‘Better Security’ in Afghanistan has been a top priority of international community. But it would be like glossing over the fundamental facts pertaining to Afghanistan, if one articulates the US and its allies’ efforts are triumphing here. The Afghan government and its international partners have, with no single doubt, failed to establish any optimistic vision of Afghanistan in the minds of people. Terrorism and extremism, now, entrap lives of Afghans and citizens of regional countries like never before. Nevertheless, security is not the only area of failure facing our government and its western backers.
Substantial challenges such economic and financial vulnerability, political uncertainty, social backwardness, human rights violation, stubborn corruption and above all, entrenched poppy cultivation still persist in the country. No long-lasting development in these areas is observable and conditions have rather aggravated.
Amid lowest security prevailing in Afghanistan, this country continues to produce more than 90 percent of world’s opium. Afghan farmers still remain the feeders of millions of drug addicts around the world.
According to UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Afghanistan, Opium cultivation and production in Afghanistan reached record levels this year, with the former increasing seven per cent to 224,000 hectares in 2014, and production levels potentially climbing as much as 17 per cent with yields estimated to reach 6,400 tons in 2014 compared to the previous year's total of 5,500 tons.
Countering terrorism is vital, no doubt, but that will not be possible if efforts are not in place to address its causes. Unfortunately, Afghan opium, which is the biggest cause of growing insurgency in the country, remains untreated benefiting the Taliban and other crime groups. " Afghanistan's narcotics problem remains a major global challenge and shared responsibility," said Yury Fedotov, director of the Vienna-based agency adding that "the illicit opium economy and related criminality and corruption continue to undermine security, the rule of law, health and development in the region and beyond".
Southern and other insecure provinces of Afghanistan where Taliban have considerably greater influence and power are the biggest producers of opium. This enables the Taliban to grasp more benefits from drug trafficking. The funds obtained from opium are believed to be utilized by Taliban for recruiting more people in their ranks, paying and training their fighters, purchasing weapons and other materials and equipment to continue their fight against Afghan and NATO forces.
According to annual survey by the UNODC and the Afghan Ministry of Counter-narcotics found that total eradication decreased by sixty-three per cent to two thousand, six hundred and ninety-two hectares, as governor-led poppy eradication campaigns were less active in all regions, amid an unfavourable security situation.
The aim of international community and Afghan government has been discouraging poppy cultivation and motivating farmers towards alternative crops. However, since opium can readily converted into cash, its growing importance in a poverty-hit country like Afghanistan should not be surprising.
As we will move ahead, opium production is to further increase and more farmers will prefer cultivating poppy in their fields. Government has failed to expand its writ beyond capital and some other cities of Afghanistan; with the withdrawal of US troops the Afghan government moved backward rather than emerging as a strong administrator of this country. With foreign combat forces leaving by end-2014, and with much of their cash and air power expected to go with them, the Afghan government will need more help fighting poppy cultivation, experts say.
The new President and Chief Executive identified several priorities: seeking alternative development as part of a more comprehensive effort to modernize the agricultural sector; countering transnational organized crime and drug trafficking through enhanced regional and inter-regional cooperation; and improving prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services.
Throughout the last 13 years, the international community has been funding Afghanistan in all areas. Nonetheless, government armed opposition, the Taliban, have used narco-business as a major source of funding their operations. They have not only protector this source successfully but also are encouraging Afghan farmer to cultivate more opium. It said that the Taliban offer loans to farmers who obey their instruction and threaten those who do not.
The biggest harm of so widely spread opium trade, misfortunately reaches the Afghans. Over 1.5 million of Afghans including women and teenagers are believed to be addicted to drugs. By paying a visit to Pol e Sokhta and other areas in Kabul, where thousands of drug addicts gather or live permanently, one can realize the level of disaster reaching the Afghan population. The future Afghan generations are at stake of ruining their lives in drug addiction if the situation remains as is.As it has been stressed in the past too, the world has to come with some solid and practical measures to fight the growing poppy cultivation or else, be ready for its dreadful consequences. Drug addiction will kill more people around the world and the same will be done by Taliban and groups associated to them. Until and unless, the biggest fund source of Taliban – drug trafficking – is not brought under thumb, there can be no optimism regarding betterment of security.