KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Afghan National Security Forces, partnered with coalition forces, help foster peace through the Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Program.
The APRP offers a second chance for insurgents to do something great for their country by helping free it from more violence.
“The program enables former insurgents to rejoin their communities after they renounce violence, rid themselves of all ties to the insurgency and follow the laws set by the constitution of Afghanistan,” said Lt. Col. William Linn, the Special Operations Task Force East commander. “They must also accept the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s laws concerning women’s rights.”
If the newly reformed Afghans decide to rejoin the insurgency, the village will lose their potential grants for projects from GIRoA. More than 5,000 former insurgents have already successfully reintegrated back into their villages, with more finishing their transition in the near future.
Last week in Kunar province, the Khas Kunar district governor met with ANSF leadership and village elders to discuss the program.
“The shura was successful in educating the local leader in the provincial reintegration process. Following approval and processing from the Provincial Reintegration Ministry, the former insurgents will be able to reintegrate back into the community,” said a coalition special operations forces adviser. “Identifying grievances and convincing the insurgents that the government will deliver on its promises is what fundamentally makes this program successful.”
After committing to GIRoA, demobilization begins. According to a joint NATO and International Security Assistance Forces report, this three-month phase involves a thorough vetting process in which the applicants document their intent to reintegrate. They also discuss their family history, and why they have fought and why they want to stop. The applicant is then vetted by the National Directorate of Security, the Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police, the Provincial Peace Committee and is finally approved for reintegration by the provincial governor.
Demobilization also provides job training for newly-reformed Afghans. After the training process ends, the focus shifts from the individual to the community.
“During this phase, the community becomes eligible for development projects,” Linn said. “The smaller grants for local projects are submitted through the provincial-level joint secretariat, and larger projects are funded through the five Afghan ministries.”
Twelve nations, with an annual budget of $123.7 million, fund the GIRoA projects.
“Afghans are transitioning and taking the lead for their own security; it is not the foreign troops that they are fighting, it is their fellow Afghans,” said Maj. Gen. David Hook, the ISAF force reintegration cell director. “Transition and APRP have a very close linkage. We are seeing individuals coming in because they don’t want to fight ANSF, their Afghan brothers.”
| Date Taken: | 08.01.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 08.07.2012 03:39 |
| Story ID: | 92759 |
| Location: | KUNAR PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 109 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Afghanistan peace, reintegration process helps former insurgents rejoin their community, by SGT Cody Thompson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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