can no longer claim to speak for the people. They must answer for what they did in the past.
Afghanistan’s future belongs to those who live its hardships on this soil and have put their hearts and efforts into rebuilding it. If those living outside the country truly want change, they should stop propaganda and rumor-spreading and choose dialogue and participation instead of division. Until then, these propaganda fronts will keep playing their political games from the distant margins, while the people at home will pass by these mirages with open and watchful eyes.
