2019

POLITICS - INTERVIEW

YOUTH TO POWER

TEXT AND IMAGES BY ARHANTIKA REBELLO

Bashir Idris is a local activist and grassroots community organiser. Although he is not currently working for any specific institutions, he volunteers in 3rd sectors and NGOs. I spoke to Bashir the day before registration closed for the December general elections last year, on one of his voter registration campaigns where he brought along a group of politically minded and passionate youths along with him, knocking on doors. 

“For me, politics affects everyday life. It’s not always about the big boy drama shows we see on the news. We must ensure the environment we’re in is healthy & non-toxic, to allow us to grow and reach our full potentials - not just as citizens, but as human beings. From healthcare to security, agriculture, education, even art, everything is political.

We’re doing this voter registration campaign to increase voter turnout and get ready for the big day. We want to show people that politics doesn’t have to be in the hands of the middle aged and above. We, us, the youth, can have an impactful role in helping people to exercise their democratic right and not take it for granted. That’s our goal.

People tend to feel that politics has been hijacked by powers above them, by those out of touch with their reality, using politics to maintain and propagate their own agendas rather than that of the people. You’ll be surprised how many people believe they can’t make a change because the “system is rigged”, not realising they have as much agency, if not, even more than those in power. If you don’t believe you have power, then you’ll have no power. That’s why people become indifferent to politics.

The youth are the next generation and how we operate is essential, because those after us will learn from the systems that we help put in place and will be reaping what we have sowed. I’m only 24 now, but just like how my childhood zoomed past, so will our time. I was raised under someone’s else vision and construct of society. I believe it’s my duty as a young person to maintain and improve that vision further so the ones after me have the same, if not, more opportunities than me.

I’ve witnessed first-hand the youth of my home country of Sudan play an instrumental part in overthrowing a 30 year totalitarian regime. Do you know what kind of state of mind you have to enter to be able to do that? When no previous generations have done so before? You don’t need a job to do politics. All you need is a passion for something, anything, and you will see it through. The youth have this passion in abundance for sure, they we just need to be reminded sometimes.”

I  spoke to 13 other youths about the 2019 General election, the importance of youth input in politics, their beliefs, their views and their worries. This is what they had to say