A meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) chaired by President Ashraf Ghani decided to dismiss the Paktika governor for levelling false charges about corruption. But the slew of charges in recent weeks have shaken confidence in the government’s handling of the worrying security situation.
Governor Abdul Karim Matin who was appointed in December last year had accused the NSC of distributing 200,000 USD among families of Islamic State (ISIS) fighters in the province’s Barmal district. Stung by the criticism, the NSC appointed a committee to investigate and came to the conclusion that the money was, as claimed by it, delivered to families displaced by fighting in Pakistan.
Matin had also alleged armed opponents of the government were being sent to the north by high ranking officials in Herat. No evidence was provided.
Interestingly, Minister of Interior Affairs (MoI) Noorulhaq Ulumi has also accused government officials of involvement in security breaches in the north, particularly in Kunduz. Without identifying anyone, he said officials “knowingly or unknowingly” are preparing the ground for armed violence.
According to the interior affairs minister, while “external enemies” were behind the insecurity in the south of the country, “internal circles” (individuals inside the government) are responsible for the conflict in the north.
“In north, there are individuals inside the government that knowingly or unknowingly work for the sake of mines or power as well as for the sake of personal advantage – this itself makes the ground for insecurity and sabotage,” he said at a meeting in Kunduz in end-April. “Go and see in Faryab that there is nothing but individuals in power who are trying to make ground for enemies to conduct their movements.”
Shaista Baz Nasiri, Member of Parliament (MP) from Kunduz, has raised objections to the minister’s allegations. “The information that we have show that the causes of insecurity are linked with Taliban and ISIS. I am against what the minister of interior says. Most of those who are against the government in the north, specifically in Kunduz, are linked to Taleban and ISIS,” he said.
The Badakhshan police commander, General Baba Jan has also alleged that high-ranking officials were providing covert support to anti-government fighters and the mafia. In a letter where he has detailed the police’s success in arresting smugglers and countering the Taleban over the last eight months, he wrote that just when “smugglers and the individuals linked to Taleban are on the threshold of elimination, MPs from Badakhshan and members of the provincial council have raised their voices and want to defame us (police).”
There was a face-off between two lawmakers and the speaker of the Afghan Senate. MPs Zaher Qadeer (from Nangarhar) and Lalai Hameedzai (Kandahar) accused the brother of Fazel Hadi Muslimyar, chairman of the Senate of sheltering armed government opponents in his house. The accusations sparked a public outcry and concern in the Senate.
Demoralised Public
Political observers say the public is alarmed by the airing of grievances in the top layers of government, and the national unity government must restore confidence by being transparent. Ali Reza, a lecturer at Gharjistan, a private university in Kabul says, “Any kind of high-level accusation must be taken seriously by the concerned authorities and properly communicated (to the public). Should the charges be proved, the accused must be punished. If not, the accuser should be prosecuted and punished if necessary.”
Among the public too there is a feeling that the authorities should be seen to be taking immediate action in order to restore belief in government action. According to Mahdi Srosh, who says he belongs to a civil society organisation, “We have frequently heard claims of serious impropriety against very senior officials which makes many ordinary people very worried, but the government and authorities do not seem to be hearing these. For instance, claims by an MP that she met Taleban leader Mullah Omar recently, or the charges of administrative corruption, are all too often ignored.”
Probe and Prosecute
The government has been following its old policy of setting up commissions whose reports are forwarded to the media but the full details are never published to satisfy public interest. Moreover, not all cases are investigated.
For instance, while the accusations levelled by the ex-governor of Paktika against the NDS were investigated by a commission, many others have not been probed. In the case of allegations against the brother of the speaker of the Senate, the National Directorate of Security had following a probe said there was no truth in the charges, and issued a clean chit.
Considering the worsening security situation, observers say the public needs to see greater coordination between the national unity government, parliament and security forces. According to writer and analyst, Naweed Elham, “If the government is serious, it should take practical steps (to restore public faith). The MoI, which was the source of complaints should take action against elements that are sabotaging security and reveal their names in public. The National Directorate of Security (in charge of domestic intelligence gathering) should investigate and prosecute all accusations related to security.”
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