Nuristani elders want peace, development

28 Jul 2009

Nuristani elders want peace, development

KABUL - Village elders from the restive north eastern province of Nuristan have warned that the province will collapse unless urgent attention is paid to their concerns.

They want an increase in infrastructure development, economic development and combating insurgent activities.

Altogether eleven villager elders from Nuristan, one of the poorest Afghan provinces that is made up of mostly rugged mountains rich of minerals, told a meeting called by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in Kunar province, that the Government and the international community should pay special attention to the province before it collapses.

“If the government doesn’t care about this province now, it will collapse,” warned Haji Abdul Saboor from Kamdesh district. “Tomorrow, you will hear the worst and everything will be looted.”

They drew serious attention to the Government and the international community that security should be at the core of the 20 August presidential and provincial council elections.

While painting a grim picture of the province, Haji Wazir Shah from Bargimatal district, which was briefly captured by insurgents before they were driven from the area earlier this month, said people are losing trust and confidence with the Government.

“People supporting the government have been forced to leave their homes,” rued Mr Shah. “Convoys of insurgents move around freely in Parun and Bargimatal districts.”

On the elections, Modir Ainullah from Waigal district said the people in his district haven’t seen anyone deployed by the Independent Election Commission (IEC). Mr Saboor added no civic educator has reached his district to teach the people about the nitty-gritty of voting in the elections, which is being led by the Afghan authorities for the first time in last three decades.

Waigal elders said civic educators deployed by the IEC should contact them to have better access to all areas. They, however, expressed fear about protecting polling centres on Election Day.

While opening the meeting, Nahid Abuakar, the Head of UNAMA’s Eastern Regional Office, said one of the most important things for secured, credible, impartial and transparent elections is to have electoral security in place. “However, in case of Nuristan, the reality is different and bitter,” said Ms Abuakar.

Responding to Ms Abuakar’s question on how security can be assured for the elections, the tribal leaders said deployment of security forces and effective coordination by the Government with the local population would help.

Following a group discussion, the elders from Bargimatal – Mr Shah, Mawlawai Habibullah and Mawlawai Sayed Ahmed – said about 30,000 people in the district are in immediate need of emergency relief. They also demanded a development budget from the government’s National Solidarity Programme (NSP).

“All other areas growing poppies have received funds (under the poppy eradication programme),” the Bargimatal group complained in their conclusion. “Bargimatal never produced poppies and never received funds.”

Elders from Waigal district – Mr Ainullah, Haji Juma Gul and Haji Ghulam Safar – urged the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) to resume construction of a road connecting their district with Parun district. “NSP projects and PRT projects should be started in the district,” they said in their group presentation.

Representatives from Kamdesh district – Mr Saboor, Haji Abdul Ghafoor and Mawlawai Abdul Rahman – complained about the lack of attention of the Government and the international community to the province.

They also urged that more security personnel should be mobilized ahead of the elections. They sought UNAMA’s help in bridging the gap between the local population and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the Afghan National Security Forces.

The elders were very critical of “bombardments” of their areas by the international forces.

UNAMA’s Ms Abuakar assured the village elders that UN’s political mission in the country would be closely working with the Government authorities and international community “to get these issues addressed”.

“Some of the issues, such as development, employment and even security, cannot be addressed overnight,” said Ms Abuakar. “Therefore, I and my team will meet you regularly in the future inshallah to work together with you in this regard.”

While urging the elders to extend their support to the Government and “its effort for elections, peace and stability and prosperous Afghanistan”, Ms Abuakar said, “Let’s think what you can do as an individual, as tribal leaders and as a group to address some of these issues.”

Similar meetings will be held with village elders from Nangarhar, Laghman and Kunar soon.

By Tilak Pokharel and Shafiqullah Waak, UNAMA