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BAMYAN, PROVINCE, Afghanistan - “Bamyan province is the safest province in Afghanistan,” Habiba Sarabi, the provincial governor of Bamyan province, confidently stated.
Coalition forces rarely wear body-armor outside the wire and it is not uncommon to have a meal at one of the local markets in the bazaar. Women walk the streets freely, some without veils and people are outgoing and welcoming. Hard structures, statues and neatly laid stone walls dot the country-side. It is a far cry from the violence and unrest so prevalent in the other 33 provinces of Afghanistan.
The secret to its success can be attributed to the hard work of coalition forces and the Hazara people that make up the majority of its population.
“They know the importance of peace and they do not consider cruelty a good thing,” said Abdull Razaq, the provincial police chief of Bamyan Province.“They are the most peaceful and hard-working people and are not involved in any kind of trouble.”
Regardless, the people of Bamyan and more specifically the Hazaras, have suffered much in the past. A few miles from the city center lies the remains of Shahr-e-Gholghola, which roughly translates into “city of screams.” Visitors can still climb the winding trail that leads to a citadel at the top that was the city center of Bamyan before Genghis Khan and his Mongol hordes burned it to the ground and slaughtered its inhabitants in 1221.
Blown-out tanks and artillery pieces can be found scattered around the open fields; grim reminders of the Soviet invasion in the 1980s that left Afghanistan in shambles.
After the Russians left, the Taliban took over and Bamyan again saw bloodshed and oppression.
“The Taliban government ordered the genocide of the Hazara people and did not accept their presence as human,” said Razaq. “That is the reason the Hazara people are longing for peace and consider the presence of the international community as good.”
Abdull expresses his fear that when coalition forces leave, the situation in Bamyan will worsen.
“If the Taliban comes back into power, the Hazara people will become victims again,” he added.
The treatment of the Hazaras can be attributed to their genetic inheritance that dates back to Genghis Khan. The Asiatic features can still be seen in the faces of Afghans in the markets and outlying countryside. The fact that they are Shia Muslims compared to the Sunni Taliban also makes them a target.
“They suffered a lot during the Taliban, and now they want to live normally,” said Sarabi, the only female provincial governor in Afghanistan. “The people of Bamyan are the key to sustaining the peace. They are a very quiet people, but also very civilized. They accept and support the government policies in Afghanistan.”
That being said, the success of Bamyan cannot be attributed solely to the locals. The members of the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team have worked tirelessly in the province since 2003. The 21st rotation of the PRT is shutting down operations and handing over their projects to the people of Bamyan. Security, development and education will now be in the Afghan’s hands.
“This late in the campaign, it is all about the Afghans,” said New Zealand Army Lt. Col. Sholto Stephens, the commanding officer for the military component of the PRT. “We’ve been very fortunate during our decade here in Bamyan province. The local populace has always been trying to create a peaceful and stable environment and just go about their normal lives.”
The cooperation of the citizens of Bamyan province has made the PRT’s job easier but not without its trials. Last year, the previous PRT lost five soldiers to an insurgent attack. This may not seem like a lot compared with U.S. deaths in Afghanistan, but considering the small size of New Zealand’s military, it was a tragic loss.
The Kiwi Base, part of Forward Operating Base Bamyan, has served as a starting point for numerous projects that have helped the people of Bamyan improve their quality of life.
It is important to remember that the most peaceful province also is one of the poorest provinces.
“I knew that poverty in Bamyan was a big problem,” Sarabi said. “I found that part of it was a climate issue. It’s very cold and they can only harvest once a year instead of multiple times.”
To remedy these issues, the PRT trained the Afghans to build cool storage facilities to store their produce over the harsh winter. They also began constructing roads to connect the province to its neighbors.
Sarabi saw the need for transportation and travel to sustain her province.
“I put my priority on building roads,” she said. “Whenever someone would ask me what my priority was I would say ‘road, road and again, road!’”
The PRT was also able to assist the people of Bamyan with a number of other projects including schools, water sources, medical facilities and an orphanage. Even in its passing, Kiwi Base may contribute to Bamyan’s future as plans are now in motion to build a girl’s school on the property that once housed the PRT.
An interpreter (who declined to provide his name for security reasons) attached to the Kiwi PRT, has been working in Bamyan since 2009. He has seen the improvements and progress brought about by the PRT’s efforts.
“The PRT came in and asked what the people needed,” he said. “The road conditions are very good now; what used to take a day to travel now takes two hours max. Another issue they raised was schools, so they helped build schools in very remote areas.”
This interpreter has worked with coalition forces since 2004 and was an interpreter for American Special Forces in Kandahar. Three of his friends were beheaded by the Taliban and after working in multiple provinces and numerous close calls, he sought out Bamyan province to get some peace and quiet.
“In Bamyan province, it is all about the people,” he said. “They want peace; they are not looking for trouble. They are sick of wars and don’t want a war. They are stopping our convoys and asking for our help on their projects.”
He told a story about a school coalition forces were building in Kandahar. The village elders came in and took away the school supplies from the kids and spat in the faces of the American forces.
“Totally different people here (Bamyan),” he added. “They want education and peace.”
Looking into the future, it is hard to say if the tranquility in Bamyan will be permanent.
“My worry and my concern, not only for myself but also for the people of Bamyan is of the security of the other provinces,” said Sarabi. “Most of the insurgents are coming from there to the Bamyan border. This is a big problem for us.”
The Kiwi PRT has three security detachments that have worked countless hours training the Afghan Security Forces and Afghan National Police in tactics. Twenty Afghans recently graduated from the ANP academy run by the NZ PRT and will act as a quick reaction force to respond to threats in the province.
Razaq is pleased with the progress of his police and security forces but he knows that he needs more manpower.
“My request from the authorities is to increase the number of Bamyan ANP and also focus on their training and education after the international forces leave,” he said.
The importance of security is at the forefront in everyone’s minds, not only for their personal safety but also in preparation for tourists.
Bamyan has the potential to have a thriving tourism industry due to its natural beauty and historical landmarks including the remains of the two Buddha statues and the numerous freshwater lakes that dot the countryside. Bamyan even hosted Afghanistan’s first ski-competition last year.
“I am certain that Bamyan is the only peaceful province and tourism has been here in the past because there are a lot of historical places here,” Razaq said. “I am sure that international tourists will continue their travels here.”
With the withdrawal of coalition forces next year, the future of Bamyan is uncertain. With the support of the international community, this jewel in the middle of Afghanistan has risen above its darker past and become a beacon of hope for not only the natives of the province but for all of Afghanistan.
“The only thing I want for my country is that one day the whole people of Afghanistan will understand the value of their country,” the interpreter said.
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 03.08.2013 07:39 |
| Story ID: | 103139 |
| Location: | AF |
| Web Views: | 619 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Bamyan: A province in the eye of a storm, by SGT Christopher Bonebrake, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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