Karzai Peace Jirga
Called a 'Futile, Illegitimate Exercise'
"Peace and stability in
Afghanistan are vital for us and the region. But the Constitution and the
values it protects, like freedom of expression and faith, human rights, justice
and the rights of social and ethnic groups, shouldn't be sacrificed to appease
the militants."
-- Haji Mohammad
Mohaqiq, leader of the People’s Unity Party of Afghanistan
According to Afghan Taliban hardliners, Richard Holbrook, the Obama Administration's Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, is the prime motivator of Peace Jirga held from June 2-4. Those who were excluded called the event 'illegitimate'.
For many years, Afghans have dreamed
of an Afghanistan free of misery, war and catastrophe. Over recent years, the Karzai
government has tried to communicate with Taliban leaders and militants and draw
them into the mainstream. But the attempt has shown no results. The insurgents
are even stronger now and have focused their murderous activities against the
government and NATO in Afghanistan, who are there in an attempt to secure and
stabilize the country.
On Wednesday [6/2], President
Karzai opened a three-day peace Jirga to explore ways to bring peace and “disaffected
countrymen” back into the fold. Unfortunately, these so-called “disgruntled
compatriots” launched several rockets at the tent housing the so-called
Consultative Peace Jirga. Karzai’s opening speech was also interrupted by the
sound of explosions and gunfire some distance away. A day before the convening
of the Jirga, Taliban militants labeled it phony and vowed to go on with the
war.
In a statement released to
media, Taliban hardliners reacted by saying: “They [the government] launched a drive
to convene this phony Jirga, to provide stuff for public consumption in
American and the world." The statement asserts that, "beyond the slogans,
holding this so-called National Consultative Jirga under the name of peace is part
of a failed effort by invading Americans and their surrogates. The idea for
convening a so-called National Consultative Jirga was essentially one raised
earlier this year by Richard Holbrooke, U.S. envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
The group vowed to continue fighting,
saying: “The Islamic Emirate will confront the Jirga's illegitimate and
unlawful decisions by continuing the Islamic Jihad and struggle for the establishment
of an independent Islamic system.”
This isn't a matter of
disaffection. This is the value system that drives militants to blow themselves
up, conduct roadside bombings and carry out suicide attacks anywhere they think
they can get publicity. So the outcome of the three-day peace Jirga remains a
muddle.
Another insurgent group led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
[photo, left] called Hizb-i-Islami
called the conference a “futile exercise.” A statement released by the group
said, “The participants of the Jirga are favorites of the state. They have no decision-making
power. This is nothing but a consultative Jirga - since it lacks the
participation of the Mujahideen (resistance fighters).”
In the southern province of
Kandahar, NATO, U.S. and Afghan forces are preparing for their biggest
offensive yet against the rebels. As is understood by the Taliban and
Hezb-e-Islami rejection of reconciliation on the eve of such a well-publicized
peace Jirga, the upcoming Kandahar offensive carries added significance for
giving the government the high ground and expanding its writ to areas currently
held by Taliban militants and foreign fighters.
These two leaders and were at
the forefront of President Karzai’s victory in August, 2009. In fact, the votes
that Mohaqiq and General Dostum gave Karzai the valid votes he needed to make
up an absolute majority. Mohaqiq, in a press release, “Although, I'm not optimistic
about getting any tangible result out of this Jirga, I offer my best wishes to
the participants and pray for their success. Peace and stability in Afghanistan
are vital for us and the region. But the Constitution and the values it
protects, like freedom of expression and faith, human rights, justice and the rights
of social and ethnic groups, shouldn't be sacrificed to appease the militants.”
Just a week or so before the so-called
Consultative Peace Jirga, the government allowed an armed people calling
themselves Kuchis (or nomads)
to pillage the districts of Behsud and Daimirdad, killing many innocent, peace-loving
people, displacing thousands of families and setting their homes on fire. Those
who were displaced by the Kuchi raids remain without shelter. Given the cruelty
of politics in our country, talks on peace remain ludicrous. President Karzai
must get rid of the tribalist and ethnically-chauvinistic circle he moves
within to secure and stabilize a unified Afghanistan.
Referring to the recent
disaster created by the armed Kuchis, prominent Hazara leader Mohammad Mohaqiq said,
“I'm preoccupied with responding to the scorched earth pro-Taliban campaign in Hazarajat's central highlands.
I am showing solidarity with the victims of this barbaric attack by pro-Taliban
Kochis. Therefore, I cannot attend the Jirga.”
Mohaqiq also highlighted the
contradiction between holding a consultative peace Jirga and organized attacks
against the Hazara people, who after the fall of cruel Taliban regime, were the
first to order a laying down of weapons and continue to respect the central
government's sovereignty.
“Unfortunately, there are
still circles with strong ethnically-chauvinist thinking and who are engaged in
planning to dominate Afghanistan. This has the potential of badly undermining
the process of state-building. Insecurity is spreading and Afghanistan risks
becoming a narco-state. The dream of Afghans to see their country as peaceful
and prosperous has already been shattered.”
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According to Faizullah Zaki, deputy
chairman of the Junbish Party and MP from Jawzjan Province, said “The Jirga will
only succeed if the views of all sides are considered during the process. There
should be no sell-out of the Afghan Constitution, which guarantees individual
and collective freedom, social justice and the rights of religious and ethnic
minorities.”
Zaki, whose party mobilized
over 40 percent of Karzai legitimate re-election votes, also said “The
legitimate concerns of the people and international community should be taken
into account during the Jirga proceedings.”
Over the last nine years, Hazaras
and Uzbeks have remained the
most peace-loving and cooperative of communities. The absence of their two
leaders is a wake-up call to Hamid Karzai, who wants to boost his credibility
as “true leader of Afghanistan.”
The Afghan opposition also boycotted
the Jirga. Dr. Abdullah
Abdullah denounced the Jirga as a political drama staged by President
Karzai. The participants in the Jirga must make sure that they don't compromise
on the hard-earned achievements of the last nine years, including a democratic
constitution that distinguishes this era from others in Afghan history.
*Sher Alam Saqib is the
permanent writer of the Daily Outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at outlookafghanistan@gmail.com
