Afghanistan: Back on the track?

13 Jul, 2002    ·   791

Aisha Sultanat provides an update on the situation in Afghanistan and flags important issues that need attention


After more than two decades of turmoil, Afghanistan seems to be showing signs of recovery. The recently concluded loya jirga was undoubtedly a step in the right direction. Since 1979, when Afghanistan became the unfortunate casualty of cold war politics, the country has plummeted deeper and deeper into crisis arising from warlordism to Islamic radicalism. Years of incessant fighting have taken their toll leading to dilapidated economy, political instability, and international isolation. The US backed peace process was a welcome respite to the war-torn country. It no longer mattered who the mediators were. What was important was peace. The fiercely independent Afghans were ready to bury their long-standing differences in the hope of ushering an era of long-lasting peace. Loya jirga was convened on a positive note. The 2000 member loya jirga saw leaders of various regions, ethnicities, interests and proclivities attending an indigenous exercise to strengthen its democratic political setup. 

 

 

There were three main contenders for the leadership of Afghanistan : the leader of the interim government Hamid Karzai, the erstwhile monarch Zahir Shah, and the present Interior Minister Younus Qanooni. Hamid Karzai led the race, with the King placed a distant second with the help of the royal loyalists. The race would have taken an ugly twist, with none willing to relinquish the post had it not been for the timely intervention of the US . The credit for reaching an amicable and ‘unanimous’ choice for the Presidentship of Afghanistan goes to Mr. Zalmay Khalilzad, US special envoy, who was specially flown to Kabul for facilitating a peaceful and consensual choice of leader at the loya jirga

 

 

The next important task at hand was the division of portfolios. In an attempt to make the ministry as representative as possible, Karzai prudently divided the important portfolios among the two largest ethnic grouping in Afghanistan – the Tajiks and the Pashtuns. For instance Defense and Foreign Affairs was retained by the Tajik Northern Alliance. This served two purposes. It ensured adequate representation of the Tajik community along with a proactive role for the Northern Alliance , which was instrumental in ousting of the Taliban regime. The Interior Ministry was given to the regional governor, Taj Mohammed Wardak.  

 

 

The two most striking aspects of the recently concluded loya jirga were the careful avoidance of contentious issues and the active role of women. Both were welcome changes as they herald a new era in the history of Afghanistan, which had become notorious for bloody coups and treating women shabbily (especially during the Taliban regime). These two changes are of great significance, as it reveals the desperate need for peace but also the acceptance of women in the public sphere. 

 

 

Now that a functioning government is in place and Afghanistan is back to normalcy, the next aspect that requires attention is the role of foreign countries and donor agencies in the reconstruction of Afghanistan . While it is impossible for Afghanistan to shun foreign intervention (at least till it stands on its own and stabilizes its economy), it must be provided its rightful place as a sovereign nation in the comity of nations. Nothing should deny it of its sovereign status, which the country has won after a long wait. Aid should not come with strings attached, aimed at diluting Afghan sovereignty. 

 

 

It should be the concern of all countries, more so those of South and Central Asia , to ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan . This will stand them in good stead not only for the security and wellbeing of Afghanistan but also of the countries in the neighbouring regions which have suffered from the fallouts of the Afghan instability (for example, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in many Central Asian countries and the Xinjiang province of China). One should not forget that having an insecure state in the vicinity would be detrimental to the security interests of India . For instance, the battle-hardened mujahideen will have to be gainfully employed if they are not to lapse into their gun-wielding ways in Kashmir . Hence Afghanistan ’s fast recovery is a matter of interest for India

 

 

As for Afghanistan , it will have to work doubly hard to shrug off the tag of a ‘failed state’ and establish its status as a sovereign nation functioning on the basis of the ‘rule of law’ instead of relying upon its infamous Kalashnikov culture.

 

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