Features
Afghan peace effort enters new qualitative phase
It’s just not the stepped-up interest that neighbouring countries such as India are showing in the Afghan situation that’s most notable about on-going efforts to bring peace to the bloodied South-west Asian country. It is also the fact that the Afghan government and the Taliban are now in direct talks to break the peace gridlock that makes the process to bring a measure of stability to Afghanistan particularly absorbing.
The encouraging news is that one-time antagonists, the Afghan government and the Taliban, are now in direct talks in Doha in a qualitatively new and upgraded peace effort to bring peace to Afghanistan, with the US continuing with its facilitatory role. It’s with one’s enemy that one talks peace and this is what is happening in Afghanistan, which has been ‘bleeding white’ since the Soviet invasion of 1979. It is far too early to wax optimistic over developments in Afghanistan but the news that one-time enemies are finally talking is most heartening to those who have Afghanistan’s interests at heart.
The seemingly unrelenting Afghan conflict testifies, among other things, to an unprecedented and exceptional degree of internationalization. It is this fact that has rendered the conflict notoriously unresolvable over the years. Numerous neighbouring and extra-regional powers have had a stake in developments in Afghanistan and this fact has compounded the tragedy which is Afghanistan.
Accordingly, if Afghanistan is to have even a measure of peace it would need to be predicated upon all external stake holders seeing eye-to-eye on what should constitute peace in the country. Needless to say, an uphill challenge awaits those seeking to see an end to Afghanistan’s suffering. From this it follows that if durable peace is to be had in Afghanistan it will have to be an international exercise, although much could be gained by the main domestic parties talking to each other.
The major key to understanding the high degree of internationalization in Afghanistan is the latter’s strategic and sensitive location in the South-west Asian region. Afghanistan could be said to be at the intersection of West Asia, Central Asia and South Asia, all of which are of immense interest to the world from numerous viewpoints. It is plain to see that a power which has control and influence over Afghanistan would be in a position to gain access to the regions just mentioned and fashion developments in those regions in accordance with its strategic and other interests. This accounts for the fact that both the US and Russia have been keen to have controlling influence over Afghanistan over the decades.
However, to the extent to which Afghanistan continues to be coveted by both regional and extra-regional powers, to the same degree would it be difficult to negotiate an end to Afghanistan’s blood-letting. After all, many of these external quarters could be expected to be at cross purposes in Afghanistan.
For Afghanistan’s immediate neighbours, such as India, Pakistan and China, security issues stemming from militant activity within Afghanistan are of principal interest. There is Islamic militancy, for example, that has its roots in religious fundamentalist groups operating within Afghanistan, that is seen by India and China, for instance, as having security implications for them.
As a matter of interest it must be noted that security cooperation between India and Afghanistan is nothing new. For instance, the countries signed a Security Cooperation Agreement in 2011, which envisaged, among other things, the training of the Afghan armed forces and police by India, besides the provision by India of military assistance to Afghanistan.
Likewise, China sees it to be in her interest to cooperate in the security field with Afghanistan. The latter is China’s veritable gateway to the Middle East and the Gulf and it would be in China’s economic interest to keep security cooperation with Afghanistan going. Besides, Afghanistan is part of the ancient Silk Route.
For Pakistan too, security cooperation with Afghanistan is a prime concern from the point of view of securing her borders with the latter and sustaining her economic corridor with China, which has been vital from the economic growth viewpoint.
For the above reasons and more, the Afghan conflict ought to be seen as perhaps the most internationalized of war zones of the South. Bringing complete stability to Afghanistan hinges on the multiplicity of external players mentioned above coming together and working single-mindedly towards peace. Given the diversity of interests of these states, how swiftly could normalcy be arrived at? This is the question.
Maybe, the UN should occupy centre stage once more in these peace efforts. Its mediatory role should centre on narrowing these differences among the multiplicity of interested external quarters, to the degree possible. However, the factors internal to Afghanistan that have been hampering peace over the years ought to be managed with equal urgency. Essentially, this revolves around strengthening the democratic process and culture within Afghanistan.
Over the decades, identity politics have been hampering peace within Afghanistan in no small measure, as well as external actors. Afghanistan is segmented badly by tribal and ethnic politics. Ending the latter divisive politics is central to any peace effort. In other words, while well meaning international quarters need to work towards reducing external hindrances to peace, Afghanistan herself should focus on forging ahead on the path of democratic development. Afghanistan needs to think and act as one and this hinges on the country steadily inculcating a democratic culture and connected values that unite instead of separate.
However, time is of the essence. Very soon the US forces will be completely out of Afghanistan. They will be leaving behind a very dangerous security vacuum which should not be filled by groups that are opposed to the democratic process. Swift remedial measures are badly and urgently needed.