Unveiling Afghanistan Campaign

The present book is a collection of 38 interviews drawn from “Unveiling Afghanistan, the Voices of Progress” Campaign that was launched in mid 2013 by Armanshahr in a 50 day count down to the third round of Presidential election in Afghanistan and profited from the support of the FIDH.

The interviewees dealt with the realities in Afghanistan from different angles. Each interviewee outlined and analysed the various issues and offered solutions and mechanisms which, at times, were quite different from the image ascribed to this country on the international level. Here is a summation.

The Campaign of “Unveiling Afghanistan, the Voices of Progress” was started in mid 2013 with the goal of recording views and opinions of political, social and cultural dignitaries of Afghanistan on the eve of 2014 election campaigns.

Adela Mohseni is a jurist, and activist for human and women’s rights. She migrated to Iran in 1978 with her family, aged just six years old, where she grew up and obtained her BA degree in judicial law from Tabriz University.

Aziz Rafiee was born in Kabul and obtained his Master of Engineering degree from Kabul University. He switched from the technical field to social issues in the 1990s and began working with civil institutions, in particular human rights groups.

Mohammad Ismail Qassemyar is a jurist who formerly headed the Public Security and Public Rights Courts of the Supreme Court and taught constitutional rights at university for seven years.

Massoud Hassanzada is a poet, journalist, musician, and literary critic from Herat. He has co-founded Morcha [the Ants] the first rock band in Afghanistan.

Abdul Hamid Mobarez is a former chief of the official Bakhtar news agency, three-times governor and a founding member of the Federation and Chairman of Afghanistan National Journalists’ Union (ANJU). He was named Deputy Minister of Culture upon his return from exile.

Wahida Samadi is the Director of Tahmina Organisation, promoting women’s rightsand a member of the Provincial Development Governance Committee. She is a committed civil society activist.

Saheb-Nazar Moradi is an urban development specialist and former member of the planning committee of Kabul Municipality. He has a Ph.D. in urban engineering and history. He was internally displaced and ultimately left the country in exile for many years.