Things to be done before resumption of peace talks with Taliban

Tuesday, 06 June 2017 04:07 Written by Heart of Asia Read 286 times

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Kabul is playing host to an international conference on Afghan peace and stability today. The participants of the meeting, the Kabul Process, will discuss ways how to restore peace to Afghanistan. Afghan government has said the Kabul Process will be different than other conferences on peace, and coordinate peace efforts. While this initiative is apparently the continuation of consultative meetings on Afghan peace in Moscow, the National Unity Government (NUG) says there will be some changes in it. Even there are unconfirmed reports that Afghan government will also share with the international community evidence of Pakistan’s support to the militants.

Every effort for peace is welcome; however, there was and is a need for a unified stance between government leaders and Kabul-based political movements before any important talks about peace with the militants and the Kabul Process. In case of persistence of the tenuous political posture in Kabul, the Kabul Process can also end up in failure as previous peace initiatives, so it is hoped it doesn’t happen.

To make the peace parleys a success, the National Unity Government needs to embrace a strong stance in Kabul. To this end, the first step is ensure coordination between government and the various government actors, political parties and influential figures. If the government comes to a negotiating table with the militants without a strong political consensus in Kabul, not only it won’t have an opportunity to appropriately protect the interests of Afghan nation, the process can also be faced with challenges by some political circles. Also, a divided government stance erodes the militants’ trust in peace talks, which will only result in the withdrawal of militants from peace negotiations. Thus, prior to any kind of dialogues with the insurgents and taking into account the need for political consensus, the government should work on some strategies soon after the first meeting of the Kabul process that can help bring unanimity to the government. In such circumstances, Loya Jirga is mostly viewed as the only means to bring unanimity and legitimacy to the government, which the government should not forget as an important option.

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Nangarhar security craving keen attention

Nangarhar was considered one of the country’s most secure provinces until a few years back. In addition to the capital of this eastern province, many of its districts were safer than other areas of the country. Although located on the border with Pakistan -- the Taliban’s main backer, the militants were not able to gain as much foothold as in other provinces. After 2014 when reports of Daesh’s emergence in the province surfaced, the security situation in the province has been deteriorating. Besides districts, now Jalalabad as one of the country’s major population centers is faced with serious security challenges.
Two things simultaneously threaten Nangarhar security. The insurgents – both Taliban and Daesh – on the one hand, and irresponsible armed men and mafia networks on the other hand have turned the province into a hell for its residents. Militant activities are not limited to only this province; it is a common issue across the country, which the government has unfortunately failed to tackle. If the government has strong will, it can curb the issue of irresponsible armed men and racketeers with its existing resources. If the government clears the path for fight against corruption and proper utilization of existing potential by purging regional administrations of mafia, it can confront at least this menace.
The cause of the recent spate of violence and insecurity in Jalalabad is irresponsible gunmen and mafia networks. Doctors in Jalalabad have gone on strike for the last few days, saying they are threatened. They claim that two doctors have been killed, a number of them have been kidnapped, and tens more have been intimidated over the last six months for refusing to pay money to racketeers. The striking doctors have given the government ten days to take concrete actions for their security, or else they will quit their jobs.
The government may fabricate pretexts for the continuation of militant activities, yet it cannot find any justification for the threats faced by doctors in Jalalabad city. Despite the complaints of doctors, the central government unfortunately has not taken satisfactory measures, and paid keen attention to issue. The government has to pay undivided attention to the life threats faced by doctors, and not allow this class, which is needed more than ever in the society given the country’s critical situation to suspend their operation.