The Afghan people hold the US administration responsible for the chaos ensuing in their country, a senior Afghan official said on Saturday.
In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency, Hamiduddin Yoldash, a deputy of the northeastern Takhar province, shed light on the future of the peace talks between the Taliban and the government, relations with Turkey, and the role of the US in Afghan politics.
Having been granted a scholarship by the Turks Abroad and Related Communities, Yoldash graduated from Selcuk University’s Faculty of Medicine.
Yoldash said that he returned to Afghanistan after completing his education in Turkey and served at the Justice Ministry for a while.
He participated in the health and infrastructure projects of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) until 2018.
He worked with several other charities, including the Istanbul-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH).
“We are currently sponsoring nearly 3,000 orphans in Afghanistan to continue their education and this number is increasing day by day,” Yoldash said.
He said they have built an orphanage in the capital Kabul in collaboration with the IHH. Nearly 20 students, who graduated from the orphanage, received education in Turkey.
He said the biggest problems plaguing Afghanistan are the psychological issues experienced by many people due to the long years of war and the inadequacy in the fields of infrastructure and education.
‘You cannot rule a country by importing bureaucrats’
He said that the ongoing wars and conflict since Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 had divided the country on ethnic lines.
He described the Taliban era as a “black box” for Afghanistan.
“You [Taliban] are taking over a country and stopping education. You shut down women in houses, completely disregarding women’s rights. You shut down televisions, everywhere, everything. Yet, you spread the footage of an evening execution to the whole world within an hour. There is a contradiction here,” he said.
Recalling that after the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2001, Afghanistan entered an 18-year period of democracy, he said. Democracy brought from outside, he added, without preparing suitable grounds for the Afghan people who are devoted to their traditions, customs and religion.
“You cannot govern the country by importing bureaucrats from abroad. This situation still continues. If the studies and projects from 2001 to 2021 were implemented properly, they would move Afghanistan to a very different place today,” he added.
He went on to say that all the aid to Afghanistan was unnecessarily spent. “The corruption puts the current government in this situation and brings it to the point of collapse,” he said.
‘Ethnicity dominates distribution of seats in Afghanistan parliament’
Explaining that there is no party system in his country, he said the candidates independently stand for elections and the elected deputies later form groups among themselves in the parliament.
Stressing that these groups continue their work among themselves, he said: “We will have more trouble before the ethnic conflicts in Afghanistan are over or a compromise is reached.”
Pointing out that ethnic affiliation outweighs political power in the distribution of seats in the parliament, he said that the ethnic groups which have the majority in the parliament, have a say and views are intensifying in their direction.
Commenting on the effective role that the parliament will play in shaping the future of Afghanistan, Yoldash said: “The most distinguished 250 people of Afghanistan were gathered under this roof. All of them were elected by the nation and sent to the parliament. The only institution that the nation can trust at the moment is the parliament. People have an expectation from here.”
‘Afghan people hold America responsible for chaos in country’
When asked whether the people in Afghanistan have confidence in politics, he said: “If I answer your question taking into consideration the 18 years and the current government, everyone already knows that the government is formed and supported by the Americans.”
“Americans have lost in Afghanistan. They never got what the Afghan people wanted and what they wanted. We have to accept this. On the other hand, people should stop doing politics over ethnic structures in Afghanistan. This is indispensable. If they say we will try to rule the country alone, the blood being shed for 40 years will not stop.”
Underlining that Afghan people must gather under the umbrella of a nation and an ummah to escape from the current situation, he said that they cannot get anywhere with tribalism.
“Now, first of all, Afghans do not trust America, which brought this system and settled it. They hold America responsible for today’s chaos and lack of security. The continuation of chaos in Afghanistan serves the purpose of someone and they want it to continue somehow,” he said.
‘Turkey has highest number of aid organizations in Afghanistan’
Upon bilateral relations, Yoldash said Turkey has always stood by Afghanistan.
“Turkey has the highest number of aid organizations in Afghanistan,” he said.
“We think that Turkey should be more active in Afghanistan and have the right to speak, to deal more closely with the events, even to give direction,” he added.
“A lot of countries make policy based on their own interests and benefits in Afghanistan. Turkey is the only country which stands by Afghans without any insidious plans. I think Turkey should be more active in Afghanistan to steer policy in a positive direction,” he said.
‘Taliban make peace talks more difficult’
He said that peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government are very important
“Taliban make these talks even more difficult. They stipulate very harsh conditions on issues such as regime and constitutional change, human rights, freedom of thought and women’s rights. They used to say: ‘Even if there is one foreign soldier in Afghanistan, we will not lay down arms’ but they made a deal with the Americans. They don’t have a thing against America for a year but they still continue to slaughter their own brothers. This is so sad and painful.
“What they (Taliban) say today does not match what they will say tomorrow. There is a discrepancy. They act according to whoever directs them, they do not have free will. They are not fighting for their free will and these people. A person with a conscience would have a little pity for those in that situation. They became so cruel.”
Yoldas added that the Afghan government should form a national council that will cover all segments of the community and draw the road map together to make peace talks more effective and comprehensive. He said that there must be unity to achieve a compromise.
When asked if reconciliation can be achieved in Afghanistan, he said: “If the Afghan government and the Taliban are given free will, compromise is possible.”
Emphasizing that a full cease-fire is absolutely necessary for reconciliation, he said that regional powers should not be ignored.
ANKARA
