(MENAFN- Afghanistan Times) By Mohammed Gul SAHIBBZADA
The recent deal among US Government representative, Afghan
Government and Taliban that led to prisoner swaps between Afghan Government and
Taliban can bea harbinger of positive engagement between Afghan Government and
Taliban insurgents in the ongoing peace process.Prisoners that were swapped
included two professors, Kevin King, a US national and Timothy Weeks, an
Australian national, who were teaching at American University of Afghanistan
(AUAF) in Kabul and were kidnaped by Taliban insurgents in August 2016. Afghan
Government released AnasHaqani, a senior Haqqani network operative and his two
comrades. Since the collapse of peace negotiation in September 2019 between US
Government and Taliban, this swap of prisoners has been major positive
development in Afghan peace talks.
For a stable and strong Afghanistan, it is important for
international community, NATO and the United States to extensively review their
current policies of engagement, which is mostly checkered by temptations to use
knee jerk events – that occur in isolation and under carefully choreographed
circumstances –to score points back at home, be them for election campaign or
else. Afghanistan situation is complex and needs carefully designed strategy to
find solutions and put an end to ongoing conflict. One of the many ways to do
this is to look at it as a separate project with multiple moving parts that
needs remedy, with consideration for local and regional sensitivities. Since
the start of peace talks, Afghan Government has released thousands of Taliban
insurgents just to show goodwill gesture to Taliban and create so called
'environment of trust' between the warring parties to engage in peace talks.
The latest swaps of prisoners – mentioned above – also carried out to 'create
trust' does not comply with logical sequence of release of prisoners in the
context of an acceptable peace process. Prisoner exchange should take place
only after warring parties agree on a guaranteed truce. Without a trustable
ceasefire, release of fighters of insurgents can only fuel more conflict and
give wrong singles such as weakness of conceding party i.e. Afghan Government
in this case.
Afghan Government was adamant in its stance not to swap or
release members of terrorist organization and had declared that 'release of
terrorists from prison was red line', but the latest swap of prisoners is a
clear contradiction and major change in Afghan Government position. Taliban
insurgents may interpret this move as weakness of Afghan Government and that
the US holds the strings that set directions for Afghan Government, and that is
why they will insist in NOT talking to Afghan Government. Though the lives of
professors are important should have been saved, release of high profile
individuals whose organization – the Haqani network – which has killed hundreds
of innocent people and military personnel of Afghan army and US / NATO military
personnel. The act of kidnapping ordinary citizens is a brazen act of
terrorism, and by the very nature of this prisoners swap, Taliban insurgents
will be encouraged to undertake such operations – kidnapping ordinary citizens
and then swapping them with high profile terrorists. This event may have great
importance for the White House due to upcoming presidential elections in that
country, but its repercussion will definitely remain for a long time in the
country.
It is critically important to buttress Afghan Government
position in the ongoing peace negotiation with Taliban insurgents, and the onus
of responsibility do this lies on Afghanistan's friends, international
community, NATO and in particular, the United States. Sidelining Afghan
Government in any peace negotiation would be tantamount to completeloss ofall
the gains made that were possible by spending hundreds of billions of dollars,
andshedding blood of thousands of Afghan, US and NATO during last almost two
decades. Not only the past gains will evaporate, a future that can accommodate
people's democratic values, freedom and hope will not exist, and the country
will once again slip into anarchism, civil war and will become harbor for
international terrorists. 'Lasting peace is possible when you are always ready
for war'. Afghanistan is at a cross road of a very important region, and a
strong, legitimate, acceptable to all and inclusive central government is the
only option to move forward to stabilize the country. Establishing many centers
of power across the country will become nuisance to all, and such development
will thwart all efforts to strengthen country's institutions, government system
and economy. Wars have taken a complete different shape after World War 2.
Super powers and regional rival countries chose a country – in particular a
failed state, such as Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon and / or Iraq – and flex
their muscles either to solve old scores or find niche for future benefits.
Last forty years of war has left deep scars in Afghan society due to endless
interferences of neighboring countries' intelligence agencies. Though last two
events during last two decades have paved the way for coming into being a
structured society, comparably functioning institutions and a civil society,
the people of Afghanistan will continue to need support – especially in
security, defense and policing sector so that the country once again stand on
its own feet.
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