Herat Governor Muhiudin Noori has accused “jihadi” commanders of distributing guns to former mujahedin fighters. Minister of Water and Energy Ismail Khan’s offer of assistance to Afghan security forces has stirred up a storm of opposition.
Herat Governor Muhiudin Noori has accused “jihadi” commanders of distributing guns to former mujahedin fighters. Minister of Water and Energy Ismail Khan’s offer of assistance to Afghan security forces has stirred up a storm of opposition. The government has maintained silence.Addressing a press conference in Herat, Governor Noori said arming the mujahedin fighters is a big threat to domestic security. “Security, especially training and recruiting soldiers, weapons and ammunition, is the government’s job,” he said firmly.
The Herat media office has provided the press with a document identifying Hajji MaarofGhulami, director of the fourth district of commanders of the Jihadist Council (also Mujahedin Council) of being responsible for giving arms to mujahedin and other people in the province. However, Council spokesperson, Mir Farooq Hussaini, has denied the charge.
On Nov 1, Minister of Water and Energy Ismail Khan announced in Herat “…mujahedin fighters will be ready to assist the Afghan security forces if any security issue threatens Afghanistan.”
It is said that erstwhile jihadist commanders of western and southwestern Afghanistan would be members of the council.
At the Herat meeting, Ismail Khan accused western countries for failing to ensure security, and said, “… now was the turn of the mujahedin”. He asserted that it would be impossible to ensure security in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of foreign troops without the assistance of the mujahedin fighters. He claimed the Afghan government and the international community had done their best to weaken the mujahedin in the last 10 years.
“They gathered the cannons and tanks from us, and put them as rubbish in one place. And, instead they brought German, French girls, Holland (Dutch) girls. They armed the American girl. They brought white and black skinned soldiers, and thought they would bring peace, but they could not,” Ismail Khan said.
He said that his goal was to establish a “jihadist military”, and he had consulted with President Karzai. The government did not comment.
The news has brought back memories of the civil war years in Afghanistan after the fall of the Soviet-backed Communist government. Hundreds of people were killed, and Kabul reduced to rubble by mujahedin factions who have never been brought to justice.
Destabilising force
Dismayed opponents of the plan to re-arm the mujahedin say far from bringing peace and stability it will provide the means for instability and insecurity.
National Assembly member Dawood Hasas, a senator from Zabul province,said any attempt to destabilise Afghanistan’s democratic institutions and security organisations would be a disaster. “Don’t destroy Afghanistan and Afghans under this pretext,” he appealed. “Once (before) Afghan jihad became blasphemed and involved in civil war,” he warned.
Sher Mohammad Akhundzada, another member of the National Assembly, was also critical. He said the Mujahedin Council was anti-government. “We call this council against the Afghan people,” he said. “The minster of water and energy should construct the water dams. He should show what his achievements (as minister) are,” he added.
Other senators have warned that any plan to rearm the mujahedin will once again involve Afghanistan in civil war.
First Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Mohammad Alam Ezedyar said security concerns could be addressed only by strengthening the Afghan forces. “We believe that work should be done to strengthen our security forces; the police and army should be strengthened in terms of personnel and equipment. Only then can security worries be addressed and Afghanistan stand on its own foot from the viewpoint of defence,” he told Killid.
Political parties too have reacted with alarm to Ismail Khan’s new call for arms for the mujahedin.
Assadullah Walwalji of the Right and Justice Party called Ismail Khan’s plan”against the law of the country”. He accused the minister of Water and Energy of ignoring the “sanctity” of the security structure, and claiming he has the president’s support.
Tepid response
Ajmal Sohail, leader of the Afghan Liberal Party, said the erstwhile mujahedin fighters might be seeking to “escape” justice. “Presenting this type of plan creates new pressure because (of) discussions regarding transitional justice and other legal issues,” he said.
Fazal Rahman Orya, the spokesman of the National Coalition of Afghanistan, said Ismail Khan has acted in consultation with President Karzai. “We don’t know exactly what is the plan and programme of Karzai,” he added, urging the president’s spokesman to “clear the issue”.
Efforts by Killid to elicit a view from the presidential palace were unsuccessful.
Rights groups and Afghan civil society organisations have expressed concern about the repercussions of willfully arming the mujahedin.
Civil Societies Coordination Jirga chairman Abdul Rahman Hotaki said not only was the plan illegal but it would take the country towards “anarchism”.
Lal Gul Lal, another human rights activist, said mujahedin coalitions have never been in the interest of Afghanistan.
Meanwhile the only reaction from the government has been a tepid response from the Ministry of Interior Affairs. The spokesman Sidiq Sidiqi said ensuring security and stability was the task of security forces under the Afghan Constitution. He added Afghanistan has “powerful” security forces and “all of them are mujahedin”. He asserted that there was no need at all for Afghans to worry about security after international forces pull out of the country. “His Excellency, the minister (of water and energy) also should not be worried,” he added.
