Abstract:
Some people dumped arms in Afghanistan so that Afghans would
continue their futile war against their own. Some flooded
Afghanistan with money-bad money, to influence realization
of their own nefarious interests. 'Bad money' contributed
to a dark era in the life of the country. Now is time for
'good money' to play its role in the rebuilding of the devastated
infrastructure of the country and to be used for nation building.
This brief article touches on new developments regarding money
and the rebuilding of Afghanistan.
The south central Asian
country of Afghanistan has had a turbulent history because
of its strategic location. Many times great invaders and conquerors
raised the country because its people had defended fiercely
their freedom. Many times, great world powers-colonial powers
attempted both military and non-military tactics to overcome
the resistance of the Afghans to foreign domination. Each
time they failed.
Then came the age of the superpower rivalries
and cold war. This age was coupled with an era of neocolonialism.
International intrigue and planned intervention coupled with
military excursions were used against Afghanistan. But the
old Russian dream of the getting direct access to the warm
waters of the Indian Ocean were not to be realized because
the Afghan nation, once again, determined to fight resolutely
and to the end, notwithstanding that the enemy was a superpower.
Post Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, however,
ushered a new era in the life of the country, which in many
ways was unprecedented. Afghans were made to fight Afghans.
This war was financed with "bad-money." Bad money
poured into Afghanistan by its selfish neighbors and regional
and world powers for the attainment of their own nefarious
interests kept the fire of war alive for decades after the
last Soviet soldier crossed the Oxus on his way back to his
country, not in pride, but in subdued shame.
'Bad money' was also coupled with arms and
ammunitions meant for the Afghans to kill Afghans. The situation
gave rise to ascension to power of tyrannical groups and regimes
that, too, were unprecedented in the life of the country.
The people, this time aided by the world conscience and support
and especially the support of the liberating forces of the
United States, were able to bring to near elimination the
last of these tyrannical groups which themselves were aided
by 'bad money' from the Arab extremist group of El-quaida.
Because of this group, "bad money" had come to rule
the Afghans.
The opposition to Taleban, was also aided
to a large scale by 'bad money' printed in the name of the
Afghans in super-inflationary producing quantities. In some
instances, foreign interests sponsored this 'bad money'.
Post-Taleban era has ushered a new phase
in the life of Afghanistan in that there is huge interest,
worldwide, to help rebuild the devastated land. To that end,
the world community has promised $4.5 billion in five years
to be spent for reconstruction efforts. This money can become
'good money' when it is received and spent on good viable
projects designed according to the true priority needs of
the country. It will be 'good money' when it is used not for
the sake of just using it, but on projects that would provide
continued sustainable benefits for the country's today and
tomorrow and the day after. It will be 'good money' when it
is received and used responsibly for investment into the future
of the country.
Last week there were a number of money related
reports about Afghanistan. These reports were heartening in
that they pointed to the much-needed flow of money into the
life of the Afghans who are awakening from a long imposed
economic slumber. Let us look at some:
The World Bank:
According to reports of a meeting of the Banks President in
Kabul: "The Bank is providing US$100 million of grant
financing for four projects in the current fiscal year ending
June 30 and has committed a further US$470 million for the
two years beyond that, the lifespan of the Transitional Government
due to be elected by the Loya Jirga between June 10 and 16.
The first Bank project, a US$10 million
grant, provides for international experts in financial management,
procurement and auditing. The project is designed to help
the government deliver on its promise expressed at the international
donors' conference in Tokyo in January to build a transparent
and accountable government.
Three projects providing a total of US$90
million in grant include a US$15 million education project
designed to pick up on those areas of Afghanistan's enormous
education challenge underserved by other donors. It includes
a program for war widows and illiterate young women, and vocational
training for ex-combatants. The project will also assist with
the rehabilitation of university faculties and colleges and
work with the Afghan authorities on overarching education
policy and planning issues.
A US$42 million project underpins the National
Solidarity Program in bringing assistance to communities in
rural districts across Afghanistan. One component is job creation
for ex-combatants, returning refugees and people who fled
internally driven by drought or conflict or both.
An infrastructure project funded by an initial
grant of US$30 million supports urgently needed water supply
and sanitation in secondary cities and basic electricity for
all cities including Kabul."
European Commission:
The Commission has decided to finance a
5.9m program to raise public support for the Afghan
Interim Authority, using the Rapid Reaction Mechanism to build
confidence among the Afghan population and its different ethnic
groups.
The new support will focus primarily on
technical assistance to the Afghan Assistance Co-ordination
Authority (AACA) which will co-ordinate all donor support,
including EC-assistance, to Afghanistan ( 2.5 million).
In addition the Commission will support
a number of activities aimed at strengthening the role of
the Afghan interim authority in the other main cities such
as Mazar-i-Sherif, Kandahar, Jalalabad and Herat ( 2.2
million). These activities include the rehabilitation of government
services in these cities, aimed at supporting larger employment-generating
programs financed by the European Commission's First Reconstruction
Grant of 57.5 million. The provision of high-resolution
satellite images for urban reconstruction and mine clearing
purposes is also included, which will be useful for other
assistance programs.
The third element offers further support
to the media ( 500,000).
The last element of this program consists
of a 500,000 contribution to civilian tasks being undertaken
by ISAF, the International Security and Assistance Force in
Afghanistan to rehabilitate schools, hospitals and other vital
public infrastructure.
Michael Douglas:
Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas has made a donation in
the name of the late Senator Alan Cranston of California to
help rebuild the media in post-war Afghanistan.
"Having worked for peace and human rights around the
world, I welcome the chance to help the Afghan people reconstruct
their lives after two decades of war." said Douglas.
"Internews and the Open Media Fund for Afghanistan rightly
understand that free and open media are essential to the process
of building a democratic, civil society."
The Secretary General of the United Nations named Michael
Douglas in 1998 as the "messenger of peace".
It is important to mention this last item of contributions
to the cause of the Afghans to illustrate that the concern
for the new phase of life of the Afghan nation, is not only
a concern of governments and established financial institutions,
but is also that of many humanists throughout the world.
It is now the responsibility of the current and oncoming administrations
in Afghanistan to ensure that all money that is put into the
country's reconstruction is 'good money' only and that most
importantly it is used to guarantee balanced development.
05/25/02