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Communication for Conflict Resolution: the Pashtun Tribal Rhetoric for Peace Building in Afghanistan

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Communication for Conflict Resolution: the Pashtun Tribal Rhetoric for Peace Building in Afghanistan Communication for Conflict Resolution: The Pashtun Tribal Rhetoric for Peace Building in Afghanistan Ghulam Farouq Samim Supervisor: Dr. Rukhsana Ahmed Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master‘s degree in Communication Department of Communication Faculty of Arts University of Ottawa © Ghulam Farouq Samim, Ottawa, Canada, 2011 THE PASHTUN RHETORIC FOR PEACE BUILDING IN AFGHANISTAN 2 Abstract Focusing on communication as an important means besides other efforts for conflict resolution in an asymmetric armed conflict in Afghanistan, this study looked for a rhetorical communication approach appropriate to Pashtun tribal setting in South-eastern (Loya Paktya region) Afghanistan. The study explored and found some perceived essentials of such persuasive communication by conducting face-to-face semi-structured in depth interviews with 17 participants. Thematic analysis was used to code and categorize data. Aristotle‘s rhetorical theory provided a framework for this qualitative study by narrowing down the focus to exploring credibility of the communicator (ethos), the rationality of the message (logos), and the emotional appeals (pathos), particular for the south-eastern Pashtun tribal setting, during communication. In addition, considering the relation between rhetorical and soft power theories in influencing the choice of an audience, this project also asked participants if and how communication in their tribal setting could be framed as an influencing power by attraction rather than by coercion. Therefore, soft power of which persuasive communication is a crucial part was also used as a theoretical framework for this study. The findings show the significance of persuasive communication in future conflict resolution efforts in Afghanistan. COMMUNICATION FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION: SAMIM THESIS 3 I dedicate this master‘s thesis to my beloved mother who never got the chance to study herself but raised eight educated children in a warzone. Mom, your love has always been endless. I also dedicate this work to my dear father who always advised me to be part of the solution, not the problem. I also thank my wife, Wajma Samim, for raising our three beautiful children -- Nargis, Sediq, and Raihan - without much help from me during the two years of my M.A. Program. Without her love and patience I would not be able to finish this work. THE PASHTUN RHETORIC FOR PEACE BUILDING IN AFGHANISTAN 4 Acknowledgements I would also like to thank some individuals without whose help this difficult yet fascinating project could not have been accomplished. First of all I cordially thank Dr. Rukhsana Ahmed, my respected thesis supervisor, for her inspirational guidance during this study. Without the hard work she put in this project from beginning to end, I would not be here. I would also like to acknowledge the contributions from Dr. Sherry Ferguson, my thesis committee member, especially to the theoretical framework used in this study. I also thank Dr. Martine Lagace, my other thesis committee member, for her advice and constructive criticism to help strengthen this project. I would like to thank Kimberly Barker, an American journalist, a former colleague and a family friend who helped with stylistic advice in writing. I would like to thank Dr. Jenepher Lennox Terrion, Dr. Rocci Lupicini, Dr. Daniel Pare, Dr. Mark Lowes, and Dr. Evan Potter for their contributions to my knowledge in the field of communication during the classes I was taught by them. At the end I thank all my Afghan fellows in the program, especially Dr. Najafizada, Dr. Massoodi, and Dr. Mayar for their endless, but enriching discussions when the project was in progress. Research for this M.A. thesis was supported in part by the Afghan Communication Scholarship Program, which is funded and administered by the Open Society Institute (OSI). The opinions expressed herein are the author‘s own and do not necessarily express the views of OSI. COMMUNICATION FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION: SAMIM THESIS 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………....…...2 Acknowledgement………………………………………………………………………….……..4 Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………………...5 Chapter 1: Introduction…………………………………………………………………………7 1.1 Background……………………………………………………………………………8 1.2 Statement of the Problem and Purpose of the Study…………………………………11 1.3 Rationale for the Study………………………………………………………………15 1.4 Overview of Thesis…………………………………………………………………..17 Chapter 2: Literature Review…………………………………………………….……………17 2.1 Conflict…………………………………………………………………………….…18 2.1.1 Definition of Conflict……………………………………………………….…..18 2.1.2 Levels of Conflict………………………………………………………….……18 2.1.3 Issues and Sources of Conflict……………………………….…………………19 2.1.4 Kinds and Stages of Conflict……………………………………………………20 2.1.4.1 Armed Conflict……………………………………………….……………20 2.1.4.1.1 Asymmetric Armed Conflict…………………………………………21 2.2 Current Afghan Conflict………………………………………………………..……22 2.2.1 Factors behind Afghan Conflict………………………………………………...24 2.2.1.1 The Aftermaths of previous stages of the Conflict………………………...24 2.2.1.2 Intervention of Neighbouring Countries………………………...…………25 2.2.1.3 Centralization of Power in Kabul……………………………………….…25 2.2.1.4 Negative Popular Perception………………………………………………26 2.2.1.5 Afghan Opinion Polls……………………………………………………...26 2.2.1.6 The Taliban Propaganda (Communication War)……………….…………28 2.3 Conflict Resolution by Third-Party Intervention………………………………….…29 2.4 Suggested Resolutions to Afghan conflict……………………………………...……32 2.4.1 Reconciliation……………………………………………………………...……32 2.4.2 Good Governance………………………………………………………….……33 2.4.3 The Use of Military Force………………………...……………………….……33 2.4.4 Working with People in Conflict…………………………………………..……34 2.4.5 Communication and Action……………………………………………..………35 2.5 Theoretical Framework..…………………………………………………………..…35 2.5.1 Persuasion…………………………………………………………………….…35 2.5.2 Aristotelian Approach to Persuasion (Classical Rhetoric)………...……………37 2.5.3 Soft Power Theory………………………………………………………………41 2.6 South-eastern Pashtun Tribes……………….……………………………..…………45 2.6.1 Rationale for a Tribal Approach in Loya Paktya……………..……...…………48 2.7 Tribes for Conflict Resolution in Afghanistan and other Conflict Areas……………51 Chapter 3: Research Design and Methodology………………………………….……………55 3.1 Research Questions………………………………………………………..…………56 3.2 Participants…………………………………………………………………...………57 3.3 Sampling……………………………………………………………………..………57 3.4 Data Collection………………………………………………………………………58 3.5 Data Analysis……………………………………………………………...…………61 Chapter 4: Results and Analysis………………………...……………………..………………64 THE PASHTUN RHETORIC FOR PEACE BUILDING IN AFGHANISTAN 6 4.1 Credibility of the Speaker……………………………………………………………64 4.1.1 Speaker-Pashtun Relation………………………………………………….……64 4.1.2 Speaker‘s Background.……………………………………………………….…68 4.1.3 Speaker‘s Characteristics.………………………………………………………72 4.2 Rationality (Reasoning to Pashtuns) in the Message…………………...……………77 4.2.1 Creating Common Ground…………………………………………...…………77 4.2.2 Accentuating Facts……………………………………………………...………81 4.2.3 Religious Reasoning………………………………………………….…………85 4.3 Emotional Appeal……………………………………………………………………87 4.3.1 Reinforcing What Pashtuns Believe……………………….……………………87 4.3.2 Pashtun Values……………………………………………………….…………90 4.3.3 Pashtun Weaknesses…………………………………………….………………92 4.3.4 Religious Values………………………………………………...………………93 4.4 ISAF‘s Soft Power in Loya Paktya……………………………………….……….…95 4.4.1 Communication as Soft Power.…………………………………………………95 4.4.2 Communication and Action Combined………………………………………..100 4.4.3 Actions speak louder…….………………………………………………...…..101 Chapter 5: Discussion…………………………………………………………………………104 5.1 Persuasion (Credibility)………………………………………….…………………104 5.2 Persuasion (Rationality)……………………………………………….……………113 5.3 Persuasion (Emotional Appeal)………………………………………….…………120 5.4 Soft Power…………………………………………………………………..………125 Chapter 6: Conclusion……………………………………………………………………...…130 6.1 Limitations and Future Research…………………………………………………...134 6.2 Implications…………………………………………………………………………135 6.3 Personal Reflection…………………………………………………………………136 References……………………………………………………………………………………...139 Appendix: Tables, Charts, and Figures..…….…………………………………………………156 COMMUNICATION FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION: SAMIM THESIS 7 Chapter One: Introduction Winning in most modern armed conflicts requires winning the will—the hearts and minds of the people who live where the conflict is being fought (Smith, 2006, as cited in Foxley, 2007). The effective use of communication is key to winning the population‘s support in a conflict (Foxley, 2007). British current MP who has been following Afghan conflict since 1980s, Holloway (2009) presents his solution for the current conflict in Afghanistan as follows: We [the NATO allies in Afghanistan] should not reinforce failure. Instead, we should have a long look at why we are failing. There are no easy answers: there is no package of perfect solutions. But the way forward lies more in working with the grain of Afghan society, than in sending more troops to work against it. The last thing we needed is more ―Big Army‖ (p. 15). Holloway‘s solution to current Afghan conflict conveys two important points. First, military force, or hard power, is ineffective on its own to fix the Afghan situation. Second, grass- root Afghans should be approached in efforts toward building peace. Hoffman (2009) quotes Lt. Gen. Aushev of Soviet army during its occupation of Afghanistan: When we entered Afghanistan in 1979, people gave us a very nice welcome. Exactly a year later,
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