Afghanistan's Historic Presidential Election
by Najibullah Musafer
A burqa-clad Afghan woman casts her ballot in Kabul in the
country’s first direct presidential election, on October 9, 2004.
An employee of the Joint Electoral Management Body stains her thumb with
ink and makes a hole in her voting card to prevent her voting more than
once. Helping those in need is how we can unite to build a safer world.
In South Sudan the fifth annual Twic Olympics was held
to unite the people of South Sudan and encourage peaceful resolution
to conflicts through sports and games. Here the teams begin the games
in the opening ceremony that included an athletes’ parade, and
was followed by traditional tribal dancing and singing. Over 30,000 people
came to participate and watch the games. In the past the tribes that
attended these games have been involved in deadly inter-tribal conflicts.
But today, they are making lasting friendships on the sports field.
Women in Burqas In front of the Sheberghan polling station in Jowzjan province,
Afghan women dressed in white burqas -- the head-to-toe cloaks worn
by many traditional Afghan women -- wait to vote for the first direct
presidential election on October 9, 2004. Yemak, Aina Photo Agency, ainaphoto@ainaworld.org,
www.ainaphoto.org
We've Come in Peace (… We've Come to Help) Immediate military aid from numerous nations provided critical
transportation and logistic capabilities for tsunami relief, especially
in the Aceh Province of Indonesia. Jeffrey Austin, r.buchanan@stophungernow.org, www.ainaphoto.org
Three Boys at War Wreckage
Photo was taken at Kabul, Afghanistan near by University of Kabul.
John Connolly, Paxton International, johnc@paxton.com
Thai Orphanage
THAILAND. I was volunteering at an orphanage teaching English. There were
over 1,000 children, ranging in age from 7 to 17. It was like a mini-campus.
Lisa Stefancik
Supporters of Massouda Jalal (Afghanistan Presidential Election)
Supporters of the candidate Massouda Jalal visit Faizabad, in the
northern Badakhshan province during the last day of the presidential
campaign. Among the 18 presidential candidates for the first
Afghan democratic presidential elections, Massouda Jalal is the
only female candidate. Massoud Wasiq, Aina Photo Agency, ainaphoto@ainaworld.org,
www.ainaphoto.org
Stand Up and be Counted
Children line up to be registered at the IDP camp in Bong County, Liberia, in
2003. Gerald Martone, gerald@theIRC.org.
Sorting the Ballots In the Darulaman counting center in Kabul, nine days after
Afghanistan's first direct presidential election, the U.N.-Afghan
Joint Electoral Management Body's employees sort out the ballot papers
for each candidate from Kabul. Then, the total votes for each candidate
are counted and recorded. Gulbuddin Elham, Aina Photo Agency, ainaphoto@ainaworld.org, www.ainaphoto.org
Saturday at the park
In Guatemala, in a village just outside the capital, meet each week in a park
to talk about what they can do to improve their community. Sometimes they play
leadership building games or take on a service project. Justin Hackworth, justin@justinhackworth.com,
http://www.justinhackworth.com
Revolution Action (in Kyrgyzstan)
Protesting in Bishkek's Central Square under the Monument of Freedom,
in Kyrgyzstan, March 2005. AlmaDesign, design@apms.kg, www.apms.kg
Quiet Thoughts Vathsala Weerasingye, 45, with her children Sarada and Anisha
at Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where they worship.
Whilst they didn't lose of any of their family to the tsunami, they
know people who have and for these they pray. The flowers blossom
and fade away, signifying life and purity. Nicky Lewin, nickylewin@aol.com
Prayer at Hijalegia Praying at the Hijalegia camp for the internally displaced
in West Darfur, where Concern Worldwide set-up programs in 2004.
Laura Wiessen, sarah.hannafin@concern.net, www.concernusa.org
Playing for Peace In South Sudan the fifth annual Twic Olympics was held to
unite the people of South Sudan and encourage peaceful resolution
to conflicts through sports and games. Here the teams begin the games
in the opening ceremony that included an athletes’ parade,
and was followed by traditional tribal dancing and singing. Over
30,000 people came to participate and watch the games. In the past
the tribes that attended these games have been involved in deadly
inter-tribal conflicts. But today, they are making lasting friendships
on the sports field. Cassandra Markham Nelson, Cassandra_mc2002@yahoo.com,
www.mercycorps.org
Peace Project
Nugheli Janashvili and her daughter, Tamara, pose in their home in the village
of Akhalosopele in the Republic of Georgia. Nugheli and her husband were given
the gift of a cow from Heifer International as part of the Peace Project with
bordering Azerbaijan and Armenia. Nugheli says, "This Peace Project has
brought our family not only aid but spiritual assistance as well and we have
released our fears for the future through this project. I cannot stop thinking
about the fact that I am raising a calf that will become a heifer and help
a family across the border in need the way we were in need before." Darcy
Kiefel, http://www.kiefelphotography.com/
Peace in Sri Lanka
A girl who lost her mother and sister in the tsunami holds the
hand of a relief worker as she tells of her tragedy. The handkerchief
she used to wipe her tears is also in her hand. Karl Grobl, Karl@karlgrobl.com,
www.Karlgrobl.com
Peace Club play Members of the peace club at Gulu's Sacred Heart Secondary
School perform a play to promote peace and conflict resolution in
the Awer camp for internally displaced persons in March 2004. It
is one of a number of clubs across the northern region promoted by
Catholic Relief Services to change attitudes and encourage peaceful
problem solving in a region torn by conflict for 18 years. Rick D'Elia,
rickdelia2003@yahoo.com, www.deliaphotographic.builderspot.com
Love During relief efforts after the India Earthquake of January
2001, a young orphan of the SOS-Children’s Village runs over
to say “hello” to Director Jadgeep Singh with his little
hands stretched out to gently lay on his face. {Peace ~~ Love}. Diana
Barnett, dibarnett@mindspring.com, www.facesoftomorrow.com
Kids for Peace in Mindana
Children in the southern Philippines gather to receive educational supplies as
part of the Development for Peace in Sulu Program. Al Santoli, santoli@asiaamerica.org,
http://www.asiaamerica.org
Kiboro Kids Thumbs Up
Outside a school in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. Carole Douglis,
carole@douglis.com.
Kabul Life After Taliban In a separate place from the men in a Kabul polling station,
one Afghan woman wearing a burqa -- the all-covering head-to-toe
cloak -- has voted for the first Afghan direct presidential election,
Oct. 9., 2004. To prevent multiple voting, employees of United Nations
Assistance Mission in Afghanistan stain voters' thumb with ink and
make a hole in the voting cards. Fardin Waezi, Aina Photo Agency, ainaphoto@ainaworld.org, www.ainaphoto.org
Jenjaweed and Boys (in Kerenik, West Darfur) A member of the government-sponsored militia, known as
the Janjaweed, in the town of Kerenik in West Darfur on market
day. Doug Mercado, dougmercado@sbcglobal.net, http://homepage.mac.com/dougmercado/
Haiti in Turmoil - Street Patrol A man washes himself on the side walk as U.S. Marines patrol
the streets of Port-au- Prince in March 2004. After the departure
of the President Aristide, streets of the capital city of Haiti fell
into chaos until the Marines, later a U.N. Peace Keeping Force, came
to restore order. Jiro Ose, jiro@jiroose.com
First democratically held elections (in Rwanda- 27 08 03)
On Aug. 27, 2003, Rwanda held the first democratic elections since
the independence of the country. In a voting center in the Rwandan
Capital, Kigali, a woman casts her vote for the first time in
her life. Julie Pudlowski, julie@juliepudlowski.com, http://www.juliepudlowski.com
Children of Peace A young Sherpa girl in Khumjung, a small village in the
Himalayan region of Nepal, displays a sign of peace while comforting
her baby brother. The School for International Training takes U.S.
college students to the region every semester to conduct studies
on educational and community development projects, while living with
Sherpa families. Alexandra Rapoport, arapopor@goucher.edu, http://community.webshots.com/user/arapopor
Brothers Two tuareg men hold pinkies as they walk through Agadez,
Niger, showing their closeness, friendship and brotherly love. Lisa
Sullivan, lsulliva@aed.org, www.aed.org
Anti-terrorism rally
Central square in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, October, 2004. Natalia Andrianova,
asol@mail.auca.kg, www.auca.kg
Afghanistan's (historic presidential) election
A burqa-clad Afghan woman casts her ballot in Kabul in the country’s first
direct presidential election, on October 9, 2004. An employee of the Joint Electoral
Management Body stains her thumb with ink and makes a hole in her voting card
to prevent her voting more than once. Helping those in need is how we can unite
to build a safer world. Najibullah Musafer, Aina Photo Agency, ainaphoto@ainaworld.org, www.ainaphoto.org
Afghan Women
In Mazar-e-Sharif, a woman in a white burqa feeds the pigeons after
paying respects to Imam Ali at his resting place in Roze-Sharif.
Farzana Wahedy, Aina Photo Agency, ainaphoto@ainaworld.org, www.ainaphoto.org
Afghan Presidential election
At the French Lycee Istiqlal, used as a polling station in Kabul, an Afghan votes
for the first direct presidential election, Oct. 9, 2004. To prevent multiple
voting, employees of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan stain
voters' thumbs with ink and make a hole in their voting cards. Wakil Kohsar,
Aina Photo Agency, ainaphoto@ainaworld.org, www.ainaphoto.org
A New View
Forty students -- Hindu and Muslim -- from Bombay, India take a
train ride to an organic farm for a cultural exchange weekend.
The participants work on the farm and learn more about each other's
religious and cultural beliefs/practices. Volunteers sponsored
by The American Jewish World Service work with a variety of local
NGOs in India, one of which organized this cultural exchange,
with the hope of fostering better relations between the communities.
Jeffrey Austin, jeffrey@jaustinphoto.com, http://www.jaustinphoto.com/
A day before Tulip Revolution (March 23 2005) In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 12,000 people were organized in
support of President Akaev's regime, and they were thought to be
under the control of the militia. Roza Aiylchieva, rosa-kg@yahoo.com,
www.kyrgyzstan.us/modules/egallery
