“War doesn’t bring peace” the dictum stands credible subsequent to US’s decision to put an end to twelve years long combat mission launched against world number one terrorist organization, Al-Qaida allied with Taliban. Subsequent to dramatic assassination of Osama Bin Laden (OBL) in May 2 raid in Abottabad, Pakistan, it is prominently admitted that Al- Qaida’s dominant might is crushed. Nevertheless, Taliban till date offers resilient resistance to Afghan and coalition forces elongating the installment of peace in Afghanistan. Taliban penetrated in Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP) with inclusion to targeting important governmental installations at will, marks their successes.
Peace is crucial to a developing and prosperous Afghanistan. It is an internationally agreed stance that peace can only be installed in Afghanistan subsequent to all the stack holders of the peace drive sit together to discuss the common agenda of restoration of durable peace whilst trying to alleviate their differences. Table talk is ever deemed as diplomatic channel to get to an agreed conclusion to a disputed issue.
A year or two earlier, the US and international community resorted to an ambassadorial channels, a drive making Taliban and Afghan government negotiate their common interests. In that pursuit, US in harmony with Pakistan began to open a Taliban office in Qatari capital, Doha that encountered a deadlock and didn’t reach to fruition. But now the efforts have restarted and have started bearing fruits.
The US State Department and White House say that the ball is in Taliban’s court now. The American Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, James Dobbins has arrived in Doha to join Secretary John Kerry in talks with Qatari government. Dobbins is also expected to hold formal talks with the Taliban representatives. With their opening a ‘political’ office in Doha, Taliban have indicated willingness to revive the direct talks with the US, which was stopped last year due to disputes about release of Taliban leaders from the Guantanamo Bay followed by release of the American soldier Bergdahl held by the Taliban. Though very controversial and fragile from the beginning, opening of the Taliban office is the first step after two years of efforts for reconciliation. Being optimistic at its best, we are skeptical of any genuine reconciliation and end to the conflict through a political settlement.
When the office was inaugurated last week, Taliban raised their official flag and title of the Islamic Emirate, name used for their government before 2001. Apparently the US and the host Qatari government did not bother to urge them to avoid such a controversial move. It also shows there is no change in Taliban’s attitude toward the Afghan government and real domestic stakeholders of the conflict—those who had fought the Taliban until they were toppled.
Secretary Kerry on Saturday in a press conference in Doha urged the Taliban not to let the differences on names and flag scuttle hopes for talks. Such a statement after Taliban’s threat to cancel their willingness to talk with the US on Karzai’s objections shows how fragile the process has been.
The Karzai Administration’s reaction has been a result of the visionless efforts of last two years, now resulting in an embarrassing situation of being left out both by its Western patrons and allies as well as the ‘angry brothers’. The Qatari Foreign Ministry says Taliban violated the terms of agreement for opening the office by raising the flag and title name. If not a mere excuse for the blunder, it shows how much serious regard Taliban have for them as host and guarantors of the talk’s process.
White House says the main dialogue is between the Taliban and the Afghan government. But it has been limited to statements, while ground developments show a desperate US withdrawal rush and compromise at the cost of all that their anti-Taliban Afghan allies stand for. It should be a serious lesson not only for the government, but opposition groups too.
Following to the attacks of September 11, 2001, the Taliban were overthrown by the American-led invasion of Afghanistan. Later it regrouped as an insurgency movement to fight the American-backed Karzai administration and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The Taliban have been accused of using terrorism as a specific tactic to further their ideological and political goals. Taliban have been perpetrating serious war crimes against common civilians. According to the United Nations, the Taliban and their allies were responsible for 75% of Afghan civilian casualties in 2010, 80% in 2011, and 80% in 2012.
Seeing the magnitude of losses inflicted by Taliban, should they be given general amnesty if the peace process furthers successfully? Or they must be prosecuted for the war crimes?