Social Network Users alarm Religious Scholars and Afghan Politicians

Former Afghan President, and current Chairperson of Afghan Peace and Reconciliation Council, Mr. Burhanudin Rabani has warned Government and Council of Religious Scholars on taking fundamental steps to tackle the current instabilities and misleading of governmental affairs otherwise, what he believed "they would sooner be replaced by Facebookers and internet users". His remarks come following to regime change in Egypt where he received his education and was influenced by Al-Ikhwān or Muslim Brotherhood ideology. He ,specifically, referred to the role of young people who have successfully managed to mobilize themselves as resistance forces against government through utilizing different social networks, such as Facebook and twitters. Afghanistan, a country where only 3 .4% (one million) of its population have access to internet with total 52,890 Facbook users concerns politicians about any probable resistance same as the one that brought Mubarak's 30 years regime down.

He argues that, "in every revolution in the Muslim world and in particular in Afghanistan, the role of religious scholars and leaders has been really critical". Hence, he has called upon religious scholars to organize their efforts and thrive for peace and stability in country. But I am surprised in spite of realizing the fact that young people can no longer tolerate any dictatorship and incompetent regimes to rule them, why our so called religious scholars still believe that they are competent of leadership. Looking to the current political unrest and demonstration of people against the regimes in the Iran, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Tunisia,, Oman; neither of those governments has been opposed based on religious ideology. What really provoked those young people to stand against their governments are due to economic problems, corruption, lack of democracy and accountability, and unemployment. I am sure that Afghan people, especially the young generation has been observing current unrest, which is going on in African and Middle Eastern countries and certainly will learn lesson on how to stand against oppression, which violate their basic rights. There is no doubt that people will stand against the regime in Afghanistan where the politician and officials despite of huge amount of support from the International Community have been failed to achieve peace and satiability, sustainable development, job creation, education as well as hold itself accountable to the people. We do appreciate the importance role of our religious scholars but if we think pragmatically and critically, there is nothing that they can do to address the problems that face our nation. We do need the younger generation to be an active part of rebuilding our country. More than religious scholars, Afghanistan needs expertise, scientists, economists, engineers, and doctors and so on who can logically and professionally overcome these mounting challenges. As I mentioned in my previous writings “the power of people is the power of God”. Indeed, this is the reality and there is no one who can ignore how this young generation is determined to resist any kind of oppression as well as corrupt and incompetent government.

More than ever before, today people want to express themselves and determined their future in the way they believe to be best for their families and their countries. The sense of freedom of expression, democratization, and resistance against the totalitarian regimes and dictatorship I believe rapidly increases as percentage of educated people (middle class citizen) and their understanding of political and world affairs increases. Having said that, the gaps which once were among the people has been bridged with the help of speedy domination of social networks and media and therefore, it would not be wise to neglect the fact that people will try and sacrifice to get their voices heard and hold governments accountable.