Opponents of the caretaker government claim the narrative of fighting against tyranny, monopoly, elimination, and dictatorship to conceal their political and espionage activities. They try to present themselves as defenders of freedom, democracy, and justice, but when their actions and policies during the Republic are examined, it becomes clear that they were the biggest perpetrators of these very evils. They not only monopolized political power but also employed extensive systematic mechanisms to suppress and eliminate any dissenting voices.
These same opponents propagated the idea that disagreement in Western democracies is considered part of the development of society, but during the Republic, these same self-proclaimed champions of democracy eliminated all opposing political voices under the labels of “enemies,” “destabilizers,” and other titles. Numerous politicians, journalists, and civil activists have been subjected to threats, sanctions, and even physical violence. Meanwhile, the distribution of power among a few limited circles had dealt a severe blow to the representation of the people’s will.
The culture of monopoly was one of the natural characteristics of the ruling circles of the republic. Government contracts, key positions, and political favors were always under the control of a specific group. Instead of a fair distribution of the national budget, regional disparities and personal loyalties became the criteria for privileges. In such an environment, claims of transparency and accountability remained at the level of slogans, with their practical manifestation only visible in propaganda meetings and reports.
In the Republic, elimination was not just the physical removal of political opponents but also included intellectual and cultural elimination. Social classes that did not align with the ruling elite’s ideological or political agendas were excluded from decision-making processes. This behavior created an atmosphere of distrust and deep division within society, the negative effects of which are still felt today.
Today, these same people are shouting from abroad under the banner of anti-tyranny, anti-dictatorship, and inclusionist struggles, but all of this exposes the large contradiction between their past political record and their claims and actions, and draws attention to it. People remember the methods used during the Republic for electoral fraud, secret deals, and foreign lobbying to maintain power. Therefore, their slogans now appear to be efforts at political self-preservation rather than sincerity and honesty.
If they want Afghanistan’s future to move toward true justice and inclusion, the political culture in which wrong intentions are hidden under the shadow of false slogans must first be changed. The opposition should be made to have the courage to account for their past actions. Without this, fighting false narratives would only expose their political mistakes and wrongdoings, behind which they want to regain power at the cost of deceiving and sacrificing the people.
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