Afghan Peace Is Fragile
By CARLOTTA GALL
New York Times -24th Feb 2003
KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 20 — More than a year into his mission here as United Nations special representative, Lakhdar Brahimi, the former foreign minister of Algeria and a veteran peacemaker in Afghanistan, has been warning people that the peace here is not yet irreversible.
As the prospect of war in Iraq looms, Mr. Brahimi predicts that in its current weak state, Afghanistan will not be able to withstand the buffeting from all sides. Activity by the Taliban and Al Qaeda has been increasing in the border areas and could garner more support as popular unease over a war in Iraq grows, he said.
But he says that the job is only half done and that full international support is still essential for its survival. Building the state has barely started. Afghanistan has no functioning national army, police force or judicial system yet — all projects that are dependent on foreign aid. A United Nations program for the disarmament and demobilization of armed fighters has not even begun. Reconstruction, essential to create jobs, has not yet reached a point at which it is having much of an effect.
On the political side, the Taliban have refused to accept defeat and still claim a right to rule. Other political parties and groups that were left out in the Bonn agreement are demanding a share of power, and there is interference from neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan.
Furthermore, this country of more than 20 million, mostly illiterate, unregistered citizens, is supposed to organize elections and vote 18 months from now for a new national leadership and constitution.
The United States-led coalition is still fighting a war against rebel forces in various parts of the country, while Mr. Brahimi is trying to manage peace efforts. This creates, in effect, two parallel outside powers in the country, and some United Nations officials complain that the aims of the American military seem to contradict the country's long-term needs for peace and reconciliation.
"If the support of the international community is there for another couple of years, and if our ideas concerning the national army are really moved forward," and then if a police force and a judiciary are created, then success is possible, he said. "And if to put — as it were — the roof over the house, we manage to organize a credible, fair, free election 18 months from now, you will have your state," he said.
Afghan Peace Is Fragile
By CARLOTTA GALL
New York Times -24th Feb 2003
KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 20 — More than a year into his mission here as United Nations special representative, Lakhdar Brahimi, the former foreign minister of Algeria and a veteran peacemaker in Afghanistan, has been warning people that the peace here is not yet irreversible.
As the prospect of war in Iraq looms, Mr. Brahimi predicts that in its current weak state, Afghanistan will not be able to withstand the buffeting from all sides. Activity by the Taliban and Al Qaeda has been increasing in the border areas and could garner more support as popular unease over a war in Iraq grows, he said.
But he says that the job is only half done and that full international support is still essential for its survival. Building the state has barely started. Afghanistan has no functioning national army, police force or judicial system yet — all projects that are dependent on foreign aid. A United Nations program for the disarmament and demobilization of armed fighters has not even begun. Reconstruction, essential to create jobs, has not yet reached a point at which it is having much of an effect.
On the political side, the Taliban have refused to accept defeat and still claim a right to rule. Other political parties and groups that were left out in the Bonn agreement are demanding a share of power, and there is interference from neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan.
Furthermore, this country of more than 20 million, mostly illiterate, unregistered citizens, is supposed to organize elections and vote 18 months from now for a new national leadership and constitution.
The United States-led coalition is still fighting a war against rebel forces in various parts of the country, while Mr. Brahimi is trying to manage peace efforts. This creates, in effect, two parallel outside powers in the country, and some United Nations officials complain that the aims of the American military seem to contradict the country's long-term needs for peace and reconciliation.
"If the support of the international community is there for another couple of years, and if our ideas concerning the national army are really moved forward," and then if a police force and a judiciary are created, then success is possible, he said. "And if to put — as it were — the roof over the house, we manage to organize a credible, fair, free election 18 months from now, you will have your state," he said.
