Kids ask: What happened in Afghan voting?

Alyssa Munch's fourth-grade class at Hawthorn Elementary North in Vernon Hills asked: "What happened with the elections in Afghanistan? Who won?"

Afghanistan is a region that has been overrun with conflict for more than 500 years. Most recently, extremist Taliban leaders had seized power and imposed strict Islamic law on the country, promoting intolerance and even violence against those whose beliefs are different. In 2001, the Taliban was thrown out of the central government by United States and coalition forces.

A transitional government selected Hamid Karzai to a six-month term as chairman. Karzai's family had been involved in the country's government before the Taliban came to power. In 2002, Karzai was elected interim president. By 2003, the country's leaders established a new government and wrote a constitution. In December 2004 Afghan citizens voted for Karzai as the first president of the Islamic Government of Afghanistan.

The constitution called for another presidential election to be held in August 2009. The recent election, held Aug. 20 of last year, showed two winners among 36 candidates - Karzai and Abdullah Abdulla, formerly the Afghan foreign minister.

Vote fraud prompted a runoff election between these top two candidates scheduled for Nov. 7, 2009. More than 1 million votes cast were rejected. Inconsistencies were reported, like votes cast from non existing polling locations, ballot stuffing and staff interference. The country still harbors Taliban supporters and these groups boycotted the elections and threatened to attack voters and cut off their fingers. Only a few days before the November election, Karzai's opponent dropped out of the race and Karzai was named president.

A lack of confidence in the new government has continued. Afghanistan is one of poorest countries in the world. More than half of the country's 32.7 million citizens live below the poverty level. Annual family income is $250, and life expectancy is 43 years. The literacy rate is 28 percent.

Parents who cannot afford to educate their children are easily convinced to send their sons to Taliban-sponsored schools.

Organizations like the Central Asia Institute, co-founded by author and activist Greg Mortenson, who cowrote the best-seller "Three Cups of Tea," see education as a key link to peace to Afghanistan. They enable communities to build schools for boys and girls and promote community-based education, literacy, teacher training and scholarships. Mortenson's group sponsors Pennies for Peace, a youth fundraising initiative that conveys the message that even small resources for education can change lives and create peace. Check out the Pennies for Peace Web site penniesforpeace.org.

Check it outThe Vernon Area Library in Lincolnshire suggests these titles on Afghanistan:bull; "Modern World Leaders: Hamid Karzai," by Dennis Abramsbull; "Cultures of the World: Afghanistan," by Sharifah Enayat Alibull; "Welcome to Afghanistan," by Deborah Fordycebull; "Looking at Afghanistan," by Kathleen Pohlbull; "Focus on Afghanistan," by Nikki Van Der Gaagbull; "The Breadwinner," by Deborah Ellis