Talibaner har goda förhoppningar om en framtid i Afghanistan

Det är nu över 10 år sedan som kriget av den USA-ledda attacken mot vad då angavs vara talibanerna i Afghanistan. Det blev som man inledningsvis förutspådde en stor framgång för de amerikanska styrkorna, talibanerna drevs från makten och de enade utländska styrkorna möttes av välvilja.

Men det var då, idag vet vi att det inte blev som vi förmodade, i dag är talibanerna tillbaka, och det finns ingen tendens till att de skulle backa tillbaks medan motståndet mot USA och de amerikanska soldaterna har ökat dramatiskt. Det finns ett allmänt och utbredd hat mot vad de står för.

Roland Lohr gen Stahl

Författare och journalist

28 februari 2014

Vi har tidigare kunnat höra självbelåtna amerikanska generaler att de uppnått sitt mål, ”genom att de lyckats driva ut talibanerna och att de snart är knäckta”. Sant är att talibanerna blivit tillbakapressade till de sydliga provinser som Kandahar och Helmand, provinser där talibanerna av tradition alltid varit starka. Men det mesta talar för att det mer handlar om en strategisk reträtt i väntan på att USA och övriga länder skall lämna landet i slutet av år 2014. I övrigt så har deras strategi fungerat och de har vunnit mark även i övriga provinser medan stödet för den redan svaga regeringen och USA har minskat stadigvarande.

Många av de oberoende källor talar samma språk, ”talibanerna” har väsentligen stärkt sin ställning, de har visat tålamod och fört en strategisk krigsföring mot ett alltför teknologiskt USA som har tappat intresse och har bråttom med att rädda sitt ansikte genom att dra sig ur kriget i landet. Men det är inte enbart i de södra och östra regionerna som talibanerna stärkt sin ställning utan de har genom sina allt oftare och förekommande terrorattackerna kring huvudstaden Kabul visat en allt starkare ställning. Men de har liksom i centrala landet även gjort viktiga inbrytningar i både västra och norra Afghanistan. Talibanerna har byggt ut sitt nätverk i samtliga 34 provinserna. Alla rapporter talar för en och samma sak att ” antalet våldsamma attacker har ökat betydligt och stadigvarande”. 

Det anses i dag från flera Afghanistankännare, däribland Anders Fänge, att ” fredståget har USA ur händerna, det finns ingen annan rimlig förklaring än att USA tvingas att lämna landet åter igen en gång i historien”.

En rimlig fråga att ställa är, varför kriget anses vara ett misslyckande?

För varje år som går så upprepas USA:s historia sedan de bestämde sig för att belägra Afghanistan 2001, och deras stöd, tillfälligt som det var har minskat år efter år. Deras huvudmål har varit att fördriva talibanerna och befria kvinnorna i landet från tyrannerna, att förstöra träningslägren som terrornätverket al-Qaida med dess dåvarande ledare Usama bin Ladin tillåtits ha på afghansk mark och att kunna tillfångata bin Ladin. Och jakten på bin Ladin och dess anhängare har varit ett av huvudspåren men trots miljontals dollar som har spenderats i detta onödiga krig så har civila som anhängare skoningslöst dödats, tips har belönats med dollar om de kunnat leda till ett gripande. I denna skoningslösa jakt som krävt många civilas liv har USA samarbetat med både knarkkungar och kriminella klanledare som krävt stora summor pengar och beväpning.

Alltsedan Amid Karzai kom till makten och fört den afghanska politiken under alla 10 åren så har det inte varit annat än en ”Karzaishow”.

Amerikanska och Nato ledda bombningar har avlöst varandra och har lett till att tusentals civila dödats, däribland oskyldiga barn och kvinnor. Dessa har genomförts på bristande kontroll av anfallsmakten oftast med principen ”shoot to kill”. Exemplen kan avlösa varandra och ofta bisarra som detta exempel som skedde 2008, där 47 människor mördades under en pågående bröllopsfest. När gästerna firade det nyblivna paret med gevärsskott i luften så antog USA att det var ett talibanfäste och svarade med att beordra in bombflyg för att släcka ned fästet med alla som fanns där. Misstaget var förödande men kan visa på vilka grunder ett bombanfall kan genomföras.

Men förtroendet har inte enbart minskat, USA har också ifrågasatts för att sända ut amerikanska specialtrupper på nattetid för att genomsöka civila hem på ett mycket brutalt sätt där även civila har tagits med till förhör. Många av vittnesmål beskriver förhören med tortyr och misshandel där vissa har lett till att de dödats under förhören. 

Det politiska skådespel 

Alltsedan Hamid Karzai tillsattes som interimspresident 2002 och senare valts i två presidentval så har han fört en politik under en mycket svag regering. Han har under tiden han fört sin ”Karzai-show” starkt kritiserats för fusk av olika slag men har trots detta lyckats att bli omvald. Efter det senaste parlamentsvalet 2010 så har en stor grupp bojkottat parlamentet efter att nio valda ledamöter bytts ut. Parlamentet har därefter bojkottats och inte varit beslutsmässigt vilket förlamat beslutsfattandet. Regeringen har varit svag under hela tiden och det finns en stor splittring efter det senaste valet.

90

procent, det är hur mycket av världens heroin som kommer från Afghanistan.

Vi, utländska aktörer, i första hand USA men även Pakistan, har under alla år spelat en viktig politisk roll i Afghanistan. Pakistan har däremot haft ett annat mål i sikte, de har alltid stöttat talibanerna för att behålla ett starkt inflytande i Afghanistan medan USA haft ett eget spår i sikte. Medan försök gjorts att skapa en dialog med talibanerna har dessa ofta störts och minskat kraften i övriga fredsförhandlingar.

Ett alltmer skenande problem som heroin innebär har inte varit en toppstyrd fråga. Jordbruk som sysselsätter mer än 60 % av befolkningen är inte längre den stora frågan, idag handlar det mesta om narkotikahandeln och biståndspengar. Det är här den stora ökningen i BNP finns.

"Värdet av opiumhandeln utgör mer än 50 procent av BNP enligt en FN-rapport, och 90 procent av världens heroin uppges komma från Afghanistan. Biståndspengar stod för 90 procent av alla utgifter i statsbudgeten".

Samtidigt som detta talar sitt tydliga språk så kom uppgifter om att Världsbanken och IMF avskrev lån till Afghanistan 2010 på 1,6 miljarder dollar. Men denna positiva internationella inställning till regeringen fick sig en rejäl knäck när det senare samma år visade sig att ägarna till ”Kabul bank” som har mycket nära band till regeringen, beviljat sig själva lån till lyxkonsumtion på ” 1 Miljard dollar”, utan någon säkerhet. Detta var ytterligare ett bevis på den enorma korruption som fanns och frodats i kretsen kring president Karzai. Och detta medan landet håller på att gå under, folket svälter, självmorden ökar som den enda utväg att slippa detta liv.

Utbildning och hälsovård  

Det var länge sedan Afghanistan har varit ett fritt land utan det har alltid funnits en större nation som velat förfoga över landet. Efter talibanregimens plötsliga maktövertagande 1996innebar detta en kraftig reducering av frihet. Flickor över åtta år förbjöds att gå i skolan men detta var enbart en av många restriktioner som befolkningen snart skulle förstå. 2001 gick färre än 1 miljon barn i skolan och knappast några flickor alls. Idag är siffran drygt 7 miljoner, varav 30% flickor.

En av de organisationer som verkar i Afghanistan är ”Svenska Afghanistankommittén” som lyckats bäst i landet sedan de startade sin verksamhet för över 30 år sedan. Sedan 2002 har de byggt 170 nya skolor, utbildat mer än 20 000 lärare och har mer än 120 000 deltagande barn, varav hela 52% flickor. Skolförhållandena varierar dock mycket starkt runtom i landet. Sämst är det i de södra regionerna som styrs av talibanerna, det är också här som villkoren är som sämst i landet. Här bränns skolorna istället för att byggas, här hotas lärare som familjer om de låter sina flickor att gå i skola.

Trots detta så Afghanistans sjukvård och skolor stora vinnare på det internationella engagemanget under 2000-talet, men fortfarande är det mesta undermålig. År 2002 hade var tionde afghan tillgång till vård, idag har den siffran stigit till åtta av 10. Barndödligheten tillhör fortfarande den högsta i världen, men förbättringar har gjorts på området och tendensen år positiv. Det är betydligt fler födda som upplever sin femårsdag jämfört med före invasionen. Både hygien och tillgång till rent vatten har förbättrats till det dubbla.

Talibaner ses som en av många hoten i landet för en framtida utveckling, men även här varierar talibangrupperna som olika former av problem. De som har en lokal förankring och som omger sig biståndsarbetare verksamma i området hälsar dem oftast välkomna. De ser nya skolor, sjukhus och vägbyggen som positiva förändringar. Den övriga gruppen, extrema och militanta talibaner oftast med utländska inslag är de som utför terrordåd. Det är de som understöds av bland annat pakistanska talibaner som vinner terräng över hela Afghanistan.

MORE CHILDREN DYING IN AFGHANISTAN IN A GROWING VIOLENCE

Children in Afghanistan are getting killed and wounded in Afghanistan's war. The figure jumped by 34 percent during 3013 while the Taliban stepped up attacks across the country. They continue to plant thousands of roadside bombs and seems to have no interest in talks to compromise. Overall civilian casualties were did rise 14 percent, reversing 2012's downward trend and making 2013 one of the deadliest years of the 12-year war for civilians. The new trend underscores mounting levels of violence in Afghanistan. Taliban insurgents have ramped up attacks, gaining ground and shake the Afghan government's confidence as international combat troops prepare to complete their withdrawal at the end of the year.

In a report from the U.N. Assistance Mission for Afghanistan it said that 2,959 civilians were killed in the war last year — including 561 children — and that an overall total of 5,656 were wounded. In the same report it also can be noted an alarming new trend for 2013 did appear. More civilians beeing harmed in fighting between the Taliban and the government forces.

2013 was the worst year where women and children, where most of the casualties caused by either stepping on or driving over roadside bombs or getting caught in fighting.

"It is the awful reality that most women and children were killed and injured in their daily lives — at home, on their way to school, working in the fields or traveling to a social event," they said.

The report blamed insurgents for 74 percent of the civilian casualties. It further says that international law prohibits indiscriminate attacks and targeted assassinations of civilians. Afghan police and army were responsible for 8 percent of the casualties and international coalition forces for 3 percent, the report said. Roadside bombs laid by pro-Taliban forces again caused most civilian casualties, accounting for 34 percent of deaths and injuries last year, while crossfire in battle accounted for 27 percent. Suicide attacks accounted for 15 percent of overall casualties, targeted attacks made up 14 percent and pro-government air raids were responsible for 2 percent.

2013 has caused the highest number of combined casualties since documenting began in 2009 after a sharp rise in violence. Not surprising the deadliest year of the war was 2011, when 3,133 civilians died as the Taliban launched a fierce pushback with roadside bombs and other attacks against the increased number of international forces who wrested back much of the territory controlled by the insurgents.

No matter what we will do, more money and gunpowder, we are not changing the problem in the country. Isn´t it time to change the strategy?

Captured as 8-year old Spozhmay

Captured as 8-year old Spozhmay attemted to detonate a suicide vest out a police station in Helmand, Afghanistan

     At the beginning of this year I heard about the story of this little girl named Spozhmay, just 8 year old. She has been detained of wearing a suicide vest but was stopped by Afghan police while she was on the way to carry out a deadly attack on a border police station in southern Helmand province. The girl is reported to be the sister of a prominent Taliban commander.

     

The girl said to be in shock and confusion, and said in a statement that her brother, a local Taliban commander had sent her on the mission. One of the afghan soldiers has spotted her wearing a suicide jacket, but was arrested before she could carry out the attack as she struggled to operate the detonator. This has saved many peoples life including her´s. Today she has been transfered to the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah. Her brother will propably be out and watching after her, to renew another attack.

     In 2011 an eight- year old girl died after she was tricked into carrying a concealed bomb, close to a police vehicle, where it was remotely detonated. In july last year it emergerged that Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan are bribing starving children as young as 6-8 years old to plant deadly roadside booby traps, be decoys in ambushes and even act as suicide bombers. Despite the islamic fundamentalists, claiming of not using children in their ranks, extremists have been very actively recruiting orphaned and homeless young boys, train them to suing guns, improvising explosive devices (IED) and suicide vests. In return they offering them sweets and chocolote and sometimes som coins.

     An afghan boy of the age 8 was promised a handful of coins by Taliban gighters to convert him to their cause. The boy had been tending his father’s flock of sheep when coalition forces bombed his village. ”The Taliban were hiding in our house when a helicopter came and bombed us,” my father was hit in his head and heart while he was torn apart and my mother was hit and died het old, and now I have none. He was in the aftermath of the raid kidnapped by Taliban leaders, taken to a nearby village and shown how to use guns and make IED:s. They became to be his new family, they plied him with food and sweets and initally he was delighted when they said they were brig him an extra special gift – a suicide vest packed with bullets and grenades.

     Another story is about a five year old boy, who was trained to fire guns by extremists in Afghanistan. Het old that ”They made me try it on. The grenades went all around my body and then they offered me the coins (50 Afghanis)”. They told me the nto blow myself up at a checkpoint. They told me that I will go to heaven, to a better world with angels. He finally woke up and escaped, walked 9 miles to turn himself in at a police station, now at the age of 10 he lives in an orphanage in Lashkar Gah, but other children are less fortunate. Today they are 224 children in prison only in Helmand and Ghazni, arrested for planning or carrying out attacks.     

WORTH NOTHING - BUT AS CHILDREN FOR PLEASURE OR AS DEAD FOR THEIR ORGANS - THEY ARE WORTH A FORTUNE!

Afghanistan has many difficulties beside the present situation with a ongoing war, with the growing movement of the Taliban and an ongoing disagreement with the United States about Afghanistans affaires.

In this matter children remain to be the most vulnerable and delicate balance of a society, but not in Afghanistan, here they can be sacrificed in many forms. When we are talking about a society children are the foundation stone of a dream of a culture as well as a community that a society represents. Most of the democratic countries considers them to be the building bricks on which the society grows, whereas some considers them to be ”elements of pleasure, cheap labour and entertainment.” If such situation prevails in a community, such society suffers from the worst degenerative disease ever dreamt of, and Afghanistan is only one exampel of that. ”Trafficking” amongst children, girls and boys has turned to be one major menaces of a developing society. It has turned into one of the major breeding grounds after the illeagal narcotics trafficking in the already war torned and socio-economivally dilapidated nation.

    

Using children as an element for pleasure and entertainment, as an one of many tradtitons is not legal and had been banned by the Taliban administrators after 1996. In some reports, in places like Bano has given that even ”occupying forces” from the west had been taking ecources to such pleasures and entertainment 2001.
It did not show that they have been using them in sexual services. It is today more common that afghan children are beeing kidnapped on their way to school or while playing in parks or playgrounds. Even the Afghan interior minister has given that impression, that both boys and girls are abducted for both domestic and international markets, to be used for sex and labor, or now lately to provide ”human organs.” The children who are abducted, boys and girls, are kidnapped for different reason, pleasure, cheap labor or now lately of selling their organs to the international market. There is a lack of information, the cleverness of the abducters and their growing network increases abduction cases all over Afghanistan.

     Even if they got caught, they are released very soon after that with no prosecution, they are rich and very powerful. Afghnaistan and the world had changed quite a lot since 2001 and Afghanistan will surely remain to be in the back burner of the international media while the U.S running arround, having drones sent to this area to hunt al-Qaeda and Taliban operatives. Until such markets are beeing checked, corruption fighted and a functional legal system constructed we will see no changes. Short term and cosmetic changes will rather strengthen their situation and the evil child trafficking in Afghanistan.   

The limped Afghanistan - A limped society

There are many incidents, occasions and surprises in a country like Afghanistan. Naturally curious childre like to pick up strange objects, such as toy like butterfly mines that Soviet forces plant by millions all over Afghanistan. Beside all misstreatments against children and women, torture and all vilolences landmines representing, ”an insidious and persistent danger" to children and others affected by a war without an end. Endless because of the country geo political situation and that the United States declared the global war of terrorism with Afghanistan as the central part in Central asia.

    

Landmines is a serious problem in Afghanistan and children are particularly vulnerable to them in a number of ways. A first question is why did the Soviet planted them all over the country at all, and secondly who is responsible for all human damages that has resulted?

     Children in Afghanistan are as often too young and illiterate, and signs telling them of the presence of mines are useless. Also, children are far more likely to die from their mine injuries than adults. Of those children who survive, few will receive prostheses that keep up with the continued growth of their stunted limbs, and they are for ever restricted to their future. They will be depended to help the rest of their lives.

      There is a big need physical rehabilitation programmes and a mine clearance, something that the Russian society should urge to participate in as the planter. Above all, we should push for enact immediate legislation banning the production as we do with chemical weapins including the use, trade and stockpiling of land-mines. A support of a worldwide campaign on ban of this should be supported from all.

"Land-mines” are uniquely savage in the history of modern conventional warfare not only because of their appalling individual impact, but also their long-term social and economic destruction. Afghanistan is only one among least 68 countries threatened todays children and future.

     Over 110 million land-mines of various types, millions more unexploded bombs, shells and grenades, remain today hidden around the world, waiting to be triggered by the innocent and unsuspecting landmines pose particular dangers for children.    Naturally curious children are likely to pick up strange objects, such as the infamous toy-like ”butterfly” mines that Soviet forces spread by the millions in Afghanistan. They, who manage to survive explosions are likely to be more seriously injured than adults, and often permanently disabled. Even if a child's bones grow faster, a wound may require repeated amputation and a new artificial limb as often as every six months. Although the prosthesis is not likely to be available, otherd demands for medical services also mean that children injured by mines seldom receive the care they deserve.

     Land-mines destruction of Afghanistans children also strike at a war-torn country's reconstruction and development. Mining of agricultural land has led to malnutrition, famine and starvation. Mines laid along roads and tracks prevent the safe repatriation of refugees and impede the delivery of aid. "Clearing a field of mines gives life back to a local community, it gives people the chance to grow their own crops rather than rely on international assistance, it restores human dignity and promotes human security. Protecting children from these deadly threats, land mines, calls for a najor commitment to large scale mine clearance and the development of programme for mine awareness and physical rehabilitation, no matter what it should be a main question for a country who planted them. Russia should offer more help for the afghan people as they are the ground of this damage. Afghanistan has not the ability, nor the knowldge of mine clearance it is dependant on the international community. Mine removal is a lengthy and expensive business. Weapons that cost as little as $3 each to manufacture can cost up to $1,000 to remove. Land-mines can be blithely spread at rates of over 1,000 per minute, but it may take a skilled expert an entire day just to clear by hand 20-50 square metres of mine-contaminated land.

Time is going very slow, first organized de-mining operation by UN began in Afghanistan in 1990 with a single 24-man local team, today, more than 20 year later it has 3,000 Afghan de-miners on 48 clearance crews, along with 16 mine awareness teams. This is not enough, each day children women and men including international soldiers are victims of these planted landmines by Soviet. Is it not a normal requirement to Russia and Mr Putin that they are mor helpful for clearance of their own landmines? Is their no recognation of the problem from Mr Putin for all limped children, destroying their future by loosing arms, legns, eyes etc….

    But there are not only local people suffering from the war and the landmines, on example is the bravery war photographer ”Giles Duley” who lost three limps after stepping on a landmine in Afghanistan. Bu the did retur nto the country to document plight of wounded locals. In his own words it meant,

”For me documentary photography has always come with great responsibility. Not just to tell the story honestly and with empathy, but also to make sure the right people hear it. When you photograph somebody who is in pain or discomfort, they trust you to make sure the images will act as their advocate. 'Of all the stories I’ve documented, the recent work on civilian casualties in Afghanistan and the impact of landmines has felt the most important. Many of those I photographed said to me, "when you get home, show your ministers what is happening here". That has always been my ultimate goal.

'This is the first time I’ve really felt like I’ve fully completed my task as a photographer. I hope those that have trusted me with their stories will feel the same.'

Pictures and his story among others make giv eus eample of danger and importance of the present situation in Afghanistan. The solution is not the gunpower, it is rather help changing te country old pattern with social, financial and education.