Experience shows that peace cannot be enforced from outside in Afghanistan, warns Malek Sitez. The Western allies need to start respecting the rule of law, seeing Islam as part of the solution and building a consensus in the country.
Human rights activists are supposed to support peace. But as far as Afghanistan is concerned I’m against President Karzai’s current peace plan. It’s certainly not because I don’t want peace in my country, and it’s not because I’m unaware of what’s happening on the ground - I travel regularly throughout Afghanistan - it’s just that this current peace process is misconceived from the start.
For one thing, how can you sue for peace while the Western allies are fighting a major campaign against the Taliban in Helmand? How can you reach out to your enemy with one hand and threaten them with the other? And, secondly, why did President Karzai appoint someone like General Abdul Rashid Dostum - who is notorious for carrying out a massacre of Taliban soldiers in Northern Afghanistan - as chief military commander of the Afghan Army?
But my main disagreement with the current plan lies elsewhere. For peace to work you must have a good balance between national and international actors and President Karzai’s efforts to reach out to the Taliban, illustrated by the recent visit to Saudi Arabia, suffer from a fundamental lack of legitimacy.
Alternatives to Current Peace Moves
So what are the alternatives? First, I suggest that some sort of peace dialogue is organised to try and create a national consensus. For this to work, we also need a thorough analysis of what has become a multifarious – and increasingly complex - conflict. What exactly is the Taliban for instance? Is it a political movement, an armed guerrilla force, a drugs cartel? What are the differences between the Pakistan and Afghan Taliban and how do the Saudis and Iranians fit into the equation?
We must learn from the mistakes of the Balkan peace agreement, when peace was enforced from outside. This means too that the international community must take responsibility for – and uphold - the conventions they claim to be fighting for. Clandestine prisons, suspects being held without trial, the killing of innocent civilians in Nato attacks can hardly be described as activities that comply with the Fourth Geneva Convention. Each violation is a further blow to the reputation of the international community in the eyes of ordinary Afghanis, hampering our ability to act as a neutral broker.
Ideally, we should be utilising the UN peace-building system, but because there is a lack of cohesion between UN strategies and the US strategy this is currently impossible. That lack of harmony has to be dealt with before the fundaments are in place for a sustainable peace process.
Religion, Human Rights and Rule of Law
Another crucial factor is religion. Instead of constantly looking on Islam as a problem we should exploit its potential for peace. We must seek out the leaders of moderate schools of Islam – both Shia and Sunni – and secure their support. Peace and justice are fundamental goals in Islam and we must not be blinded by a small minority of extremists.
Along with Islam we must ensure respect for human rights. Without this we cannot hope to create a sustainable peace. Human rights should be incorporated in the school curriculum, and we should be helping adults too to understand their basic rights.
Coupled to this is respect for the rule of law, which entails a greater focus on the Afghan police rather than the military. If we don’t there is a risk that the army will become too powerful and a military dictatorship may emerge. And we cannot avoid the tricky question of how to make war criminals accountable. Without this it will be impossible to achieve trust in the country’s institutions.
Clearly, these suggestions are more complex than simply making peace with the Taliban or imposing a military solution. But without the support and trust of the Afghan people, I fear that the result of President Karzai’s current efforts will be nothing more than a short-term ceasefire and not the lasting peace that so many – including myself – urgently desire.
Comments
Great article with good arguments. I know Mr. Sitez from his articles and interviews through Afghan and bbc persian. I am so happy to have him in this meaningful homepage.
Appreciation
I agree with the artticle. Islam is a religion of pease and justice. It should be used in Afghanistan.
Yes, If you mean moderate Islam. But sadly people in the west know Islam from Al Qaida and Taliban.
As the article points out a national dialogue with active participation of Islamic leaders. They must feel themselves included in the process. My experiance from Pakistan saying me that you can not do anything without them. Poeople are paying attention to Islamic lraders. Honestly I am not happy with this, but this is a reality we have to accept.
Lets be honest asking ourselves is it possible to make Pease without national legitimacy. People do not know what is the meaning of Pease with Taliban? Is it a Pease or a political game? Does Karzai have a capacity to make Pease in such kind of condition? I think the article correctly addresses these important issues. I enjoyed reading it. I ask myself why such intellectuals should not be heard by Westerners?
A lovely paper. I liked suggestions made as ulternative for Karzai Pease process. You can not create pease with military operation and killing of civilians. Please wake up!
I start to think that Amaricans do not want to support pease making policy in Afghanistan. Taliban is an Amarican product. How they can not make pease with them. The want to have a problematic region to have access to Central Asia. Concerning Karzai, I would like to say he do not have the power, he is only a tool for Amarican policy in Afganistan.
As a journalist in Afghan National TV i will use the article to debate represntatives of Afghan Government and international actors based on this article. I think the Afghans deserve a dialouge and inclusion in the process.
Karzai and his international partners are always talking about the lack of capacity amongst Afghans. Reading this article I wouldn’t believe them anymore. I am a Muslim too. The way western politics tackle Islam is absolutely wrong. I do agree with the author of the article that moderate Muslims are not against westerns values. They think democracy, human rights, Pease and justice are fundamental values for all humanity including Muslims. You should look to Muslims as partners and collaborators. This is the best way for both parties. I wish Pease and justice for Afghanistani people. Wasalam
Would you please translate the article into Afghani local langueges. It is a very realistic and well arguemnted paper
Very informative article, however we are not afghanis (it's our unit of currency), but Afghans!!!
Just to make it even clearer:
We are Afghans not afghanis!!!
What a wonderful article, with good points. The afghan people have to feel a revolution in their awarness first. I really think that secularism would be good if the comunity took adventage of it. But like Malek pointed it, i dont think that peace can be enforced from outside in Afghanistan. We have to stand on our own feet and show that we can handle it by ourself. And of cours its gonna be hard when the Taliban has the great power.. But the afghans outside Afghanistan like Malek Sitez, has more knowledge and experience and can start to helping the afghans in Afghanistan.. people with the same racial understand best each other. and the same with Afghans.
sorry if my english sucks..
will to be honest critical articles like this can't solve the problem of afghanistan. because the creation of critiques should have a legitimate base. although i do not deny the civilian cusualities in afghanistan but it is totally wrong to argue that those suldiers act irresponsibily and increase violation in Afghanistan or define their operations or self-defence as acts against Islam.
if we create such an arguement that means that Karzia's nepotism and racism acts which denies the participation of other ethnic groups in favor of his other Kandahari blind wild man (Omar) is in based on Islamic values. consequently, the death of Afghans by these terroristic bands (taliban and Al Qeada).
the solution of afghanistan's security problem is a fundemental inequallity of power sharing of Pushtuns tecnocrates with exteremist Pushtuns and using those who are uspest with them against non-Pushtun ethnic groups to hold Karzai and his cruppt Pushtun ban in Power.
don't mix realities with some values like human rights which is another problem of Pushtun's thoughts
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