Southern Afghan leaders meet, discuss peace, reintegration

KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN

09.12.2011

Story by Sgt. April Campbell 

International Security Assistance Force HQ Public Affairs

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - The seats were packed in the crowded room, and the hundreds who filled them listened intently to the spirited and intense speakers who came to the front podium. The topic of the day in this southern Afghan city was not war and retribution, but peace and reintegration.

Leaders from throughout southern Afghanistan met with leaders from Afghanistan’s High Peace Council in Kandahar City for a reintegration Shura, Sept. 12-13.

The provincial elders and local government leaders from Nimroz and the broader Loya Kandahar region, including the Kandahar, Zabul, Helmand and Uruzgan provinces, and the national leaders from the peace council discussed the implementation and importance of Afghanistan’s Peace and Reintegration Program. Leaders and representatives from the International Security Assistance Force attended to help support and assist the Afghan-lead program.

“Unity of effort is the key to the success of this process in order to live in a peaceful and developed nation,” said Abdul Khaliq Farahi, the president of Afghanistan’s Independent Directorate of Local Governance.

While the APRP is a national program with nearly 2,500 former fighters enrolled across Afghanistan, it is implemented at the local level and the success of the program relies on the dedication and persistence of the community.

“It is our responsibility that we should bring peace into our country. All of the people of Afghanistan should take part from their villages, communities and homes,” said High Peace Council Chief Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani.

Not only do the local leaders have the most clout in their areas for reaching out to those who may still be fighting, they are also the most qualified people to ensure the integrity of reintegration in their area.

“When the local fighters want to come into the process the local community leaders are involved in vetting them to ensure they’re genuine in their wish to reintegrate, that they want to renounce violence and become part of Afghan society again,” said United Kingdom Royal air force Capt. John Alexander, a spokesman for the ISAF Force Reintegration Cell, which assists the APRP.

In Zabul province, Provincial Gov. Ashraf Naseri has been working with his provincial peace and reintegration shura to raise awareness of the program.

“We are trying to use the local leaders, the local ollama and mullas to establish regular communication between the armed groups and the provincial peace and reintegration council,” Naseri said.

While the program has only been in place in Zabul for four months, Zabul has already seen some signs of success.

“Two commanders of the Taliban already have joined the peace and reintegration process in Zabul,” said Naseri.

Once a former fighter is formally enrolled in the APRP, they are entered into a biometric database so that Afghan authorities can be sure the individuals do no return to the insurgency.

“If they at any point decide to take up arms against the government, they’re out of the program,” said Alexander.

While the program has safeguards in place to detect if a reintegree returns to the fight, the APRP focuses on efforts to minimize the incentive to return to the insurgency by ensuring the former fighters are able to live as an accepted member of a peaceful Afghan community.

“Without peace, development may not happen,” said Naseri.
With the initial increase in security that comes when the insurgent fighters cease to fight, the APRP is able to offer reintegrees a better chance at fitting into their communities

“The program enables the provision of vocational training if reintegrees wish,” Alexander said. “It provides infrastructure support at the community level, and the reintegrees get a small stipend of about $120 per month to help them as they transition and are looking for work.”

The APRP focuses not only on the betterment of the reintegrees themselves, but more importantly the community as a whole.

Drawing together the Afghan Ministries of Social Work, Agriculture, Public Works, and Rehabilitation and Rural Development, the program employs a holistic approach to developing and improving the lives of all the Afghans in the communities.

Internationally, countries have contributed approximately $142 million toward the development projects geared toward improving the communities and maintaining the peace that will come with reintegration. The money will be used for development projects in areas where Afghan communities, themselves, have identified a need.

“We do need to implement development programs and create jobs for the people at the village level. So, if we cannot create jobs and employment for the people, the people will go back to Pakistan, they will join again the Taliban,” Naseri said.

Perhaps the enduring legacy of the APRP will be the process, triggered by reintegration, whereby sustained Afghan peace and development are the ultimate cycle of progress for the Afghan people.

“Our people are thirsty for peace,” Rabbani said, “and they want to have a peaceful Afghanistan.”

• Date Taken: 09.12.2011
• Date Posted: 09.18.2011 12:12
• Story ID: 77212
• Location: KANDAHAR, AF