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By Mir Hekmatullah Sadat
April-June 1998
Lemar-Aftaab
"If Asia is a body, then Afghanistan is its heart, and if the
heart
is in trouble, then so is the whole body," thus said Alam Iqbal
amazingly
predicting the events that would change borders on the world atlas. For
over two decades now, the heart has been in battle. Moreover, during
the past six years, the fires of war have continued to smolder beneath
the endless ruins.
Today, Kabul is the only capital city in the world
without running water and electricity. More saddening, with a
population of only sixteen million, Afghanistan has the largest
immigrant population in the world. And so, the heart and body are both
ailing as the result of the rivalries in "the Great Game."
Rudyard Kipling coined this term as the struggle between Britain
and
imperial Russia for control of warm water ports and Central Asia, in
particular Afghanistan. Almost a century later, Afghanistan again
stands at the crossroads of a new version of "the Great Game." This new
version emerged after the Cold War ended. It is an oil game on the
landmass of Central Asia. Today’s struggle involves natural resources,
economics, and geopolitical maneuvers. In California, UNOCAL surveyors
are thrilled at the prospects of a pipeline transporting oil and gas
from Turkmenistan to Pakistan via Afghanistan. The possible economic
developments that such a plan would bring to the region seem to be very
optimistic.
However, the pipeline can only be laid down with success by
first
letting Afghanistan achieve sovereignty and re-establishing a stable
representational government where national law and government preside
over states, at the same time assuring sure that minorities are not
marginalized. Any contract that is drawn up must be signed with a
legitimate government, otherwise, the legality of such a contract would
become questionable. In addition, to leave out any groups or subsets
from the new administration would result in sabotage operations on the
pipeline. Similarly, if the pipeline is laid down in the current
political environment, only certain local economies are free to take-off
while others are still in turmoil and war. The pre-existing
disagreements along with different economic growth rates will contribute
to a partition within the nation.
Eventhough most Afghans are attempting to prevent such an
outcome,
certain individuals think that in order to play this Great Game, there
must be a collapse of an Afghan state and society. Great efforts have
been made to erase Afghan history, culture, and national integrity in
the region. Furthermore, there is a real possibility of the total
disintegration of Afghanistan into various regional and ethnic dynamics.
The northern half could separate and join their co-ethnics in
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. The Western central portion
could be integrated by Iran. Finally, the southern flank could merge
with Pakistan.
For the last six years, the situation in Afghanistan has
continued
to be highly volatile with recurrent ethnic skirmishes. Hence, it was
legitimate to inquire into the ideas of uniting peoples or subcultures
across existing state borders. If such a political rearrangement takes
place in Afghanistan, then the impact would undoubtedly amount to great
short-run opportunities for the Central Asian countries, Iran, and
Pakistan. That is why, these foreign hands have been very articulate in
backing rival parties and interest groups in this Civil War.
Afghans are being played like pawns in the new version of the
Great
Game between regional and Middle Eastern countries. These nations are
eager to increase their relative geo-political capacity in the area.
The countries are battling over the rights to the passage of the
pipelines and settling a senseless religious dispute in the
war-ravaged streets and bloodied plains of Afghanistan. These factors
have prolonged a Civil War in which religious, ethnic and tribal
warlords have carved out their fiefdoms, undermining any central
authority. There is growing consensus that neither warring factions can
win in a military victory and bring the countrys population under one
rule. Nonetheless, some individuals are keen at halting any attempts
towards reconciliation.
These individuals who want Afghanistan’s disintegration, whether
Afghan or non-Afghan, have extensively searched their political
dictionaries.
The word that accommodates and hurries them towards their goal is hidden
under the guise of federalism. Federalism is the highest and most
advanced system of a democratic government. However, Afghanistan has
never experienced a true representative government. If this theory is
applied to a country without the necessary mechanism nor the capacity to
endure it, then the outcome would be a mechanical disaster.
Furthermore,
to introduce federalism during stalemate warfare would only encourage
and
strengthen the legal arguments and lead to a "de facto" disintegration
of
Afghanistan. Therefore, an optimal form of government that would fit in
with the existing state of social and political condition must be
selected.
Thus, this push for federalism along ethno-linguistic lines is an idea
that is
blatantly being used by unrealistic individuals.
These individuals, who desire federalism and disintegration,
argue
that Afghanistan was brought together in response to an external force.
Since there is no current external military threat, Afghanistan ought to
disintegrate to maintain peace. Unlike Germany, once Afghanistan is
shattered then there would be no way to put back the pieces again. Even
Germanys case was not simple, two Superpower pressured East and West to
unify. It is greatly doubted that any neighboring nation would all want
to re-establish Afghanistan, after they helped in the break-up.
Furthermore, unlike Pakistan and India, Afghanistan was not the
arbitrary creation of British colonialism.
In Afghanistan, the diverse
groups of people shared a common desire to maintain an independent
state. Still, since 1992, Afghan warring parties have been battling
each other. However, the nation is stilling struggling to keep itself
under one roof. This struggle has been a phenomenon throughout Afghan
history. The cemeteries of victorious warriors for the sake of
independence and unity are the remaining relics. Moreover, the fighting
in Afghanistan was not due to drastic internal differences like the
Balkanization of former Yugoslavia, but was due mostly to the influence
of foreign nations subsidizing warlords.
Considering what has been presented so far, the recurring
question
arises: "How can these individuals, who have never worried over anything
in their life, propose such a ludicrous idea for disintegration under
the guise of federalism." It becomes conclusive that those seeking
disintegration under the name of federalism have no understanding of
Afghan history, have no responsibility with its struggles, and are
caught red-handed in the name calling and ethnocentrism circles.
Instead of reporting the truth and the violations that each group
equally shares in the destruction of Kabul, these individuals attempt to
spread hatred and lead Afghans astray and away from negotiations. It is
of foremost consequence that we do not fall into a trap when it come to
ethnocentrism.
From another aspect, since the outbreak of warfare in
Afghanistan,
international influences have had a strong negative affect on bringing
peace. Moreover, it is unlikely that international organizations will
have a profound impact in bringing peace and economic growth. Likewise,
the fighting between factions and foreign hands will probably not stop.
Hence, something else must be done. Afghans must awaken from their
slumber. Otherwise, the only way this bloodshed will stop will be
through a graveyard peace. Afghans must see themselves as one people
who first place allegiance to Afghanistan above any conflicting ethnic,
tribal, or regional tries.
In Afghanistan, there is no true dialogue, only the language of
bombs
and killing exists. That is why, Afghan leaders and intellectuals must
finally think about the nation as a whole instead of looking out for
their own self-interests. It must be emphasized that the languages,
subcultures, and religious dimensions must be unified by drawing upon
the shared history with which they identify. In addition, a mutual
shared belief in a common destiny must be stressed cross-sectionally in
Afghanistan.
Afghans must realize that it was a united front that brought the
mightiest empires of the nineteenth and twentieth century to their
knees: Britain and the USSR. Ironically, today, Afghanistan has been
made to kneel to the ground by the exploitation of foreign governments,
international terrorists, far-reaching drug dealers, worldwide antique
smugglers, and slave-like treatment of Afghans in neighboring refugee
camps. They all desire to rob the honor and self-respect of Afghans.
Their actions have furthered fueled a Civil War and are leading
Afghanistan down the path of disintegration.
We must make sure that our children are born and educated in a
unified
and peaceful Afghanistan, and those outside the motherland can return
safely to serve their people. The inferno of hate, famine, and violence
in Afghanistan must be eternally eradicated! It must be remembered that
united under God we stand, and divided at the hands of Satan we fall.
About the Author:
Mir Hekmatullah Sadat
Also by Mir Hekmatullah Sadat:
The Lost Treasures (Oct-Dec. 1997)
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