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KHAS URUZGAN, Afghanistan - In the past decade, the Taliban has maintained a significant presence in the mountainous region of Khas Uruzgan, a section in northeast of the Uruzgan province. Now, the citizens of that region have had enough of the fighting and are asking for the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to help them establish peace and security.
More than 200 local nationals attended the shura at the Khas Uruzgan district center and listened to the message of the Afghan Peace and Reintegration Program, March 29, 2012.
The shura was organized by members of the Provincial Joint Secretariat Team and Provincial Peace Committee, Afghan National Security Forces and ISAF Joint Command Afghan Hand to reiterate the importance of the Afghan government’s push for peace.
This event was the third Afghan- led reintegration shura, which is part of the PJST/PPC three-month reintegration-outreach plan. Previously, they conducted shuras in the regions of Shadid-e-Hasas and West Dorafshan in the Uruzgan province.
Soldiers from the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police were there to provide security against insurgents’ threats.
In a first at a shura event in Uruzgan, this event signified a milestone where a former fighter actually spoke at a shura and the Afghan Ministry of Interior biometrically enrolled 16-vetted reintegrees. Two months ago, 11 men led by insurgent commander Abdul Samad laid down their arms and renounced their affiliation to the insurgency during a ceremony at the governor’s compound in Tarin Kot district, Feb. 7.
Upon arrival at the district center, the men welcomed the PJST/PPC and members of the district governance with open arms.
Roughly standing at 5 feet, 10 inches and with a commanding presence, Abdul Samad stood out immediately among the crowd of the local populace. Samad, a former Taliban commander for 11 years, decided to join the peace process to make a difference for the 90 homes he is responsible for in the Sultan Mohammad Nawa Valley.
“There are things that the Taliban did that made me unpleased. The Taliban didn’t respect the key leaders and tribal elders, and they harassed the people,” said Samad.
With local nationals kneeling or sitting side by side, Saif ur Rahman, a PJST outreach officer, opened the shura explaining the peace process and its benefits.
The APRP is a nation-wide Afghan program that provides former insurgent fighters with an opportunity to peacefully and permanently rejoin their communities with honor, dignity and forgiveness.
According to U.S. Air Force Nicholas Plante, reintegration Afghan hand, 82 former fighters are currently enrolled across the Uruzgan province. The basis of the program is applied at the local level and the success of the program relies on the persistence and dedication of the local community.
The District Governor of Khas Uruzgan, Abdul Haleem, pledged his support for the GIRoA and voiced a desire for peace in the area during the shura, explaining they have grown weary of decades of fighting. He also praised Samad’s example of relinquishing his weapon for peace.
“Khas Uruzgan has had a lot of difficult times in the past, with a lot of fighting. Now, we are happy to bring peace and it’s happening because of the elders,” said Haleem.
He also stressed his desire for Uruzgan province and districts to unite as one.
“One way we can become united is through the peace process,” said Haleem. “We want to help bring the district of Khas Uruzgan together, and facilitating shuras with the villagers offers one avenue for accomplishing this goal," he said.
During the enrollment process, there was a sense of process completion.
After the shura, members of the PJST and PPC started to enroll APRP candidates. A total of 36 candidates, including Samad were interviewed and enrolled for the initial APRP process.
“We are standing together as brothers and defending our country from the Taliban,” Samad said. “The last decade we have killed and disrespected each other. Now, we need to unite and bring peace,” Peace is here and we, together, will improve it.”
As members of the APRP program, they will be provided basic transition assistance, roughly about $120 for three months by the PJST, to meet the basic needs for them and their immediate family. This assistance helps replace the financial support possibly provided by the insurgency, as they transition into becoming peaceful members of the Afghan community.
| Date Taken: | 03.29.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 04.06.2012 08:07 |
| Story ID: | 86369 |
| Location: | KHAS URUZGAN, AF |
| Web Views: | 190 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, GIRoA officials succeed in hosting peace shura, enroll 36 new candidates, by SSG Nazly Confesor, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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