The Peace High Council (HPC), set up four years ago to seek peace talks with the Taleban, has little to show in terms of progress. Should it be wound up?
Interviews with a cross-section of people, from members of the committee to government officials, confirm the general opinion that the HPC has failed in its mandate.
The authorities say committee members have just drawn salaries and many privileges without producing anything – a fact that is confirmed by a HPC member who did not want to be identified. “We have just wasted time and money,” he says.
A Killid investigation reveals there are members who have official vehicles worth many hundreds of thousands, earning salaries above 3,000 USD, and many privileges.
The HPC has, however, not disappointed the Taleban. Individual members who have joined the peace process have received 8,000 Afs (135 USD) per month for half a year, while group leaders have received as much as 13,000 Afs (220 USD). The council has disbursed as much as 469,872,000 Afs (nearly 8 million USD) among the Taleban.
Ameenudin Muzafari, the secretary and HPC spokesperson, defends the committee. Since 2010, 9,259 Taleban have joined the peace process, he says. More than 840 are team leaders, and surrendered a total of 71,931 heavy and light weapons, he adds.
According to Muzafari, the HPC has fulfilled its mandate which was to prepare the ground for negotiations between the government and Taleban. “As of now some 10,000 opponents have come over to the government’s side,” he says, “and this is due to the HPC.”
Perks and benefits
The rules for eligibility state membership to the HPC is a “privilege” and no salary will be paid. Yet members have collected between 500 and 3,000 USD every month under various categories including transport and entertainment. Under the latter, members have even billed for tablecloths bought allegedly when official guests came to dinner!
The HPC has a central committee and 33 provincial committees and secretariats. According to Muzafari, the central committee has 70 members: 18 are executive members, 5 are in the administration, and the rest members of the general assembly. “Those who are members of the general assembly meet once a month and are paid up to 500 USD salary,” he says. The 18 executive committee members receive 900 USD a month and gather for weekly meetings.
The salary drawn by administrative delegates is substantial. While the head gets 3,000 USD a month, his deputies earn 2,000 USD each and secretaries 1,500 USD,” says Muzafari. The administrative delegation includes the heads of the HPC and secretariat.
The HPC budget covers perks including salaries for security guards for the administrative members. Each guard is paid a monthly wage of 200 USD. Killid tried to find out just how many guards are on the HPC’s rolls but officials were tightlipped.
Provincial committees
Every province holds monthly HPC general assembly meetings. Consequently, individual members collect at least 6,000 Afs (100 USD) per month under various heads including mobile phone charges and transport costs. Members of the 5-member provincial secretariat who include both the heads of the provincial committee and secretariat are paid monthly salaries. While on paper the heads receive 900 USD and members earn 500 USD each, Killid’s investigations reveal the head of the provincial committee takes home 1,200 USD as salary.
Muzafari did not give the details of expenses of provincial HPCs like the number of vehicles, guards and office staff. The central HPC has a budget of 2,000 USD for rent for provincial offices. While some offices have their own premises, others work out of government-owned buildings.
Who pays?
Muzafari says the HPC is not budgeted for by the government but depends on donor support. Aid is received directly, and disbursed by the Ministry of Finance. The HPC has programmes for Taleban, linked to the peace process. “The projects are implemented by the ministries but the Ministry of Finance gives our money,” he explains. Killid tried to find out how much aid the HPC receives, but no one was willing to share the details.
Trips abroad
Members of the peace council are frequent international travellers. Muzafari justifies the travel saying the process of ending the long-drawn internal conflict is an “international issue”, and members have to travel out of the country. However, he insists the trips are limited to neighbours in the region. “We generally make three trips (a year),” he says. “As there is need for regional and international cooperation, we consider the visits abroad as necessary,” he adds.
Measure success
As HPC spokesman, Muzafari claims the HPC’s efforts to build a road to talks with the Taleban are successful. Interviews with some Members of Parliament (MPs) paint a less rosy picture. The widespread opinion is the HPC is only symbolic, and a loss of money. Saleh Mohammad Saleh, MP for Kunar province, believes the HPC was created by former president Hamid Karzai in 2010 to provide “influential individuals” sinecures and keep them off his back. “The members of the HPC in Kabul travel in armoured vehicles,” he says. “How can they bring peace to the country?”
Sher Wali Wardak, MP from Kabul, thinks the HPC has not made a difference in four years. “The HPC has failed. Afghans can never benefit from its peace,” he says.
Rafi Gul Afghan, second deputy of the Senate, is scathing. “They have no achievement, only to spend money.”
HPC members are also equally disillusioned. Mawlawi Shahzada Shahed who has been a member for four years, thinks the failure is due to “lack of coordination between HPC members”. The council is the monopoly of some members, he asserts. “Unequal distribution of authority in the HPC has dogged the peace process and the reason for failure,” he says. The committee has been a financial drain, according to him. “Money that should have been spent on bringing armed opponents to the side of the government has been spent on symbolic works,” he says.
“We should not hide the reality from the nation,” he says. “The HPC has considered only its own benefits. It has nothing honourable to show as achievements. We have wasted time and money.”
Kunduz
Sarwar Husaini, the spokesperson in Kunduz police headquarters, says those who have joined the peace process in the province were either “jobless or beggars”. This flies in the face of statements by Asadullah Omarkhail, HPC spokesman in Kunduz. He says 500 armed opponents have joined the peace process and handed over 200 weapons. “Some 250 of the men are working in the Local Police now,” he adds.
Helmand
Fazel Rabi Fayaz, the head of HPC, agrees nothing has been done to bring peace in the restive province. “No development work has been accomplished by the HPC since one year in Helmand. No questions have been asked about those who have joined the government,” he claims. Fayaz says some 250 armed individuals have left the ranks of the government’s opponents. Omar Zwak, the spokesperson at Helmand Police headquarters, is dismissive of HPC members in the province. They just get salaries and privileges, is his opinion.
Khost
Mawlawi Hanifshah Husaini, the head of the provincial committee, considers the structure of the council in the province is at fault. “There should be province-specific structures,” he believes. In Khost, only 12 individuals have joined the council. But Abdul Qayum Baqizoy, police commander, is happy, and considers the HPC as “helpful” in creating a feeling of security.
Kapisa
Abdul Momen Muslem, the provincial committee head of HPC, says the peace process was called off by the provincial administration. According to him, 40 armed opponents have acted positively to invitations to surrender arms. Khuja Mohammad Faqiri, head of police, thinks the HPC has done well enough, but more needs to be accomplished.
Herat
It is said that 1,159 armed opponents including 94 group leaders from 15 districts of Herat province have joined the peace process. Some 1,000 weapons were surrendered.
Yama Amini, the head of the HPC secretariat, says there has been a 40 percent improvement in the security situation since. “Some 500 projects valued at 200,000 USD, have been implemented for those who have joined the peace process.” Abdul Rawoof Amini, the police spokesperson in Herat, backs the claim.
Other provinces
Humayoon, the head of the Paktika HPC, says some 50 individuals have joined the government. Three hundred others who have switched sides have not come out openly in support of the peace process, he adds. The number of surrendered militants is 320 in Balkh. In Kandahar it is 181 including 13 group leaders, while in Bamyan the efforts of the HPC have won over 51.
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