By Saifuddin Saihon; Professor at Economics Faculty / Kabul University

The on-going, long-lasting and resurgent conflicts in Afghanistan and endless insurgency of belligerent factions aimed at fortifying their position and hegemony for looting public properties, and transcendence over economic resources, taking money by force, killing innocent people by the name of totalitarian and justifying ideologies have resulted into extensive devastations. Continued insurgencies in the wake of interferences of foreign elements and expansion of resistance against those elements caused into some negative consequences such as collective massacre and the “burning farm policy”. This fact has revitalized the sense of revenge in Afghanistan barbarian and traditional society and to heal the wounds originating from atrocities, there has been no attitude based on mutual understanding or any cultural and civil mechanism in place to strengthen the spirit of forgiveness. Under domination of war elements criminal liability of serious offenders has also been ignored from legal perspective.

Continuance of current constant war has its roots in the era of Cold War in which the west and U.S supported- at any cont- this endless war against increasing invasion of the Soviet Union. Establishment of religious schools beyond the eastern borders of the country, expansion of military bases, distribution of financial and weaponry resources coupled with ideological and political pursuance, the sense of liberalism among Afghans and fight against exported theories in the light of religious and ideological understandings are considered to the core motives behind Afghan mass uprisings. Undoubtedly, weaponry and financial aids of external circles and unbreakable ties of belligerent parties with traditional economy and collecting obligatory taxes, banditry, looting  public properties, persuading and generating poppy cultivation, smuggling illegal drugs and collecting custom duties were also the sources of financing war in the past and present. In this long-lasting conflict both of the belligerent factions depend on financial and weaponry aids of supportive countries. Simultaneous with ideological propagandas, the financial power of contributing countries also started to flow. Victory in this battle is also subject to financial and weaponry supports in this regard. The more the parties had access to further facilities or foreign financial aids, selling precious stones, smuggling ancient monuments and illegal drugs, the better and easier they could attain power.

Ruling of parties affiliated to totalitarian and exclusivist strangers and Taliban networks was basically dependent on financial aids of the foreigners. They had the local and international resources under their control. They show off in city centers through establishment of high buildings and luxurious apartments, consumption economy, seizing and looting private and state properties.

Dependency of Holy War fighters on foreign money and weaponry was coupled with their desire to collect wealth and pelf. This dependency which was formed through financial resources and collusion of foreign interfering circles, transformed the social fabric of traditional society too. With appearance of new fighters, the landlords, capitalists and craftsmen were excluded from the ring of competition and they had to abandon the county in the wake of threats and escalation of insecurity.

Since there was no transparent and accountable mechanism, funds given by contributing countries were transferred to bank accounts of some limited number of militia fighters and Taliban.

After involvement of the international community in Afghanistan, this country while struggling between tradition and modernism this time again bogged down in an endless confusing circle of  backwardness, traditionalism and desperateness. The superficial counterinsurgency strategy of Afghanistan international partners resulted into failure of the most important development agendas such as state- building, rule of law, reconstruction and economic growth and finally security, peace and social development to materialize during the last ten years.

Political mechanism inspired by Bonn Agreement that mainly entailed belligerent factions and monarchial parties, resulted to establishment of a corporation government financed with easy-come wealth, and all political-economic pyramids were confined in some particular hands. Centralization of power and wealth, secular approach to politics, weakness in reviewing security crisis, economic and social abnormalities of transitional era, domination of local bullies over the power, severe social polar and interferences of the foreign elements pushed the government in such a tight corner that during this period it has not been able to accumulate and centralize necessary capital for financing ordinary and operational projects. Foreign budgets are also provided by contributing countries. The government is weak to pay salary of its employees. It is not able to provide outfits, weaponry and financial aid for ANA, ANP and security entities.

In such a chaotic circumstance and non- functionality of political branch, poverty, unemployment, lack of employment opportunities, difficulties in earnings and inattention to economy-generating sectors are the consequences of current ineffective government.

In a circumstance where the peoples’ hope for responsible and responsive government has dashed away and futile struggles of Afghanistan international partners in the campaign against insurgency and terrorism is also being viewed  as ineffective, and with consideration of the U.S warnings and deadlines set for President Karzai to clean his administration and to undertake further accountability in campaign against administrative corruption, aid accountability and demonstration of competency for effective government for realization of which hopes have also crashed away, as well as  with taking into account resentment of Mr. Karzai resulting from accusations and pressures of the western media, there seems that all the above factors  have added further pulse in Karzai’s resistance and will to restore peace at any cost. The peace-talk policy was accepted in Kabul and Landon conferences also and the international community in Lisbon summit also underlined gradual withdrawal of its security forces. The agenda of peace- talks with Taliban and armed insurgents with convening Loya Jirga (grand counsel) and establishment of Peace High Counsel has also got hot and serious.

It seems that the United States and NATO members are supporting the initiative of Afghan government to talk and reconcile with insurgents but, this is clear that they don’t want Taliban or terrorist groups to turn Afghanistan into a safe haven for their terrorist activities. I think part of Afghanistan and her international partners’ failure to assure security, peace and social and economic development is linked to  not investing enough in areas of state- building, nation- building, sustainable development and social justice. The current conservative economic approach of Afghan government has also contributed to its failure to provide basic services for citizens, support livelihood, create employment opportunities and improve the agriculture and livestock in order to reduce poverty.

Rule of law isn’t exercised and local administrations are filled with corrupt and unprofessional staff. Meanwhile, increasing networks of narcotics, distribution of funds and facilities by regional elements to insecure the country, has continued during years in the region and elements of such networks have been active at both regional and international levels.

The policy of reintegrating armed insurgents into government which has gained support from the international community as well includes reintegration of Taliban fighters into society as political partners, providing employment opportunity for illegal armed men who lay down their guns as well as distribution of land and recruiting them in Afghanistan armed and police forces. Currently thousands of villages and hundreds of Afghan cities with poor security situations have been covered by the reintegration program and the potential negotiators – even the fake ones- are being granted packages of cash by government and relevant international institutions!

In a situation where increasing conflict and insecurity is overwhelming the country transition from conflict to peace and national reconciliation would be considered as a dominant dialogue. This is more than clear that peace is the precondition for every development and national reconciliation can also be institutionalized in close relation to justice. Building confidence, understanding and peace is linked to fair trial of major suspects of crimes against humanity, compensation to victims and restitution of their prestige.

Peace- talks can only reach a constructive result when parties to a conflict understand that their objectives can’t be achieved through military means. This situation would be created only when the insurgents are denied internal and external supports. As the result, one has to say that peace isn’t only a national agenda; it rather is an international and regional agenda. Thus, starting imperfect initiatives, curtained and short- term struggles aimed at short- term gains would be misguiding the public and would also endanger the country’s future.