News Release
Afghans Curious about Peace Process Question Rome Delegates

by Omar Samad

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 1999 - AAR - The Afghan version of a hastily arranged late Sunday morning community get-together lasted twice as long as expected and covered more topics than anticipated. More than 150 Afghans from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area gathered in the gymnasium of a Fairfax County, Virginia, High School this past weekend to hear four local Afghans and an Afghan-American observer - all of whom have recently returned from former Afghan King Mohammed Zahir's peace planning session in Rome - take questions and shed light on the prospects of Afghanistan's latest peace move. Even though the crowd's curiosity level was high, and the overwhelming majority adopted a resolution supportive of the new initiative, some left with more concerns for the fate of their embattled country  than with ready-made solutions.

Most of the questions and concerns revolved around the recent Rome meeting. The audience asked about delegate selection criteria, the internal Afghan factions' response, U.S. policy, Pakistan and Iran's role in the peace process, and future plans for the implementation of an emergency Loya Jirga (grand assembly). The former Afghan King wants to convene such a representative assembly inside Afghanistan to restore peace and tackle the thorny issues of a legitimate leadership and a transitional administration. More than 70 Afghans from all walks of life were invited to a three-day meeting in Rome on November 22 to draft a plan of action for the Loya Jirga.

The two main factions inside Afghanistan have so far had differing reactions to the peace initiative. The Taliban, supported by Pakistan, have rejected talks on the issue of leadership, and branded the peace move as foreign instigated. On the other hand, the anti-Taliban United Front alliance has welcomed any peace initiative that would restore the political rights of the people to freely decide the fate of the country. Iran, which backs the alliance, has not publicly opposed the process, but seems to have put its weight behind another peace initiative - commonly known as the Cyprus process. But there are indications that representatives of the two processes (Rome and Cyprus) have been in contact and will  continue a civil discourse in an attempt to avoid open confrontation. Given Pakistan's depth of involvement in Afghan affairs, that country's new leadership reaction has been even more ambiguous than previously stated. Islamabad, which officially recognizes the Taliban regime, has called for the establishment of a "broad-based, representative, multiethnic government" in Kabul, all-the-while maintaining that "a durable peace" can only be reached by taking into account "ground realities." Pakistan insists that about 90% of Afghanistan is under its Taliban ally's control.

But many Afghans, as demonstrated at Sunday's get-together, saw an analogy between the Soviet Union's claim of 100% control of Afghan territory back in the 1980's, and Pakistan's present claim. In both cases, speakers said, the occupation of land and territory does not translate into popular acceptance and legitimization of the regime. Dr. Zalmay Khalilzad, a former U.S. State and Defense Departments official, presently at the Rand Corporation, who attended the Rome meeting as an observer, noted that the U.S. policy of disengagement and growing disinterest in Afghan affairs since the Soviet withdrawal in1989 was a "mistake." But he added that U.S. attention is on the increase again, even though it's not clear to what extent. He called for increased activism and less infighting within the Afghan diaspora in order to build up "pressure" for the formulation of a  more coherent U.S. policy.

Many doubts existed in the audience about Iran and Pakistan's sincere role in helping bring about a   political settlement according to the wishes of the Afghan people. Pakistan's interventionist policy was of special concern. According to Khalilzad, "one cannot say for certain that both countries have concluded that peace is to their advantage." He warned, "there are still countries who wrongly follow the obsolete idea of expansionism and domination of their neighboring country." 

Dr. S.M. Rahin, the self-appointed moderator of the community gathering, pointed to past failed attempts by the United Nations, the Afghan factions and others to bring about peace, and urged all to support the former King's initiative as a means to reflect the people's will. Several questioners  in the audience also  asked about the "criteria" used to select delegates for past and future meetings as well as organizational modalities. Sultan M. Ghazi, a senior advisor to the former monarch, said that Zahir Shah's aim was, and will continue, to focus on bringing together a broad-based, multiethnic and, to the extent possible, freely elected representation of Afghans at such gatherings.

Dr. Zalmai Rassoul, the former King's spokesman told AAR on Saturday that the establishment of an executive work group responsible for carrying out the day-to-day duties of the process will be announced soon. Soon-to-be-announced delegations are also scheduled to visit the main Afghan factions and international players to discuss the Rome plan. "The main task ahead is how to convince the internal factions that they should opt for a peaceful settlement under the Loya Jirga umbrella," said Khalilzad. Panelists shared the general view that if the two main warring groups (UF and Taliban) agree to the proposals put forth by Zahir Shah, then the obstacles toward a representative, and even elected government, will gradually disappear. But most participants agreed that the Taliban's reluctance to discuss  high-level political issues will eventually require other methods to be applied over time. Others warned that the elements of timing and speed may determine the outcome of the peace process. 

The meeting was also instrumental in voicing out constructive criticism and practical proposals by panelists and listeners alike. Zohra Rasekh and Dr. Nadir Atash, two other panel members, focused on the lessons learned at the recent Rome meeting, as well as the future of the process itself. They explained how other important issues such as fair gender representation, education, human rights and economics among others, should be part of future deliberations in order to build a "system" to help move the process along. "We should not forget women who make up the majority of the Afghan society," said Rasekh, who added, "women's effective role in political decision-making bodies such as the Loya Jirga is critical, since the international community is also very much focused on the status of women and human rights in Afghanistan." Pointing to herself as an example, Rasekh said, "some people were even plotting against my participation in the Rome meeting." Atash emphasized on the need for cooperation and coordination among Afghans, using indigenous means and resources to further the cause, and avoid manipulations, monopolization and self-aggrandizement.

An informed source told AAR that some known groups and circles in the local community had purposely boycotted the Sunday meeting for reasons of rivalry. Others blamed poor and erroneous advertising for the less-than-expected turnout. The meeting, which lasted almost an hour longer than scheduled, ended with a show-of-hand in support of the Rome initiative. The audience, looking forward to breaking their fast during the current month of Ramadan, left with a mixture of hope and concern for a viable peace initiative that has just gotten off the ground. / [Azadi Afghan Radio - 12/15 - v.1]