Issue No. 09 www.undpanbp.org & www.diag.gov.af August & September 2007 UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN ANBP Newsletter The Afghanistan’s New Beginnings Programme (ANBP) is a project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It was created in April 2003 to assist the Government of Afghanistan in implementing Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR). DDR was successfully completed in June 2006. ANBP is now involved in two security related projects: the Anti Personnel Mines & Ammunition Stockpile Destruction Project and the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG). DIAG UPDATE Encourage peace and allow the future generation to form an educated society, not armed one. SAIGHAN ANNOUNCED AS PEACE DISTRICT On 20 September Saighan District in Bamyan Province was announced as a ‘Peace District’ by the Afghan government as part of DIAG initiative on 20 September, one day prior to the International Peace Day. Left photo: “I thank commanders, people and officials who did a great job to choose peace and development instead of weapons,” said Habiba Sarabi Governor of Bamyan. Right photo: some of the Seventy weapons and some ammunition were weapons turned in as part of the DIAG process. surrendered by 13 commanders in the area. Mr. Baqauddin is now a teacher in Saighan Centre and “We are happy to celebrate International Peace Day for feels that his life has significantly changed after he three days in Bamyan. We are proud to announce gave up his weapons and joined the educational Saighan as a ‘Peace District’ and thank commanders, system by teaching children in Saighan. people and officials who did a great job to choose peace and development instead of weapons,” said As a former commander who has become a teacher, he Habiba Sarabi, Governor of Bamyan. feels that “All the people respect me as a hero in Saighan.” Mr. Baqauddin a former Jihadi commander in Saighan, who surrendered his weapons to DIAG, believes that Mr. Latif Bashardost ANBP Regional Office Manager he has done a great jihad by taking part in the peace in Bamyan also said that DIAG supports the Afghan process in Saighan. He addressed the Afghan people to Government’s objectives and similarly the people of Saighan should demonstrate the capacity to receiving community Development projects by remaining free of ‐ Afghanistan’s New Beginnings Programme (ANBP), UNOCA Compound, Jalalabad Road, Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 70072577 Email:[email protected] Issue No. 09 www.undpanbp.org & www.diag.gov.af Aug & Sept 2007 Illeg al Armed Groups. In this ceremony, Ms. Sarabi Bamy an Governor, Saighan District Governor, ANBP TO SUPPORT GOVERNMENT OF government officials in Bamyan, Bamyan Provincial AFGHANISTAN Council, UN agencies in Bamyan, New Zealand PRT, David Wilson ANBP Programme Director, Bamyan On 18 September ANBP donated 21 vehicles to Journalists Union, Media from Kabul and thousands of Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development Saighan residents attended. (MRRD). The vehicles included 5 Nissan Pickups, 6 Kamaz bus FARZA DISTRICT COMPLIANT 98% WITH and 10 trucks. The vehicles were donated to the DIAG Ministry in a well‐ organized ceremony in the Ministry of Rur a l R e ha bilit at ion and Developmen t. On 30 July, the Deputy Governor of Kabul handed over a total of 46 heavy and light weapons (40 operational) to DIAG. Left photo: Vehicles donated from ANBP to MRRD. Right photo: Deputy Minister of MRRD singing the handover documents. Raaz Mohammad Raaz Deputy Minister of MRRD thanked ANBP programme in regards to its projects: Some of the weapons turned in as part of the DIAG process. Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration or DDR (completed); DIAG (ongoing); and Anti‐Personnel Most of these weapons were either confiscated during Mine & Ammunition Stockpile Destruction project. police operations or voluntary surrendered by six famous commanders of Farza District to the DIAG KAPISA DEVELOPMENT programme. He is proud. He is happy. Mr. Nazar Mohammad Deputy Governor of Kabul who spoke in this explains he has got reasons to believe he made the ceremony addressed Farza residents that while right choice. governors are obliged to serve the community, people are also responsible for the security of the community. “This is the kind of fruits I can grow now,” he explained to me, presenting two or three enormous, Following the deputy governor’s speech, Minister red tomatoes he just plucked from the branch. Stanekzai Vice Chairman of the D & R Commission emphasized that token weapons collection will not While we are walking in his field, Mr. Nazar has a big bring security to Afghanistan, but that the people of smile on his face. His large and powerful hands used Afghanistan should truly trust in national unity to carry a gun. Today they are just big enough to contain the red fruit of his work: a fine and delicate specie that he sells to the local market every week. ‐ Afghanistan’s New Beginnings Programme (ANBP), UNOCA Compound, Jalalabad Road, Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 70072577 Email:[email protected] Issue No. 09 www.undpanbp.org & w ww.diag.gov.af Aug & Sept 2007 Like many others in the Kapisa province, Mr. Nazar is Today more than four months after the renovation, a former commander who led a group of armed men indirectly 240,000 people, families and children enjoy for many years. Most of the energy was spent on the benefits of the renovation of the canal. security considerations, weaponry and so on. But in “This water is very convenient, as it runs just at my The meantime, “Our local irrigation canal had been doorstep”, says one young lady. destroyed by floods; all the agricultural production dried out,” recalls one of his friends. Because the weapons have been collected, people are more relaxed and have returned to their normal life. Mr. Nazar and more than 80 of his fellow commanders had heard of the DIAG project and they decided that “The teacher performs his teaching duties, the government employee and the farmer carry out their relative tasks” says Mr. Jabbar, a resident of Kohistan. And he adds, “Yesterday we used to praise the weapons, but now we should hold pens and tools in each hand.” Today, Mr. Nazar is proud. He has two crops a year. He feels he is a local hero. He feels it’s good to know people who will remember him for what he did for them. Weapons collection – September/august 2007 DIAG weapons verification list as of 12 September 2007 (units) Light 27,913 Kapisa Canal Beneficiary Heavy 4,114 Total 33,027 they would first surrender their arms, and later ask for Operational 20,841 assistance to renovate the main canal and its nine Boxed Ammunition 28,451 subdivisions. Unboxed Ammunition 298,712 In response to this positive initiative, once several hundred weapons had been surrendered and handed over to the legal authorities, the Government INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY supported the Development, which today benefits the COMMEMORATED BY ANBP IN THE entire community and boosts the local agriculture of REGIONS Kohisan I, Kohistan II and Mahmood Raqi, the three different districts irrigated by the canal. Friday, 21 September marked the International Peace Day, which was very well celebrated in Afghanistan. Mr. Nazar and more than 3,000 people from the area have taken part in the operation. They extracted the In an effort to celebrate this day in Afghanistan ANBP mud on a total length of 95 Km, rebuilt the walls, and took an active role nationwide, with Regional Offices cleaned the banks of the river. arranging events prior and after the day. ‐ Afghanistan’s New Beginnings Programme (ANBP), UNOCA Compound, Jalalabad Road, Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 70072577 Email:[email protected] Issue No. 09 www.undpanbp.org & w ww.diag.gov.af Aug & Sept 2007 Ja lalabad – This day was celebrated through an event which took place on 22 September where 18 weapons were surrendered by Commanders in Mohammandara District of Jalalabad Province to DIAG process. This action of the commanders was praised by the attendees of the ceremony, all of whom encouraged other IAGs to take an active part in implementation of peace by surrendering their weapons and taking part in reconstruction of the country. Bamyan – The Regional Office celebrated this day with Herat orphan children are singing a peace song during the Peace other UN agencies, Governmental officials, school Day ceremony. teachers and students. They also celebrated this day with music and theatre shows. The orphans sang songs related to peace. Members of the event including the Governor of Bamyan Mrs. Habiba Saraba, who led a peace march At the end, gifts provided by ANBP Herat Regional with peace slogans. were distributed to the orphans. Governor of Bamyan led the peace march with the participants of the Peace Day celebration. Herat – The Regional Office celebrated this day with orphans children in a ceremony with the attendance of Deputy Governor, Head of UNAMA, Head of WFP, Shuras and number of ex‐Mujahidin commanders. They had speeches about DIAG’s role in peace. A small school girl is singing peace point to the gathering of the people in Bamyan Province on Peace Day (21 September). PICTURE OF THE MONTH Happiness of Peace ‐ Afghanistan’s New Beginnings Programme (ANBP), UNOCA Compound, Jalalabad Road, Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 70072577 Email:[email protected] .