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Anchor Marco Werman talks to reporter Anna Badkhen, who has been travelling through Northern Afghanistan, about conditions there under the current government. Critics say the defeat of the Taliban depends on a more effective and less corrupt government.

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MARCO WERMAN:  I’m Marco Werman and this is The World, a co-production of the BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston.  Afghanistan had a rare reason to celebrate today.  The country marked the 18th anniversary of the collapse of a Soviet installed regime.  Leaders took the occasion to urge militants to join the fight against the Taliban.  President Obama has ordered 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan to bolster that fight, but the defeat of the Taliban will require a more effective and less corrupt government.  Journalist Anna Badkhen has been finding few signs of that in northern Afghanistan.

ANNA BADKHEN:  Most of the population here is rural and the villages have almost remained unchanged.  The same unpaved roads, the same lack of access to clean water, same lack of access to health care, same lack of electricity.  And actually that is creating a serious problem for both the Afghan government and NATO and the international community effort to rebuild Afghanistan because the trust of the population here that the world can actually it rebuild itself is waning.  People are becoming extremely frustrated and, from what I understand, that is paving the way to – - the return of the Taliban.

WERMAN: Now one of the very disturbing problems that you’re seeing first hand and reporting on Anna is the lives of children there.  You say that many, many children are forced to work from as young as age six.

BADKHEN: Yes, children bear the brunt of poverty in Afghanistan.  According to UNICEF, as many as one third of all children under 14 works.  For example, right now I’m in – - which is a provincial capital, but half of all the work force are children there.  There are child welders, child food sellers, children building roads, very young children and very often these children are actually discouraged by their parents to go to school because any hour they spend outside of the work force means money lost.

WERMAN: And an extraordinary number of children are orphans there.  One thing that also stuck out for you was just how old these kids look.

BADKHEN: They’re old men, these kids.  They are extremely malnourished so a 10-year-old or a 12-year-old will look like a typical American second-grader.  But if you look into their eyes, you see eyes of old men.  You see eyes that have seen life pass by and know that there is no more life coming, men without future.

WERMAN:  So all this international aid that goes to Afghanistan, the U.S. military presence there, all the efforts at nation building, why is there so little progress?

BADKHEN: Because of corruption in the Afghan government.  Money comes to Kabul and it stays in Kabul and it usually goes to the pockets of high ranking officials, Afghan officials, in Kabul.  It never leaves the capital and when it does, it never makes it to the people who need it.

WERMAN: And since you are in the north, which is one of the most removed parts of Afghanistan from he capital, given the desperation there, are you seeing anything that gives you hope that maybe the people in the north can build on?

BADKHEN: No, I’m seeing very little that would give me hope.  In fact, what I am seeing is complete disillusionment with the Afghan government and utter disillusionment with the international community because people here don’t really differentiate.  They know that there is money somewhere and they know that they don’t see any results.  And what I do see is village after village after village of people who are ready to embrace another government, even if it’s a Taliban government, as long as it provides them with security.  As long as it eliminates corruption and as long as it gives them any kind of support.

WERMAN: Reporter Anna Badkhen in Mazarin Sharif, Afghanistan.  Thank you very much for your time Anna.

BADKHEN: Thank you for having me.

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