Abstract:
Money and manpower, both in short supply in Afghanistan,
are needed for the process of reconstruction to begin in earnest.
What is being done by the transitional government in this
regard is not clear as reconstruction does not happen because
politicians give it lip service. Trained and experienced manpower
will help. In the diaspora there are people with the experience
and knowledge that could help. But conditions inside the country
need to be favorable for their return and contribution. Maintaining
of security is one of the most essential preconditions for
this to happen.
Addressing
a seminar in Kabul, Hamid Karzai, president of the transitional
government of Afghanistan called on all Afghans especially
those in the west to return and begin investing in the country.
This is nor a first call by a government leader, nor would
it be the last. But the appointment of Dr. Ali as replacement
of the slain minister of public works, Haji Qadeer, to some
could serve as a spark to ignite the passion of other Afghan
technocrats in the West to return home and contribute to the
process of reconstruction. So far, ministers were mostly chosen
because of their political standing and the amount of militia
support they enjoyed as warlords or members of factions. Experienced
technocrats with vast professional and administrative experiences
could only serve as advisors or in assisting roles with little
chance of policy making. Although Dr. Ali will only replace
Haji Qadeer as minister of public woks and not as a vice-president,
his appointment is a break with the tradition.
But
whether this issue does really bring home, professionals,
technocrats, technologists, investors and others will depend
on a number of other issues. One of the most important among
these is the issue of security.
Notwithstanding
the establishment of a transitional government, warlords and
militia factions, fully armed, exist in many parts of the
country and are watching carefully developments in the capital
Kabul. They are well aware that the transitional government
itself as a government run by Karzai is weak and void of effective
military or police power. Not once, but many times the directives
of the president have been ignored and the president has been
impotent in enforcing his orders. In Kabul an International
Security Assistance Force of some 4,500 troops, have somewhat
successfully held peace and were instrumental in providing
the security required during the Loya Jirga. However, this
force as per its terms of reference is assigned to the capital
only and the Afghan government's several appeals for its expansion
of size and scope of activity have fallen on deaf ears in
the United Nations Security Council and also with the United
States authorities who have a considerable number of their
own forces in the country for fighting terrorism and remnants
of Al-Qaeda and Taleban.
On
the other hand, presently the United Sates has reiterated
its stand that it will actively take part in the building
of the country's national army and in this task it would be
helped by France. Germany has mentioned its readiness to help
with the development of a police force for Afghanistan. However,
no serious steps have so far been taken for the realization
of these national forces for Afghanistan, nor are the creations
of a national army or police force a job that could be achieved
overnight.
In
the meantime news of insecurity, insubordination, lawlessness
and general fear among the population arrive from different
parts of the country. The new governor for Paktya Province
in the southeast appointed by Mr. Karzai, president of the
transitional government, Mr. Raz Mohammad Dalili, faces open
opposition by Pacha Khan Zadran, a warlord who has a 6000
strong private army. Zadran has warned Dalili not to come
to Paktya because if he did so, then Zadran was determined
to fight him. The incident shows the weakness on the part
of the transitional government that cannot enforce its decisions.
It also shows the strength of the warlords and in this case
of Zadran who enjoys the support of the US forces in Afghanistan
as they need him in carrying out their mission of fighting
Al-Qaeda.
On
the other hand, entering Afghanistan from Pakistan in the
south, many truckers have protested and struck. They say because
of lawlessness their lives are in danger. They say that during
the Taleban administration they paid one tax upon entering
the country. Now they are made to pay local taxes that are
collected by the governors of the provinces through whose
territory they pass. There are highway robberies and some
of the truckers have even been killed. They complain of insecurity
especially in the western provinces. Their strike, it is reported
would adversely affect availability of food in many of the
southern and western provinces of the country.
The
US forces that were looked upon as liberators and enjoyed
widespread welcome are not taking part in peacekeeping and
or maintaining of security. Selig Harrison, an authority on
Afghanistan, in an article in International Herald Tribune
discusses the issue and says, "The welcome is going sour."
Under
these insecure situations, the great task of reconstruction
needs to be taken up. It requires money and manpower which
are both scarce inside the country. Afghanistan cannot be
reconstructed solely because politicians say so. Reconstruction
needs work, hard work, and physical resources to be fed into
well thought of plans based on the most recent technology
and scientific guidelines. The world promised financial assistance
in billions of dollars to Afghanistan. This has not materialized.
Afghan authorities expected an influx of minds and professionals
returning from outside to contribute to the process of development.
This has not materialized either. It is now the duty of the
politicians in the transitional government to find out the
reasons for these and try and remove them so that reconstruction
that is the main objective of the administration in a new
Afghanistan could start in earnest.
An
Afghanistan Summit is envisaged to be held in Washington soon.
It is expected to be attended by the following Afghan ministers:
Foreign Minister, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah
Minister
of Commerce, S. Mustafa Kazimi
Minister
of Health, Suhaila Siddiq
Minister
of Women's Affairs, Habiba Sorabi
Minister
of Reconstruction, Mohammad Amin Farhang
Minister
of Higher Education, Sharief Fayez
Minister
of Rural Development, Mohammad Hanif Atmar
This summit could provide a forum which could direct the attention
of the transitional government to the need for providing the
grounds for attracting Afghan professionals, experienced minds,
and devoted individuals to return to Afghanistan. This will
require, in addition to full assurances for their security,
provision of conditions such as housing, transportation, work
environment, fields of endeavor, expectations and many other
aspects, clear-cut priority objectives for development in
areas concerning the economy, agriculture, industries, health,
education etc. 07/20/02