CIVIL - MILITARY FUSION CEN TRE

Afghanistan Review Week 10 09 March 2011 Comprehensive Information on Complex Crises

INSIDE THIS ISSUE This document provides a weekly overview of developments in from 02 March—08 March 2011, with hyper-links to source material highlighted in blue and underlined in the text. For Economic Development more information on the topics below or other issues pertaining to events in Afghanistan, feel free to con- Governance & Participation tact the members of the Afghanistan Team, or visit our website at www.cimicweb.org. Humanitarian Affairs Infrastructure Rule of Law Security Economic Development Steven A. Zyck ► [email protected] Socio-Cultural Development fghan government agencies and de- construction team (PRT) and agriculture offi-

velopment agencies such as the Inter- cials in the province began the distribution of ABOUT THE CFC national Labour Organisation (ILO) 45,000 apple tree seedlings. Nine districts in

A estimate that between 30% and 50% of Af- the province will receive 5,000 seedlings each, The Civil-Military Fusion Centre ghans are unemployed, according to Outlook with individual farmers receiving approxi- (CFC) is an Information and Afghanistan. Experts attribute the recent per- mately 30 seedlings in most areas. While Knowledge Management sistence of unemployment to conflict, a lack of USAID hopes that the seedlings will promote organisation focused on market-relevant educational and vocational commercial apple production, Afghan agricul- improving civil-military interaction, training opportunities and the Afghan govern- ture officials noted that farmers in the area facilitating information sharing and ment‟s hesitancy to establish state-owned en- will need significant training on how to grow enhancing situational awareness terprises. apples and manage orchards. According to the through the CimicWeb portal. Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of Approximately 50,000 hectares of land have the United Nations, Afghanistan has steadily CFC products are developed with reportedly been cultivated with poppies in increased its volume of apple exports over the open-source information from a in 2011, 40% less than last course of the past several years. In 2003, Af- wide variety of organisations and year, reports Pajhwok Afghan News. Officials ghanistan exported an estimated 321 tonnes of media sources. in Helmand indicate that 3,000 hectares of apples, an amount which had risen to 1,403 poppies will be eradicated this year and a ma- tonnes by 2008. The CFC is represented in by jor eradication drive is set to begin around the a Forward Military Liaison Officer, provincial capital of Lashkar Gah. In addition Pajhwok notes that top officials from the Af- Maj. Gary Evans, who is embedded to stronger law enforcement and eradication ghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Indus- within ISAF. efforts, the decline in poppy cultivation can tries (ACCI) and the National Traders Union also be attributed to the international commu- (NTU) are calling for a regional conference on By design, CFC products or links to nity and Afghan government's distribution of trade cooperation. The goal of the conference independently produced articles do high-quality wheat seeds and fertilizer to would be to gain the agreement of the Paki- not necessarily represent the 48,000 farmers in Helmand earlier this year. stani and Iranian governments to cease hinder- opinions, views or official position ing Afghanistan's trade by imposing sanctions of any other organisation. Poppy control achievements in Helmand were and blocking imports. Most recently, the Gov- also featured in the United States Department ernment of stopped 6,000 containers of State‟s (DoS) 2011 International Narcotics . CONTACT THE CFC of Afghanistan-bound goods in Karachi based Control Strategy Report. This report indicates on the belief that the items may be illegally For further information, contact: that efforts undertaken by the United States sold in Pakistan rather than continuing on into Agency for International Develop- Afghanistan. Afghanistan Team Manager ment (USAID) and the Helmand provincial Valeria Davanzo government‟s “Food Zone Program” led to a Finally, Pajhwok noted that fuel prices, in line [email protected] 7% reduction in poppy cultivation between with global trends, continue to rise in Afghani- Afghanistan Editor 2009 and 2010. Nevertheless, the State De- stan. The price of a litre of diesel fuel in- partment report notes that southern and south- Amber Ramsey creased from AFN 53 (USD 1.23) last week to western provinces in Afghanistan continue to [email protected] AFN 55 (USD 1.28) this week. These prices produce 98% of the country‟s poppy crop. are significantly higher than a year earlier, The Afghanistan Team when diesel sold for around AFN 40 (USD [email protected] In other agriculture-related news, Pajhwok 0.93) per litre. reported that USAID, Paktika provincial re- Governance & Participation Anne-Catherine Claude ► [email protected]

he International Contact Group on Afghanistan held its immediate dissolution of the SEC based on its creation being first meeting of 2011 on 03 March at the headquarters “unconstitutional”. The new Speaker of the House, Abdul Rauf T of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Ibrahimi, supported the call by MPs and further proposed that Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The meeting brought together some 120 a delegation be sent to meet with the president to relay their participants representing fifty countries, including OIC mem- demands. The Head of the SEC, Siddiqullah Haqiq, rejected ber countries and international organisations such as the the demands, stating that the SEC will continue its work as United Nations and the European Union, to discuss peace and “[the SEC‟s] duty is to maintain justice”. In the meantime, the security in Afghanistan. According to an OIC press release, the Director of the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghani- required participation of OIC member states “indicates the stan (FEFA), Jandad Spinghar, criticised the recount process, active involvement by the OIC and its members to resolve the arguing that it “may plunge the country into another political Afghan issue”. This meeting was also attended by the new US crisis”. He further added that it would have been more con- special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Marc structive for the SEC to investigate criminal cases and prose- Grossman, as part of his first official trip, adds Agence France- cute officials found to be involved in election violations. Presse. Afghanistan was represented by Foreign Minister Zal- mai Rassoul and Chairman of the High Peace Council, Burha- In other news, Pajhwok reports that MPs have elected Khalid nuddin Rabbani. During his opening remarks, Secretary Gen- Pakhtun as deputy speaker of the Wolesi Jirga. MPs also eral of the OIC Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu emphasised elected representatives for four of the lower house‟s 18 parlia- the OIC‟s strong commitment to national reconciliation in Af- mentary commissions on 07 March. Members of the remaining ghanistan and underlined that “for restoring durable peace in commissions will be elected later this week, says Pajhwok. Afghanistan, there is a need to look beyond the military option, The new deputy speaker reiterated previous calls by MPs for which is not the way out, and there is a need for an Afghan-led President Hamid Karzai to introduce the remaining ministerial reconciliation process towards a comprehensive solution”. candidates before the parliament for a vote of confidence, says Reuters further reports that the participants at the meeting ac- Tolo TV. Late June was the last time Karzai introduced any knowledged the need to shift toward a political rather than nominees to the lower house and since then seven ministerial military approach in Afghanistan to put an end to the war. posts have yet to be approved by parliament; these posts have been temporarily filled by acting ministers until the final nomi- Pajhwok Afghan News reports that the Special Election Court nees are approved by MPs. (SEC) has begun recounting parliamentary election votes (see 02 March, CFC Afghanistan Review, Governance section) for The Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Services . Recounting has been completed in Kunar Commission (IARCSC) has issued a set of recommendations province, says the article, and is still underway in southern requesting incentives for government civil servants in southern . According to another Pajhwok article, . According to Abdul Aziz Wogarai, the head vote recounting in uncovered cases of fraud at of the IARCSC in Zabul, due to insecurity and low salaries a number of polling stations. A final report on the SEC‟s find- residents in the province are reluctant to join the government, ings in Kunar was sent to Kabul, but no further information with more than 50% of posts not yet filled. Therefore, the was given on the future of the process. Meanwhile, for the IARCSC has proposed increased salaries to attract skilled peo- third time since the inauguration of Afghanistan‟s Parliament ple along with other non-monetary incentives such as training on 26 January, Members of Parliament (MPs) pushed for the courses and facilities for new appointees.

Humanitarian Affairs Erin Foster ► [email protected]

he United Nations Children‟s Fund (UNICEF) has re- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees leased a new report, “2011 UNICEF Humanitarian Ac- (UNHCR) Goodwill Ambassador, Angelina Jolie, visited Af- T tion for Children: building resilience”, setting the or- ghan refugee returnee families living in a warehouse outside of ganisation‟s worldwide priorities for the year. UNICEF‟s ap- Kabul and called for urgent action to be taken to improve liv- proach involves supporting governments‟ resilience to with- ing conditions including access to health care, education, em- stand disasters in order to reduce the number of people sub- ployment and water and sanitation for thousands of individu- jected to humanitarian crises. Resilience is defined as “the als. UNHCR has returned more than 5.5 million Afghan refu- ability to anticipate, withstand and bounce back from external gees since 2001, but many are still unable to meet their basic pressures and shocks” that impact both physical structures and needs or adapt to their former or new communities. Jolie em- social systems. To support UNICEF programmes in Afghani- phasised that “we need to revisit the idea of what return is and stan, which include nutrition, internally displaced persons‟ the difference between just returning and reintegrating”. In access to health, water and sanitation, education of children related news, Pajhwok Afghan News reports 128 returnee fami- and child protection, the agency requested USD 29,750,000 as lies in Ab-e Kamari district and Qala-e Naw, the provincial part of the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP). capital of , received shelter materials and

Page 2 09 March 2011 USD 200 from the International Organization for Migration international forces. The Pajhwok article explained that resi- (IOM) to assist the families in building their own homes. dents were threatened by armed men to bring all items re- ceived, including clothing, radios and sports equipment, to be Nearly 2,000 families have been displaced in Nangarhar prov- burned. Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has denied ince following air strikes launched from inside Pakistan, as any Taliban involvement in pressuring residents to destroy the reported by Pajhwok. The article explains that the majority of goods. people affected were from Goshta district which is located on the border with Pakistan. UNHCR will reportedly provide as- The latest Famine Early Warning Systems Network sistance to the displaced families. According to UNHCR statis- (FEWSNET) hazard impact assessment indicates a new sur- tics, 9,333 displaced families were living in Nangarhar prov- plus of precipitation for the winter period. Rain and snow are ince as of October 2010. forecast to continue across northern and eastern regions of Afghanistan in the coming weeks. Recent heavy snowfall Pajhwok reported that more than 320 families in Parwan prov- caused the temporary closure of the Salang highway, the main ince received food assistance from the World Food Programme road connecting Kabul with nine northern and northeastern (WFP). The families are still struggling to re-establish their provinces, as well as road closures in Badghis province. The livelihoods following massive flooding that killed four people increase in precipitation has altered the food security predic- and destroyed thousands of acres of farmland last summer (see tion for 2011 with FEWSNET now anticipating a below aver- 11 August 2010, CFC Afghanistan Review, Humanitarian As- age harvest as opposed to a well-below average harvest that sistance section). Meanwhile, residents of Khudaidad village was previously forecast. in set fire to winter assistance provided by the

Infrastructure Steven A. Zyck ► [email protected]

oad construction received a significant level of atten- tion companies building “shoddy” roads. tion in Afghanistan this past week. The Director of R Public Works in Kandahar City announced that by An article by the United States Agency for International De- 2012 200 km of roads in and around the city would be as- velopment (USAID) notes that road construction must be ac- phalted, according to Pajhwok Afghan News. In 2010, 30 km companied by adequate plans for regular maintenance. of roads in Kandahar City were asphalted with financing from USAID‟s two top road engineers in Afghanistan have begun the municipal government and the United Nations Human Set- advocating for the creation of a “public/private highway au- tlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). The pace of asphalting thority” that would replace the currently fragmented system of will be rapidly increased in order to meet the 200 km target, road maintenance, which includes unclear roles for several officials in Kandahar suggest. Afghan government ministries.

NATO‟s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) also Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), Afghanistan‟s larg- reported on the rehabilitation of a major road in Nangarhar est state-owned electricity company, has allocated USD 49 province that has repeatedly been damaged by roadside bombs. million towards improving energy supply in different parts of The project will cost USD 5 million and includes six projects the country, reports Tolo News. The money will be used to spanning nearly 43 km. renovate and rebuild electricity networks in eight different provinces and, in particular, help to extend energy networks to Road conditions are also a concern for Kabul residents, says remote parts of the country. National TV Afghanistan. Drivers in Kabul complain that roads built by private contractors have been constructed using Finally, the Governor of , Dawood Shah Sahba, poor quality materials and therefore are quickly deteriorating. laid the foundation stone at a recently-opened steel mill, ac- Some residents are calling for the municipal government to cording to Bakhtar News Agency. The factory produces 150 take steps to improve the situation, including through fines and tonnes of wire a day, which is used in infrastructure projects civil or criminal prosecution, specifically targeting construc- throughout the country.

Rule of Law Anne-Catherine Claude ► [email protected]

n an interview with the UK‟s Channel 4 News, President will not be reached in the coming weeks or months but “will Hamid Karzai discussed the ongoing reconciliation talks probably be [reached] in one or two or three years”. Mean- I with the Taliban and confirmed that the Afghan govern- while, according to the Telegraph, the Taliban recently re- ment was “directly in talks with some of the Taliban”. He also jected negotiations, arguing that reports of contact with the noted that some Taliban members are in contact with the Brit- government are “fabricated deceptions on the part of the en- ish and US governments. Reuters further reports Karzai em- emy”. phasised that negotiations are just starting and an agreement Page 3 09 March 2011 A report by the UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs Com- there are still a number of challenges that need to be addressed, mittee entitled “The UK‟s foreign policy approach to Afghani- particularly in terms of logistical support for the Afghan Na- stan and Pakistan” urges the US and other members of the in- tional Police and building a corruption-free police. At a semi- ternational community to start direct peace talks with the Tali- nar organised by the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Besmellah ban. The report‟s findings indicate that counter-insurgency Mohammadi, the Interior Minister highlighted that 90% of measures in Afghanistan are not working and could be counter ANP recruits are illiterate, explaining that in the future the -productive if not accompanied by proper talks. According to Ministry intends to prioritise the education of the police forces, Member of the British Parliament and Chairman of the Foreign says local Aina TV. Additionally, at a press conference in Ka- Affairs Committee Richard Ottaway, “without appropriate bul ahead of International Women‟s Day, the Interior Minister political leadership, the current military campaign is in danger declared that a campaign would soon be launched to recruit of inadvertently derailing efforts to secure a political solution more women into the police forces and stressed that “we ur- to what is essentially a political problem". The report also gently need another 5000 policewomen”. More than 950 po- noted that “an Afghan-led, but U.S. driven, process of political licewomen are currently members of the police force. reconciliation is the best remaining hope that the UK and oth- ers have of achieving an honourable exit from Afghanistan”. A recent article by The Washington Post claims that the Af- ghan-run Pol-e-Charki prison, just outside of Kabul, is a breed- United Press International reports that Kimberley Prost, the ing ground for the insurgency. The article indicates that almost Ombudsperson for the Security Council‟s 1267 Committee, all of the 5,000 inmates at the prison support the Taliban. Af- declared that the sanctions committee was thoroughly assess- ghan officials believe that several recent deadly attacks, in- ing each individual case to see whether any names can be re- cluding one at a Kabul supermarket, were organised from moved from the UN blacklist. Her declarations come after, within prison. According to former intelligence chief Amrullah according to McClatchy Newspapers, the Afghan government Saleh, prisoners are not being “de-Talibanized”. On the con- formally requested the United Nations remove the names of trary, he claims that detainees at Pol-e-Charki are becoming five former senior Taliban members from the list, including increasingly radicalised. Nevertheless, the article notes that Maulvi Qalamudin, former Taliban deputy head of the Depart- some progress has been made in recent months with the dis- ment of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. These mantling of a prison wing that was totally under Taliban con- five individuals have been appointed to Afghanistan‟s High trol. US officials have also reportedly pushed to separate pris- Peace Council and according to the Afghan government have oners by threat level to avoid placing petty criminals and hard- been living freely in the country for several years. The Afghan core insurgents in the same cell. government has repeatedly denounced the UN blacklist as an obstacle to initiating peace talks with the Taliban (see 24 Feb- During a meeting convened by the United Nations Assistance ruary, CFC Afghanistan Review, Rule of Law section). Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in Mazar-e Sharif, leaders of various women‟s rights organisations expressed deep This week, the United States Department of Defense issued a “concerns” over the living conditions for female inmates at report on the “Assessment of U.S Government Efforts to detention facilities in northern Afghanistan, reports Pajhwok. Train, Equip, and Mentor the Expanded Afghan National Po- The participants, including Fariba Majeed, the director of the lice”. According to the report, there was notable progress in Women‟s Affairs Department, urged the central govern- terms of improved training and mentoring strategies, increased ment to address the situation and take immediate measures to recruitment, and development of logistics capacities. However, prevent it from worsening.

Security Kathleen Hughes ► [email protected]

he death of nine Afghan children in eastern Afghani- cussing regional peace and stability with British officials, pub- stan made top news headlines this week. The New York licly condemned the “ruthless attack”. Following his return to T Times reports that the boys, between the ages of 9 and Afghanistan, Karzai rejected the apology saying civilian casu- 15 years old, were collecting firewood when NATO helicopter alties were no longer acceptable and that expressing regret was gunners mistook them for insurgents and shot and killed them. not sufficient for the killing of the boys, as reported by the The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) helicopters Associated Press. were searching for insurgents who had fired rockets on For- ward Operating Base (FOB) Blessing earlier in the day. The This event highlights the longstanding friction between ISAF news of the boys‟ death enraged locals and led to an anti- and the Afghan government over the issue of civilian casual- American demonstration in Nanglam village, in the Pech val- ties. Not only are civilian casualties causing problems for ley of Kunar province, where the boys were from. The incident ISAF, but also, some of their tactics are under scrutiny from is cited as one of the worst cases of a mistaken target by coali- local leaders as well. As expressed by Pajhwok Afghan News, tion forces since the start of the war and was the third attack in the governor of , Abdul Jabbar Taqwa, warned just two weeks involving NATO troops being accused of kill- that night raids are likely to stir up resistance among the local ing civilians. In response to this event, ISAF commander, Gen- populace. His warning came only one week after ISAF soldiers eral David Petraeus, announced he would make a personal allegedly conducted night-time operations in two areas of Ba- apology to President Hamid Karzai who, while in London dis- hak district without consulting local officials. Taqwa claims

Page 4 09 March 2011 that “such raids frighten families and widen the gap between In other news, US Marines in the of Helmand the people and the government and strengthen insurgents”. In province are anticipating an upswing in insurgent activity in light of world events in North Africa, some members of the the coming months, reports the Associated Press. Violence in Afghan government are beginning to question whether civilian the district dropped sharply a month ago, which the Marines casualties increase the risk of Afghanistan suffering the same attribute to the normal winter lull as well as significant Taliban fate as Egypt and Tunisia. A member of Afghanistan‟s Upper casualties. However, recent reports indicate that insurgents House of Parliament, Dr. Zalmai, claims that he would “call on have been planting bombs, intimidating locals and increasing people to rise” because foreign forces have failed to respect their presence in the area. Events in Sangin district are of par- international laws, according to Tolo News. Civilian casualties ticular interest to government and military leaders alike due to and military operations have been hotly contested issues its purported use as a narcotics hub that helps fund the Taliban throughout the duration of the Afghanistan conflict, with both and ease insurgent movement between Helmand and Kandahar civilian and military leaders engaged in debate over them provinces. Additionally, Sangin is significant because it was while attempting to discern ways to resolve the problem. For supposedly the deadliest district for the coalition last year, with more information on this issue, see the US Army War College the British losing over 100 troops in their four years leading report, Balancing Kinetic Effects of Airpower with Counterin- security efforts in the district. Since the US takeover, Marines surgency Objectives in Afghanistan, published in 2009. engaged in over 500 fire fights resulting in over 30 deaths and another 175 wounded.

Socio-Cultural Development Erin Foster ► [email protected]

nternational Women‟s Day was celebrated worldwide on article by The Washington Post. The article profiles two spe- 08 March, marking the 100th annual occasion to recognise cific multi-million dollar projects for land reform and munici- I women‟s rights. The UN Special Representative for Af- pal governance, which in both instances originally set specific ghanistan, Staffan de Mistura, spoke at an event highlighting targets to ensure the inclusion of women with measurable out- the UN‟s commitment to Afghan women through the establish- puts. However, these line items have shifted into more analyti- ment of UNWOMEN in the country (see 02 March 2011, CFC cal and broader gender mainstreaming goals. The US State Afghanistan Review, Socio-Cultural Development section). He Department reportedly wants to emphasis an Afghan-led ap- also encouraged Afghan government officials to observe their proach, while the Director of USAID‟s Office of Afghanistan commitments made through UN Resolution 1325 on Women, and Pakistan noted the need for realistic goals to reach objec- Peace and Security as well as the creation of the Law on the tives. This shift in focus comes in the wake of new regulations Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW), which for women‟s shelters and heightened concerns by women‟s establishes guidelines for the inclusion of women in decision- advocacy groups that women‟s rights will be compromised to making processes as well as the protection of their rights. A achieve a peace deal with the Taliban (see 16 Feb, 24 Feb, new publication entitled “Afghan Women and the United Na- CFC Afghanistan Review, Socio-Cultural Development sec- tions” further profiles UN activities and specific examples of tion). women involved in the implementation of the EVAW law, maternal and infant health, education of women, the peace Ten years after the destruction of the Bamian Buddhas by the process and women in the workplace. Meanwhile, a new pro- Taliban, scientists debate the possibility of resurrecting the gramme to support women‟s health called „H4 Plus Action structures, as reported by the Guardian. The two Buddha Plan on Improving Maternal and Newborn Health in Afghani- structures were thought to be 1,500 years old, constructed from stan‟ was introduced by Acting Minister of Public Health Dr. sandstone and painted red, white and blue. Erwin Emmerling Suraya Dalil during a Women‟s Day event in Kabul, according of Munich Technical University has suggested that the struc- to a United States Agency for International Development tures could be rebuilt either by a large local conservation team (USAID) press release. This new initiative was established to or by transporting more than 1,400 rocks to Germany. The assist Afghanistan in meeting millennium development goal United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organiza- (MDG) 5, to improve maternal health by 2020 (see CFC Social tion (UNESCO) held a three-day meeting in Paris focused on Well-Being Report 4/10, The Millennium Development the protection of Afghanistan‟s cultural heritage, reports CNN. Goals). In similar news, Pajhwok Afghan News reports a UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova spoke on the occa- peaceful demonstration was held in Kabul by the Afghan sion of the 10th anniversary of the destruction of the Buddhas Women‟s Network advocating for practical results for to call for the protection of world heritage sites from “damage, women‟s rights. Protesters called on the government to “give turmoil and theft”. The agency recommends against recon- women their Islamic and human rights”, including the prosecu- structing the Buddhas, and rather preserving the remaining tion of perpetrators of violence against women. 5,000 fragments, however, the final decision will be taken by Afghan government officials. US policy requirements for the promotion of Afghan women‟s rights within USAID projects are changing, according to an

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