By Army Pfc. Micah E. Clare
Task Force Fury Public Affairs Office
FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Afghanistan — More than 1,000 elders from an un-unified tribe from the western districts of Paktika province met and established a council for the first time in more than 10 years during a meeting with the provincial governor in the town of Yayakhel, April 6.
The Suleiman Khel, a conservative, independent group, has been divided into five major tribes and more than 28 sub tribes. They were never allowed to re-unify under Taliban rule, explained Navy Cmdr. Mike Varney, commander of the Provincial Reconstruction Team at Sharana, which has provided much financial support and security to the government's efforts in Paktika.
"The Suleiman Khel has not had a major Shura [council of representatives] since before the arrival of the Taliban," Varney said.
The Taliban haven't allowed them to re-unify since, because they are threatened by tribal unity, he explained.
The reasons for divisions within the Suleiman Khel tribes are innumerable, and range from differences over land, social and economic issues and the influence of the Taliban.
"The Taliban understand these tribal differences and use them," Varney explained. "For the past few years, the Taliban have utilized this instability between sub tribes to their advantage. As soon as the government starts relations with one sub tribe, the enemy moves in to the opposite sub tribe and uses the disruptions to gain favour from them."
This instability within the tribes has caused problems, such as violence amongst tribes, and a lack of health care and education, with an estimated 85 percent illiteracy rate.
"Many people are not able to see how they have been used by the enemy," Varney said.
Over the past year, Paktika Governor Akhram Khapalwak has been working to connect the people with the government to help them overcome their tribal issues and unite.
The first step in doing this is to bring tribal Shuras up to their district level government, Varney said.
"The people already look to their tribal elders as their path to a better tomorrow, so if you can get the elders to see that the government can provide a way to improve their lives and provide for the people, then the connection is made," he said.
The governor spent the last six months visiting the Shuras from all the main tribes in Paktika, which are composed of representatives from each of their respective sub-tribes.
The last of these tribes was the Suleiman Khel tribe, Varney said.
The many meetings and small events held by the government combined with support and encouragement to the sub tribes from the coalition yielded great results for the Shura in Yayakhel.
The tribal elders called for unity amongst themselves, to move forward and become great as a tribe again.
Their elected parliament representative also came and spoke to the elders about what the government is doing, will be doing, and how they can help provide security and work with the government.
"The government has the support of our people," said one tribal spokesman, a veteran of the war with the Soviet Union, at the end of the Shura. "Instability is everyone's problem, not just the security forces'."
The Suleiman Khel also established a Shura that will represent them at the provincial level, Varney said.
The governor also has plans to bring many of these elders up to the parliament to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai to give them a more broad scale view of what their government is capable of doing for them.
| Date Taken: | 05.07.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 05.07.2007 13:14 |
| Story ID: | 10263 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, AF |
| Web Views: | 151 |
| Downloads: | 114 |
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