As Afghan Election Nears, a Race to Protect Voters

JIM LEHRER:

Mass rallies were held across Afghanistan today on the final day of campaigning ahead of Thursday's presidential election.

Lindsey Hilsum of Independent Television News begins our lead story coverage from Kabul.

LINDSEY HILSUM:

Higher and higher, all for a glimpse of their candidate, the man they hope will unseat the Afghan president and win Thursday's elections. Roars of enthusiasm from the crowd gathered at Kabul's main stadium, greeted Abdullah Abdullah, a former foreign minister who seems likely to get enough votes to force a second-round run-off with President Karzai.

Leaflets were dropped from helicopters. The pilots were later arrested for violating Kabul's air space.

But you're always on the edge of chaos here. The stage, where cameramen were standing, collapsed under the weight, and the crowd poured over the fence into the enclosure near the candidate.

Pistol and walkie-talkie, men in plainclothes are armed. Suicide bombers may strike at any time. The Taliban have threatened to disrupt the vote.

This has all the appearance of a real election, with rallies like this, campaigns, multiple candidates, and a lot of excitement, as you can hear.

But in many places, what's really important is not who wins and who loses, but whether people feel safe enough to vote and whether they have enough faith in the system to dare to come out on polling day.

Dr. Abdullah's supporters, mostly ethnic Tajiks, say it's worth it.

ABDULLAH ABDULLAH SUPPORTER:

People of Afghanistan, they are getting tired of corruption and control of mafia. So they want change. The people of Afghanistan want change.

LINDSEY HILSUM:

President Karzai's supporters on the streets of Kabul, he retains the loyalty of many fellow Pashtuns, but others complain that his officials are corrupt, security is getting worse, and he's done deals with warlords and drug dealers to stay in power.

Abdul Salam, known as Rocketi, has seen it all, first as a Mujahideen commander fighting the Russians, then as a member of the Taliban, but now as a presidential hopeful.

ABDUL SALAM ROCKETI, presidential candidate (through translator): When this government first came to power and international troops arrived, the people were very optimistic. The biggest hope was that the new government and the foreigners would bring peace, development and security.

People were expecting a good education and much more freedom. But security turned to insecurity, building became destruction, and education ended up as ignorance.

LINDSEY HILSUM:

In a televised debate last night, President Karzai brushed off the criticism, saying he's the only one who can bring the Taliban to the negotiating table and deals with warlords are in the interest of national unity.

We found supporters of the president outside the luxurious home of the country's most infamous warlord, General Dostum, who returned from exile in Turkey last night. In 2001, Dostum allegedly allowed 2,000 prisoners to suffocate to death in shipping containers.

But no matter:

The president needs the votes of the Uzbek community, which he heads.

SUPPORTER OF GEN. DOSTUM (through translator):

Today our commanding General Abdul Rashid Dostum, will come. And by his order, we will campaign for Hamid Karzai. In all honesty, we'll give our votes to Mr. Karzai because we've been ordered by General Dostum to do so.

LINDSEY HILSUM:

Kabul remains poor, shanties sprawling, roads unpaved, despite billions in international aid.