Afghanistan Conflict Monitor

2009 Yearbook on Peace Processes: Afghanistan

Vicenç Fisas, '2009 Yearbook on Peace Processes: Afghanistan', Escola de Cultura de Pau, June 2009, p. 127-131

EXCERPT: "In May 1988, the United Nations created the United Nations Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan (UNGOMAP), whose mandate came to an end in March 1990. Its mission included supervising the withdrawal of the Soviet troops. As a result of the Bonn Agreement signed in December 2001, the Interim Authority was created. The process started in Bonn in 2001 culminated in September with elections for the National Assembly (Wolesi Jirga) and the provincial councils. Nevertheless, as Amnesty International pointed out at the time, many of the candidates running in the elections – which were tarnished by a climate of intimidation prior to the voting – were factional chiefs, many of whom had been accused of committing human rights abuses, which led to widespread consternation among the citizens. Women were guaranteed at least one-fourth of the seats in the Wolesi Jirga, yet they nonetheless came upon social and administrative barriers. The low voter turnout, especially in Kabul, cast doubts on the legitimacy of the electoral process. Since then, NATO has kept a military mission called the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, made up of 41,000 troops from 38 countries, 15,000 of whom are American, with a United Nations mandate."

To continue reading the report, click here [pdf].

Afghanistan: Looking Forward

Ronald E. Neumann, 'Afghanistan: Looking Forward', The Centre for International Governance Innovation, 30 June 2009

EXCERPT: "Much of the current debate among scholars and practitioners surrounding the growing Afghan crisis has centered on international policy and strategy. Before the ink was dry on the London Compact and the Afghan National Development Strategy, many observers were calling for course adjustments and policy reviews. Ambassador Ronald E. Neumann, in this first edition of CIGI's Afghanistan Papers series, acknowledges the flaws in the current strategies for Afghanistan's transition but calls for a greater focus on implementation. More attention must be dedicated to practical implementation issues such as stakeholder coordination and aid delivery structures. Changes in policy and strategy alone cannot subdue an insurgency or jumpstart a flagging state-building process; this will take a renewed focus on the authorities, practices and resources needed to produce substantive impacts on the ground. In surveying a broad range of critical issues from the development of the Afghan national security forces to good governance promotion, Neumann offers insights on how to improve policy implementation in Afghanistan."

To continue reading the paper, click here [pdf].

See also:
'Interview: McChrystal says solution in Afghanistan is developing governance', Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, 30 June 2009

Related posts:
'Assessment of corruption in Afghanistan', 22 May 2009
'Afghanistan in 2009: The first quarter', 5 May 2009
'"Seeds of democracy have been sown": Report', 24 March 2009
'New US administration, new directions', 13 March 2009
'Progress toward security and stability in Afghanistan', 2 February 2009

Voters Lose Trust In Afghan Poll: ARM

'Rights Group Says Voters Lose Trust In Afghan Poll', Reuters, 30 June 2009

EXCERPT: "Afghanistan's voters were fast losing trust in an electoral process dominated by 'criminals and warlords' running in August's presidential poll, an Afghan human rights watchdog said on Tuesday. Afghanistan Rights Monitor (ARM), an independent group which says it receives donations from scholars, journalists and other individuals, also criticised President Hamid Karzai for choosing former guerrilla leaders as his two running mates. Afghanistan's second direct presidential vote, on Aug. 20, is seen as a crucial period for both Kabul and Washington, with violence in Afghanistan reaching its worst levels since the Taliban were ousted after a U.S.-led invasion in 2001. Some 90,000 NATO and U.S.-led troops are fighting a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan as part of U.S. President Barack Obama's new regional strategy to defeat al Qaeda and its allies. ARM said in a report the Afghan people were losing trust in the election because they see 'the entire process dominated by criminals, warlords' and other obscure forces. Forty candidates, many of them little-known, are challenging Karzai."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Afghan group slams Karzai's "warlord" vote ticket', AFP, 30 June 2009
'Campaigner for presidential candidate survives life threat in North Afghanistan', China View, 30 June 2009
'Karzai urges Taliban to cast votes', The New York Times, 27 June 2009

Related posts:
'Afghanistan's election challenges', 25 June 2009
'Afghans name Karzai "most trusted": Poll', 22 June 2009
'Karzai accused of alliance with warlords', 16 June 2009
'Afghan public opinion and the Afghan war', 14 April 2009
'Afghan people "losing confidence"', 9 February 2009

Taliban Scrap Peace Deal In Pakistan Tribal Area

'Taliban Scrap Peace Deal In Pakistan Tribal Area', The Associated Press, 30 June 2009

EXCERPT: "Taliban militants in a tribal region bordering Afghanistan say they have pulled out of a peace deal with the government, raising the prospect of wider unrest as the Pakistani army extends its efforts to eliminate insurgents. The militants in North Waziristan blamed continuing U.S. missile strikes and army offensives against the Taliban for their decision, which was announced in the wake of a Taliban ambush that killed 16 soldiers. Separately, a car bombing Tuesday struck trucks taking supplies to Western troops in Afghanistan, killing four people in Pakistan's southwest, police said. No one claimed responsibility for the explosion in Baluchistan province, but militants have frequently targeted supply trucks for U.S. and NATO troops that travel through Pakistani territory. Government leaders and Taliban representatives reached the North Waziristan peace accord in February 2008, but few details have been released about it."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Who are the Pakistan Taliban?', The Globe and Mail, 29 June 2009
'Support for Pakistan's anti-Taliban war seen solid', Reuters, 29 June 2009
'Pakistan says Taliban supplied with guns, cash from Afghanistan', Bloomberg, 25 June 2009
'A difficult road ahead', DAWN, 25 June 2009
'Pakistan face tough Taliban foe in tribal belt', AFP, 15 June 2009

Related posts:
'Pakistan-Afghanistan introduce new border security', 8 May 2009
'Taliban threatens spring offensive', 29 April 2009
'The dynamics of "AfPak" conflict', 23 April 2009
'Reconciling with the Taliban?', 13 April 2009
'Afghans face obstacles in securing Pakistan border', 4 March 2009

Role of Religion in Afghan Politics

Prakhar Sharma, 'Role of Religion in Afghan Politics: Evolution and Key Trends', The Henry L. Stimson Center, 1 April 2009

EXCERPT: "Afghanistan faces a serious crisis of political stability, threatening its modest development gains, the survival of its government, and the interests of the West and the international community. In order to meet these challenges, the country will need broad social unity and should therefore avoid alienating important bodies of opinion wherever possible. Integrating religious leadership into the political mainstream is essential to the viability and stability of the country's continued transition into a free and democratic political order. Equally important is to give religious practice an outlet in other aspects of public life, such as education. Interviews with locals in six different provinces including Kabul, indicate a growing frustration with the government's lack of effort in integrating religious leaders into the political process. Showing respect for Islam can play a key role in building political legitimacy in a country whose population is overwhelmingly Muslim. Madrassas, or religious schools, are also a contentious issue. There is a concern in Afghanistan and among its Western supporters, that madrassas could be fostering antidemocratic or even terrorist ideologies. However, several nationwide surveys conducted during the last three years reveal the importance that the populace accords to education and the accepted prevalence of religion in education."

To continue reading the article, click here [pdf].

Russia Ready For More NATO Cargo Transits

'Russia Ready For More NATO Cargo Transits', RIA Novosti, 29 June 2009

EXCERPT: "Russia is ready to extend the transit of military cargoes through Russia to other key member nations of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, a deputy foreign minister has said. Russia already has bilateral transit deals with Germany, France and Spain, and Moscow also signed an agreement with NATO in 2008 on rail transits of non-lethal supplies to Afghanistan. 'As for military transits, we have signed agreements with Germany, France and Spain. We are also considering a request from Italy,' Alexander Grushko told a news conference late on Sunday after an informal meeting of the Russia-NATO Council. Due to worsening security on the main land route from Pakistan, NATO is seeking alternative routes to supply the U.S.-dominated ISAF in Afghanistan."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Afghanistan: A problem shared by Russia, US', RIA Novosti, 29 June 2009
'Russian Federal Drug Control Agency links NATO rights to drug war', The Moscow Times, 29 June 2009
'Flood of Afghan heroin fuels drug plague in Russia', Kansas City Star, 29 June 2009

Related posts:
'Russia threatens to stop cargo as heroin flows', 26 June 2009
'Russia-NATO agree on Afghan routes', 30 January 2009
'US military eyes alarming spike in attacks on supply convoys', 22 December 2008
'NATO making progress on Afghanistan rail route', 5 May 2008

US Reverses Afghan Drug Policy

'US Reverses Afghan Drug Policy, Eyes August Vote', Reuters, 27 June 2009

EXCERPT: "Washington is to dramatically overhaul its Afghan anti-drug strategy, phasing out opium poppy eradication, the U.S. envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan told allies on Saturday. Richard Holbrooke, attending a G8 conference on stabilising Afghanistan, also discussed efforts to support its Aug. 20 election. Washington has nearly doubled its troops to combat a growing Taliban insurgency and provide security for the vote. 'The Western policies against the opium crop, the poppy crop, have been a failure. They did not result in any damage to the Taliban, but they put farmers out of work,' Holbrooke told Reuters after a series of bilateral meetings in Italy. The emphasis would instead be on intercepting drugs and chemicals used to make them, and going after drug lords. He said some crop eradication may still be allowed, but only in limited areas. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Holbrooke told delegates the United States planned to cut back funding for eradication while allocating several hundred million dollars to support legal crop cultivation. The head of the U.N. Office of Drugs and Crime, told Reuters the old U.S. eradication strategy had been 'a sad joke'."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Money for the Taliban - OpEd', DAWN, 29 June 2009
'Afghan minister says drug strategy is "perfect"', The Associated Press, 29 June 2009
'Britain to continue poppy eradication in Afghanistan despite US reversal', The Telegraph, 28 June 2009
'Iran should help drug-fighting efforts in Afghanistan: Italy', AFP, 27 June 2009

Related posts:
'US troops seize 16.5 tons of drugs', 21 May 2009
'40-fold drug surge in Afghanistan: Report', 11 May 2009
'Afghan anti-drug effort needs big boost', 29 April 2009
'Afghanistan's opium poppies: No quick fixes', 19 June 2008
'NATO urged to do more for Afghan drugs problem', 13 May 2008

Kandahar Police Chief Dies In Shootout

'Kandahar Police Chief Dies In Shootout', CBC News, 29 June 2009

EXCERPT: "Kandahar's provincial police chief and nine other police officials died on Monday in a gun battle at an Afghan government complex. Later, the governor of Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province said 41 private security guards were arrested. Gov. Thoryalai Wesa said the guards had been disarmed and will be sent to Kabul for a military trial. Gunfire broke out as private security guards moved into a government complex and demanded the release of a man being held in custody. Police Chief Matiullah Qati was among 10 officers killed outside the attorney general's office in Kandahar, officials said. The provincial head of the criminal investigations department, Abdul Khaliq Hamdard, also died, officials said. Afghan President Hamid Karzai said the private security guards involved in the battle were working for U.S. coalition forces and demanded they be handed over. Karzai is currently on the election trail and has been mounting his campaign around demanding the U.S. pull back from the ferocity of its attacks for the sake of citizens."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Afghan guards arrested over police chief shooting', The Telegraph, 29 June 2009
'Afghan president asks coalition to hand over those involved in shooting', China View, 29 June 2009

Related posts:
'Canada secretly arms Afghan security guards', 17 June 2009
'Surge of private security in Afghanistan', 23 March 2009
'As Afghanistan hots up, private security moves in', 28 January 2009

Afghan Security Obstacles "Interconnected": UNSG

'Afghanistan’s Security Obstacles "Interconnected," Ban Says', UN News Centre, 26 June 2009

EXCERPT: "Drug trafficking, organized crime and terrorism are among the 'interconnected' security challenges Afghanistan faces, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, calling on the international community to continue supporting the South Asian nation’s efforts to move towards a better future. 'These ills bring violence into the lives of everyday Afghans,' Mr. Ban said at an informal regional meeting on Afghanistan of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations, held in Trieste, Italy. The fighting in Afghanistan is at its most intense since 2001, according to a new report by Mr. Ban that was made public today, as the country gears towards its presidential and provincial council elections slated for August. The first quarter of 2009 has witnessed a 43 per cent surge in security incidents compared to the same period last year due to ever-frequent clashes in the south and the east, while insurgent activities in previously stable areas, especially in the north, are also on the upswing."

To continue reading the article, click here.
To read the Report of the Secretary General on the Situation in Afghanistan and its Implications for International Peace and Security (2009), click here [pdf].

See also:
'G8 foreign ministers lament Afghan corruption', The Associated Press, 26 June 2009

Related posts:
'UNSC extends Afghanistan mission', 23 March 2009
'Upcoming changes to the drug-insurgency nexus', 23 January 2009
'Worsening security threatens Afghan elections', 7 October 2008
'UN official urges regional cooperation to stabilize Afghanistan', 3 July 2008

Backing Women's Rights Deadly For Officials

'Backing Women's Rights A Deadly Job For Afghan Government Official', The Canadian Press, 26 June 2009

EXCERPT: "In a country where politicians debate legalizing rape in marriage and many consider women third-class citizens, sticking up for their rights can be deadly. 'It's one of the most dangerous jobs in Kandahar,' said Rona Tareen, director of the Women's Association of Kandahar. 'Opposition groups frequently threaten us. At each step, we face problems here, we face threats.' Tragically, the threats are not idle. Her predecessor, Safia Amajan, was assassinated on her way to work in September 2006. Last month, four gunmen on two motorcycles shot and killed Sitara Achakzai outside her Kandahar home. Achakzai, who worked under Tareen, had been a vocal women's-rights activist. In both cases, the Taliban claimed responsibility. Such attacks are not isolated incidents."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'US ambassador demands justice for Afghan women', AFP, 26 June 2009
'Afghan girl burned by white phosphorus heads home', The Associated Press, 24 June 2009

Related posts:
'First Afghan woman mayor says women's rights worsened', 14 January 2009
'Female leaders say prominent jobs are deadly', 4 December 2008
'Living female in Afghanistan', 17 July 2008
'Women and human security: The case of post-conflict Afghanistan', 26 October 2007