Afghan government has list of drug trade officials: minister

KABUL, March 3 (AFP) - Afghanistan's government has a list of officials involved in the country's burgeoning narcotics trade but does not have enough evidence to arrest them, Interior Minister Ali Ahmed Jalali said Thursday.

Afghan anti-drugs officials had earlier said that governors, police chiefs and senior government figures have links with the opium industry, which now accounts for 87 percent of the world's supply, according to UN figures.

"We have this list and so does the international community. But the issue is we still don't have enough evidence and documents acceptable for a court," he told reporters in Kabul when asked if the government knew who was involved.

The UN International Narcotics Control Board warned Wednesday that Afghanistan was in danger of becoming a narco-state after the country's opium production soared to near-record levels in 2004. "In most countries, security authorities know who are behind the drug smuggling, but proving that and accusing the person are difficult," Jalali added.

President Hamid Karzai dropped former defence minister Mashal Mohammed Qasim Fahim from the government in December after pressure from the world community, which believed Fahim was involved in the drugs trade, diplomats have told AFP. Karzai has promised to wage a "holy war" on the drugs trade blighting the country's chances of reconstruction.

However, Jalali added that publishing a list of people suspected of profiting from the opium trade would be counterproductive because Afghanistan's legal system was still not robust enough to handle prosecutions. After almost a quarter-century of war, Afghanistan's legal system is shattered with almost no secure jail facilities or well-trained judges.

Quandary of Afghan opium industry – BBC 3/02/2005 by Andrew North

Yet again, an alarming study on the rise in opium production in Afghanistan - source for most of the world's supplies of heroin - Like many previous surveys, the annual report from the International Narcotics Control Board warns of the risk to the country's stability, because of a near record opium poppy harvest last year.

In fact, there is nothing new here, as far as Afghanistan's opium trade is concerned. The figures in the report were all released last November by the INCB's sister organisation, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). But the key and still unresolved issue is what to do about the problem.

On one side of the debate is the US government - cautiously backed by the UK - which wants an aggressive programme of eradicating or cutting down opium crops over the next few months.

On the other side are development agencies, who say the focus on eradication will not work and that there is no chance of significant change until the farmers who grow opium are offered viable "alternative livelihoods".

Somewhere in the middle is President Hamid Karzai and his government. He has promised a "holy war" against the opium trade, which he describes as a "disgrace" to his nation. But he too is concerned about pressing farmers too hard.

Although the UK still officially leads international efforts to fight the Afghan drugs trade, the US has effectively taken over - having earmarked $780m (£408m) for anti-narcotics programmes over the next year.

It paid the issue only limited attention in the first few years after the fall of the Taleban. The war on terror took precedence. That laid-back attitude has gone, amid fears that the drugs trade now threatens Afghanistan's stability, and therefore US political and reconstruction goals here.

But aid agencies are concerned that current US strategy calls for the destruction of up to 30,000 hectares of poppy fields over the coming year - about 25% of the area cultivated in 2004. It is pouring millions into funding "eradication teams" to cut down poppy crops.

Some have accused the US and British governments of secretly spraying already in eastern and south-western Afghanistan as part of this policy, although both have strenuously denied it.

According to one development expert who did not want to be named: "The US is starting another Columbia-style war on drugs here." American officials in Kabul dismiss this.

The issue that has done most to encourage such criticism is talk of aerial spraying. They say they resisted pressure from Washington for it to be implemented.

Along with US military commanders, they fear the potential unrest it could provoke - particularly with parliamentary elections due later this year. They also point out that large sums are going into alternative incomes for farmers.

Nonetheless, aerial spraying is still an option US anti-drugs officials are considering for next year. And they insist that some eradication has to take place this year.

Many in the development community totally disagree. "Eradication has never worked," says Leo Brandenberg of the German development agency GTZ, which runs a European-funded aid project for farmers in the eastern province of Nangahar - the second most important opium growing area.

A more "enlightened approach" is needed, he argues - something like that followed by Thailand in dealing with its illegal opium trade in the 1980s - a policy in which Mr Brandenberg was himself involved.

The Thai authorities gave opium farmers a "grace period" of four years. They were given help to find alternatives, and only when that time had elapsed were they penalised for growing poppy.

Instead, the Thai government focused on breaking up heroin processing and trafficking networks - where the big profits are made. "There were many battles," says Mr Brandenberg, "but it worked".

He admits Thailand had two major advantages over Afghanistan: far better security, and money. In any case, the opium trade was always small in relation to the rest of the Thai economy. But in Afghanistan, it accounts for 40% to 60% of economic output, depending on which estimate you accept.
That is another reason why other aid agencies argue against drastic measures like eradication. It could cause real hardship. Alternative livelihood programmes and tougher action against traffickers have to come first, says Michael Kleinman of Care Afghanistan.

"It's critical these initiatives be phased in before eradication, if eradication must occur," he says. The irony of this debate is that there are signs that this year's opium crop will be much smaller.

It is too early to be sure, but the BBC has seen evidence in some poppy growing areas that some farmers are heeding government warnings not to plant it. But as one farmer in Nangahar put it: "We expect the government to help us. If not, we will have to grow poppy again."

That is the fear among many aid agencies - that any progress this year could be squandered because not enough effort has been put into alternative livelihood schemes.

Another concern is the lack of progress in going after the bigger players in the drugs trade. A UK-trained specialist anti-drugs police force has carried out a series of raids on heroin labs, although the evidence is never shown publicly.

A few mid-level traffickers have been imprisoned, but for the most part the drugs mafia have little to fear from a still very weak Afghan police and judiciary.

And with parliamentary elections planned for this year, many analysts here fear that the government will yet again put off serious action, for fear of the political consequences. But Mr Brandenberg advises everyone to be patient. It took 20 years to turn things round in Thailand, he says. "It is likely to take much longer here."

UK attempt to eradicate Afghan opium fails - Alan Travis, home affairs editor Wednesday March 2, 2005 The Guardian

Afghanistan is on the verge of becoming a "narcotic state" with its biggest annual crop of opium since the overthrow of the Taliban, the United Nations drug control board warns today.

The International Narcotics Control Board reports that the opium crop in Afghanistan - which is the source of more than 90% of the heroin sold on Britain's streets - reached a bumper 4,200 tonnes, up 800 tonnes on the previous year.

The rise is a blow to Tony Blair who told the Labour party conference in 2000 that the war against the Taliban was an opportunity to eradicate the poppy harvest which is the source of three-quarters of all the world's heroin. The INCB report says that Britain has the highest heroin seizure rate in Europe and the third highest number of heroin addicts.

The publication of the UN report also coincides with Home Office figures showing that the cocaine and crack culture is reaching record levels in England and Wales. The figures show the number of class A drug offences, including those involving heroin and cocaine, rose by 5% to 35,610 in 2003.

Hamid Ghodse, the INCB's president, said the British-led attempt to persuade Afghan farmers to grow other cash crops had failed. In 2003 farmers grew 3,600 tonnes of opium poppies in 17 out of the 28 districts of Afghanistan. Now it has spread to all 28 districts, with the area under cultivation increasing last year from 80,000 hectares (200,000 acres) to 130,000 hectares. The INCB said this compared with only 165 tonnes grown during the brutally enforced ban by the Taliban on opium production.

"The Afghanistan government needs to do something very serious, very quickly," said Professor Ghodse. "If it is not going to be a narcotics state, which is a risk, then Afghanistan needs to do very urgent action in eradication and alternative development."

Although opium prices fell considerably between 2003 and 2004 they remain above $100 (£52) a kg - far higher than any other cash crop - and a crucial source of finance for the private armies of the drug warlords in Afghanistan.

The crop eradication programme is supported by a British-led international consortium, and tries to persuade farmers to grow alternative crops through negotiation. But it is now believed to be under pressure from the American administration which wants to adopt a forced crop eradication programme similar to that seen in Colombia in the last five years.

The UN report also warns of an alarming spread in HIV/Aids among injecting drug users in eastern Europe, Russia and central Europe with an estimated 4 million people now believed to be infected.

Britain's former deputy drug tsar Mike Trace said yesterday there would be an alarming US-led attempt next week at the UN's annual commission on narcotic drugs meeting in Vienna to rule out the use of needle exchange and other programmes to deal with the growing epidemic.

Needle exchange schemes have been used in Britain since the 1980s to ensure one of the lowest rates of HIV infection among heroin injectors in Europe. Mr Trace, now a spokesman for the International Drug Policy Consortium, said governments that provided practical help, such as free access to clean syringes, could achieve significant reductions in the level of HIV infections.

But he said the US was consciously trying to tie aid to "moral lines in the sand" and would not endorse needle exchanges or heroin substitution programmes.

Britain and the rest of the EU are expected to criticise the move in Vienna next week but a vote to withdraw support from needle exchange programmes would send a damaging signal to the governments of the former Soviet Union.

Four Ranking Members of Taliban Arrested

KABUL, March 2 (AFP) - Afghan security forces have arrested four ranking members of the Taliban in the country's southeast, where remnants of the ousted regime continue to wage a violent revolt, officials said Wednesday.

"The arrested men are well-known members of the Taliban," defense ministry spokesman Mohammed Zahir Azimi said. The men, identified as Mullah Nazir, Raqib Akhund, Ubidullah and Nader, were arrested in Charchino district of southeastern Uruzgan province last week, he said.

Ubidullah -- who like Nader and many other Afghans uses only one name -- was not the same Ubidullah who served as defence minister for the Taliban before they were toppled just over three years ago, Azimi said.

The rebels were captured by Afghanistan's US-sponsored national army during a clearance operation in Uruzgan, which remains a hotbed of Taliban attacks against government and foreign forces as well as civilians and aid workers.

"They are in the custody of the Afghan national army now," he added. Afghanistan's army currently numbers around 25,000 troops and has joined forces with the 18,000-strong US-led coalition in hunting down loyalists of the former regime and their Al-Qaeda allies.

The hardline Taliban militia sprang up from religious schools in Pakistan in the early 1990s and seized control of much of Afghanistan in the late 1990s. It was thrown from power in late 2001 by a US-led invasion for failing to hand over Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden after 9/11.

Bin Laden is not in Afghanistan: Afghan diplomat

KARACHI: The Afghan consul general in Karachi, Abdul Muqtader Frozanfar, said on Wednesday that none of the Al Qaeda leaders, including its frontline leaders Osama bin Laden, his deputy Ayman Al-Zawahiri and their Taliban ally Mullah Omar were present in Afghanistan.

"We are sure that none of them is present on our soil and I should tell you that so far nobody knows their whereabouts," he told reporters at the sidelines of a two-day international workshop on "The challenge of rebuilding Afghanistan" that begun at a local hotel. The workshop was jointly organised by the Karachi University’s international relations department in collaboration with Germany’s Islamabad-based Hanns Seidel Foundation.

On the role of the Taliban, he said Taliban's rule in Afghanistan had become history and they would never regain power. But, he said, the present Afghan government was trying to get the “moderate Taliban” along to rebuild the war-torn country. "Our (Afghan) government is in touch with the moderate Taliban and it is trying to convince them for playing a role in the country's rebuilding,” he said.

He termed the rebuilding of Afghanistan a major challenge for the Karzai administration, saying that the task needed more international aid, especially for health and education sectors. He termed warlord Abdur Rasheed Dostum’s appointment as chief of the Afghan National Army a part of the Karzai administration’s effort to bring stability in the war-ravaged country.

Ex-UNHCR Ogata calls for stronger ties with Afghan locals over aid

(Kyodo) _ Former U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata called Wednesday on the international community to strengthen a partnership with Afghan locals so as to improve the efficiency of its aid to the war-torn country amid lingering security concerns.

"I think what we have to do, and we will have to do more, is to explore ways to work with locals, strengthen the local NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) and local Afghan personnel so that we can rely on them much, much more under different, fluctuating security situations," she said in a speech at a symposium on Afghanistan.

Ogata, now president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, made the call as she outlined the progress in peace-building efforts following the U.S.-led war on terrorism in Afghanistan in 2001 and the challenges facing the country.

"There could have been more progress made last year if it weren't for security concerns related to the presidential elections and sporadic threats on Afghan people, international forces and aid workers," she said. "And there is a serious need to look into alternative ways to deliver development assistance."

"Some U.N. agencies, for example UNICEF (the U.N. Children's Fund), do have the network of local people and the NGOs who can not only deliver (development assistance) but also can monitor the way aid is moving on," she said.

"And I think this kind of thing is something that the international community will have to learn much, much more, including Japan," she said, adding, "There are Afghan experts, there are third-country experts who are much more available, and to 'Afghanize' our own international aid work is one thing that I think we have to follow." On other overall issues, Ogata said Afghanistan has been going through a smooth process of rehabilitating itself, most notably last year's presidential election.

"I would say Afghanistan represents the first right-scale peace-building attempt with conscious efforts to realize a seamless transition...from war to peace...I think there was conscious effort to bring this seamless transition into reality," she said.

She said the next challenge will be the soon-to-be-held local and parliamentary elections in the country. "I would say by far the most immediate challenge is the coming local and parliamentary elections. The success of the elections is the next test to President (Hamid) Karzai and people of Afghanistan and how much the international community will be able to support it," she said.

The elections are slated for the Afghan month of Saur, which ends May 21, but a U.N. official indicated that this timetable is no longer feasible. The parliamentary vote was originally scheduled for June last year along with Afghanistan's first presidential election, but both were put off. The presidential election took place last October, in which Karzai won a landslide victory.

Daily Afghan Report - Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty - March 1, 2005

Afghan Cabinet Fails To Set Election Date

President Hamid Karzai met with his cabinet on 28 February to discuss the country's upcoming parliamentary elections and other issues, Afghanistan Television reported. The head of the Independent Election Commission, Besmellah Besmel, also attended the session. The cabinet reportedly could not agree on a date for the parliamentary elections, according to AFP on 28 February. The main point of contention is the demarcation of districts for local elections that are to be held together with parliamentary and provincial polls. The boundaries of "between 40 and 50 districts are disputed in 22 provinces," Karzai's spokesman Jawed Ludin explained. According to a 26 February statement from Ludin's office, the cabinet in an earlier session decided to refer the issue of district boundaries to the parliament itself (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 28 February 2005). It is conceivable that Afghanistan may hold its parliamentary elections prior to district elections. The parliamentary polls, which have already been delayed, are slated for the Afghan month of Saur, which means they would take place before 21 May. AT

Deputy Afghan Minister Released On Bail

Deputy Endowments and Islamic Affairs Minister Ata al-Rahman Salim has been released from police custody on bail, Radio Afghanistan reported on 28 February. Interior Ministry spokesman Lutfullah Mashal said that Salim was arrested at the request and petition of "a large number" of Afghan pilgrims. It is unclear how long he was detained or when he was arrested. The petitioners claimed that Salim failed to carry out his duties as head of the delegation responsible for providing accommodation and other services to Afghan pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. The pilgrims had reportedly prepaid for these services. Mashal said the investigation into the case will continue. Salim has denied the charges leveled against him, saying that some of the problems faced by the pilgrims were caused by floods in Saudi Arabia, Tolu television reported on 26 February. Salim also contended that a number of Afghan pilgrims who had traveled from Pakistan insulted Afghan government officials and hoisted the flag of the ousted Taliban regime. Legal action against government officials is not common in Afghanistan and Salim's case, if followed through, could establish a precedent for people to take legal action as a means of resolving grievances with officials. AT

Former Mujahedin Leader Vows To Continue Jihad In Afghanistan

Mawlawi Mohammad Yunos Khales, who heads his own faction of Hizb-e Islami, vowed on 27 February to continue the jihad until Afghanistan "is liberated and the Islamic system is established," Peshawar-based Afghan Islamic Press reported, citing a faxed statement. Khales stated that "instead of withdrawing their troops" from Afghanistan, the United States is "speaking of establishing permanent [military] bases." Therefore, "holding talks with aggressive forces and with their puppet government in Kabul means obvious surrender," he argued, adding that "[we] will not remain indifferent to those who want to surrender to the enemy and assist the enemy by negotiating with them on behalf of the Taliban or mujahedin or any other party." Khales issued a similar declaration in 2003 that prompted claims that the elderly cleric had been kidnapped and forced to write the declaration (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 30 October 2003). Since the fall of the communist government in Kabul in 1992, Khales has mostly remained outside of politics and did not actively participation in the civil war. His base of support was the eastern Nangarhar Province. AT

Two Police Officers Killed In Northeastern Afghanistan

Assailants have killed two National Police officers in a clash in Takhar Province, Tolu television reported on 28 February. Four people have been arrested in the case. Takhar's security commander, Hajji Mohammad Akram Begzad, claimed that the assailants belonged to the neo-Taliban and that they had roles in several explosions in Takhar. AT

Hekmatyar criticizes the US and is congratulated by Taliban - Aziz Zahid

KABUL, Mar. 02, (Pajhwok Afghan News) -- Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, one of the most wanted terrorists on the US watch list has reportedly launched a tirade against the US in a statement issued from his hiding place.

Though there have been frequent rumours about Hekmatyar's possible surrender, government and security official have dismissed such a possibility in recent weks stating that the former leader was involved in many war crimes.

In the statement issued recently Hekmatyar expressed support for the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, declared his solidarity for the Iraqi insurgents and urged Afghans to fight against the US. He said the US was waging war against Muslims in the name of war against terror.

Taliban spokesman Lutfullah Hakimi endorsed the views of Hekmatyar saying he was the only one amongst the jehadi leaders who still stood firm in his Islamic faith. "Though we had political differences with Hekmatyar in the past due to misunderstandings, we are allies now," he said. "Hekmatyar is our right arm" he told Pajhwok Afghan News in a telephonic interview.

Hekmatyar's statement was distributed along the Indo-Pak border but its authenticity has not been confirmed. In the statement Hekmatyar congratulated the Iraqi insurgents saying they had brought glory to all Muslims. He said that the insurgents had proven how people with faith could defeat even the best equipped forces empty handed. He compared the situation in Iraq with that in Afghanistan saying that the situations were similar. He expressed hope that Afghanistan would defeat the US as it had the Soviets.

In his reaction to the remarks Coalition Forces spokesman Steve Wollman told Pajhwok on the phone that the remarks by Hekmatyar were baseless. "We are firm in our commitment towards Afghanistan and we will fulfill it" he said.

In the statement Hekmatyar ridiculed the mujahideen who had joined hands with the US saying they had not been accommodated in the present government. A spokesperson for Jamiat e Islami, a party which had battled the Taliban, however dismissed the remark. Mohammed Naseem Fakiri said the mujahideen had not fought the Taliban in order to win the approval of the US.

Afghanistan Science Academy member Habibullah Rafi said Hekmatyar's views did not represent the views of Afghans. He told Pajhwok on Tuesday that Afghans were fed up with war and the situation of Afghanistan could not be compared with that of Iraq. Rafi said Hekmatyar's remarks did not carry the same weight or influence in the country or amongst other Muslims as they had in the past during the war against the Soviets.

Search for Bin Laden Faces Complications - By KATHERINE SHRADER, AP

WASHINGTON - Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) remains Public Enemy No. 1 but recent developments raise questions about the ability of U.S. forces to track down the elusive terrorist and the resources dedicated to the hunt more than three years after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Fresh reminders of the unsuccessful search come as intelligence officials indicated this week that bin Laden has been in contact with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the top al-Qaida figure in Iraq (news - web sites), enlisting his help in planning attacks inside the United States.

Current and former government officials say there is no doubt that the Bush administration wants bin Laden "dead or alive," as the president said shortly after Sept. 11, 2001. But skills and dollars may fall short of desire.

Army Gen. John Abizaid, chief of U.S. Central Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee (news - web sites) this week that bin Laden and the al-Qaida senior leadership have been "our priority target" since Sept. 11 but added, "It's important for all of us to know that military forces do best in attacking the network as opposed to looking for a specific person."

Pakistan's President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said in December 2004 "the trail has gone cold," and U.S. officials largely agree.

Bin Laden is believed to have evaded capture first during the 2001 battle of Tora Bora in Afghanistan (news - web sites) and then by hiding along the Afghan-Pakistani border with his top deputy and a circle of supporters protecting him at all costs. Some experts believe he may also be spending time in Pakistani cities.

U.S. personnel including CIA (news - web sites) paramilitary, contractors and some of the military's highly trained special forces have been on the hunt. In a recent report, the Congressional Research Service said 18,000 U.S. forces remain in Afghanistan, running down al-Qaida and Taliban, joined by thousands of Pakistani forces and agents.

Yet a former intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, wondered about recent decisions on U.S. resources. The official said intelligence and military assets were moved from Afghanistan to Iraq for the Jan. 30 elections there, and it's unclear whether they went back.

Asked to confirm the shift, Pentagon (news - web sites) spokesman Lt. Col. Barry Venable said, "As a matter of security, we don't comment on operational matters." The Pentagon consumes roughly 80 percent of the classified intelligence budget, estimated at $40 billion.

The No. 2 commander in Afghanistan, Maj. Gen. Eric Olson, recently said he was concerned that U.S. policy-makers will seize on an apparent drop in militant attacks to cut coalition troops to ease the pressure on forces stretched by their deployment in Iraq. Olson added that he did not anticipate any letup in the mission to find bin Laden.

Since the late 1990s, the government has debated how best to get the terror leader and what his capture is worth. In the 2001 Patriot Act, lawmakers authorized the State Department, through its Rewards for Justice Program, to pay more than $5 million.

In November, Congress authorized increasing the reward for information leading to bin Laden's killing or capture to $50 million. But Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) hasn't boosted the reward.

State Department spokesman Lou Fintor said officials are constantly assessing the success of their efforts. "There are no plans at this time to raise the reward. It is at the discretion of the secretary," he said.

Rep. Mark Kirk (news, bio, voting record), R-Ill., who was behind the most recent rewards legislation, said the department is moving fast — "for the normal speed limit at the State Department" — in its consideration of the November legislation.

Kirk applauded other efforts under way, including a recent television, newspaper and radio campaign in four languages to remind Pakistanis about the reward. He was responsible for this legislation too.
Kirk advises patience. On a trip to Pakistan in January, when newspaper ads were running, he said U.S. officials were getting a dozen tips a day on al-Qaida's leadership — up from zero. James Pavitt, head of the CIA's clandestine service until last summer, said he supports putting anything on the table to find bin Laden.

"That said, for the most part, it is hard for you and me to comprehend what that sort of money is," Pavitt said. "Imagine what it would be for the person in a position to give the tip. Would they be in the position to know the difference between $1 million, $5 million, $10 million?"

While the symbolic importance of capturing bin Laden remains high, Pavitt also stressed the importance of going after the network. "The issue is a network, and it is a network that is more diffuse than it was three-and-half years ago," he said.

Meanwhile, bin Laden continues to operate. He released a video addressed to the American people days before the November elections, appearing healthy, shaven and lit by studio lights.

Within the last several weeks, U.S. officials say bin Laden has been in contact with al-Zarqawi, who first pledged his loyalty to bin Laden in October. Al-Zarqawi is believed to run his own network in Iraq — aligned with al-Qaida and receptive to its cause but maintaining some autonomy.

Yet Vince Cannistraro, former head of the CIA's counterterrorism center, said the message may be good news: "If you've got to go to Zarqawi to ask him to do operations in the U.S., that sounds pretty desperate."

UZBEK, AFGHAN TRADE ORGANISATIONS SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT - UzReport.com 02.03.2005
Trade organisations of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan signed cooperation agreement on 2 March and agreed that the Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Industry will open its representation in Afghanistan.

The delegation of Afghanistan led by senior advisor of Afghan president and Trade Minisret Hidayat Amin Arsala visited Uzbekistan on 27 February-2 March. The visit was aimed at establishment of business contacts with Uzbek businesses and discuss participation in projects on Afghanistan’s rehabilitation.

Today, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Afghanistan and International Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Afghanistan signed cooperation agreement. The document directed to cooperation in information-consultation support, search and recommendation of partners.

The agreement said that the sides will also organize joint seminars, workshops, conferences, exhibitions and other events to promote Uzbek products in Afghanistan and vise versa.

The sides agreed that Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan will open its representation in Afghanistan and it will organize exhibition of the Uzbek goods in Kabul in the second half of April.

Delhi puts a dent in Karzai's dreams - Asia Times Online / March 2, 2005 By Sudha Ramachandran

BANGALORE - Afghan President Hamid Karzai's three-day visit to India last week saw the two sides firming up several deals boosting bilateral cooperation. However, Karzai's enthusiasm for Indian involvement in an oil pipeline project seems to have not been reciprocated in equal measure by India.
Karzai's visit to New Delhi was his third since the fall of the Taliban and the first since his election in October last year as Afghanistan's president. Relations between India and Afghanistan plunged to an all-time low during the years of Taliban rule, when Delhi was a key supporter of the Northern Alliance. Over the past three years, Delhi has built a strong presence in Afghanistan and bilateral relations have improved dramatically.

India has participated in a big way in Afghanistan's reconstruction, having committed to a total of US$400 million as assistance to the war-ravaged country over the 2002-2008 period. This puts India among the top six contributors to Afghanistan's reconstruction.

Of this assistance, India has committed $84 million for the upgradation and reconstruction of the 213 kilometer Zaranj-Delaram road. The road is the result of an Afghanistan-India-Iran project that envisages development of trade with Central Asia. The route will take goods from the Iranian port of Chabahar to Afghanistan and other Central Asian countries.

Another $80 million has been set aside for the construction of the Salma Dam power project in Herat province. India is also funding the construction of a new parliament building in Afghanistan. Among the projects that India has taken up are the reconstruction of the Habibia School in Kabul - the alma mater of the ruling elite and the influential in this country, a major power transmission project to alleviate Kabul's severe power problems, supply of airplanes for civil aviation and buses for public transport and the repair of a famous mosque in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

India is involved in training Afghanistan's bureaucrats, judges and lawyers, and police personnel. It has sent scores of doctors and engineers to work in Afghanistan, to train and rebuild this country. An information technology specialist has been deputed to the Afghan government.

India's policy in Afghanistan is aimed at not only winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people but also ensuring that anti-India elements (the Taliban and Pakistan) are kept out of Afghanistan's power structure. An official in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) says that "India sees Afghanistan as a springboard to the realization of its long-term economic, energy and security interests in the Central Asian region".

During Karzai's trip to India, more steps were taken to consolidate bilateral ties. Two accords on enhancing cooperation in civil aviation and media and information were signed. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of civil aviation is aimed at building capacity and strengthening the institutional structure of Afghanistan's civil aviation sector. It includes training in areas of airport management, air traffic control, navigational aids etc, including safety and maintenance of aircraft. The MoU on cooperation in the field of media and information calls for greater interaction between the media and radio and television organizations of the two countries.

But despite the small but significant steps that were taken during Karzai's trip, the Afghan president might have gone home a slightly disappointed man. He was hoping to convince Delhi to look favorably at a $3.3 billion pipeline project that envisages piping gas across roughly 900 miles from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan and on to India.

Delhi's involvement in the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) pipeline project is essential for its economic viability. The pipeline project could contribute significantly to Afghanistan's economy.

While India has been keen to push ahead with the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline project - provided Islamabad will ensure security of the pipeline - it has not shown similar enthusiasm for the TAP pipeline, as it believes that this might not make economic sense for India. There are sections in India who are warning that problems with regard to the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline project are likely to surface soon. "The growing tensions between America and Iran in the second Bush administration would suggest inevitable US opposition to the project," points out C Raja Mohan, a professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.

However, India's MEA has more misgivings about the feasibility of the TAP pipeline. It has serious doubts over whether Turkmenistan has sufficient gas reserves to dedicate to this pipeline. Estimates of the potential of the Turkmen gas fields vary considerably. While some believe it could perhaps possess the world's fourth largest supply of gas, others peg the production potential much lower.

A report in the Indian Express, a national English daily, points out that "Turkmenistan's gas production last year was 58 billion cubic meters [bcm], of which 35 bcm was exported to Ukraine and smaller volumes to Iran and Russia. About 11 bcm was used for domestic consumption." The report goes on to argue that while Turkmenistan would increase its production to about 120 bcm by 2007, it has committed to supply Russia with large amounts of gas. "In fact, nearly 70 bcm of the projected 120 bcm is believed to be contractually committed to Gazprom," the report said.

The MEA has drawn the attention of India's Petroleum Ministry to the fact that if India takes into account Turkmenistan's commitments to Russia, Ukraine and Iran as well as its own domestic needs, "there will be little available for further export". India is therefore concerned that the amount of Turkmen gas that it can avail might not be enough to justify its investment in the project.

An official in the MEA told Asia Times Online, "Pouring money into the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline doesn't make economic sense for India. The returns are not adequate. India investing in it will make the project economically viable but not for India."

The MEA official said that India is still looking into the matter and that a proper assessment of the project and of an Asian Development Bank report on it will have to be made before India makes its decision. Until then, India's response will be "non-committal and cautious".

The TAP pipeline project needs India's involvement to be economically viable and India will join in only if it is convinced that the rate of return on it is adequate to justify its investment and that there is more for it in the pipeline than goodwill alone. India's decision on the project hinges on simple economics. Afghanistan's pipeline dreams seem a long way off from being fulfilled. Sudha Ramachandran is an independent journalist/researcher based in Bangalore.

Dostum supporters welcome appointment - By Habib Rahman Ibrahimi

KABUL, Mar. 02, (Pajhwok Afghan News) – Supporters of Uzbek warlord Gen Rashid Dostum have welcomed his appointment as Chief of Staff to President Karzai, terming it a good move towards stability and national reconciliation.

President Karzai had issued a decree on Tuesday making the appointment. Dostum had refused earlier offers of posts in the transitional government of President Karzai. However his supporters had expressed considerable resentment about the fact that he had not been offered a post in the current cabinet that was appointed after the Presidential elections.

While there was no direct statement from the Northern warlord, members of his party, the Junbish e Milli said the step was welcome. Naqibullah Saiq, a member of the party said that it established a good pattern of national partnership.

Laila Hakimi, a resident of Mazar-e-Sharif, said that though Dostum had been given a symbolic post, it would enhance security and stability in the north of Afghanistan

However many ordinary Afghans opposed the step on the grounds that it violated President's Karzai's promise to take action against those involved in brutal crimes. The Northern warlord is seen as a strongman and is alleged to have carried out brutal actions during the jehad. During his elections campaign President Karzai had promised to move away from warlord.

Dostum emerged as a junior army officer under the Soviet-backed regime of President Babrak Karmal who ruled Afghanistan from 1979-86. He consolidated his position in the Uzbek population during the time of Babrak's successor, Dr Najibullah and subsequently played an important role in his toppling Najibullah. He also changed sides several times during the two decades of war.

The Northern warlord stood for the first presidential elections of Afghanistan last October though his candidature was opposed by many people on the grounds that he had committed human rights violations.

Mohammad Ayub, a resident of Khoshal Mina area of Kabul, expressed distress over the appointment. "Dostum's appointment has changed our optimism towards Karzai. Is there any criminal bigger than Dostum left to be accommodated in the cabinet now?" he asked. He said the President seemed to be granting positions to every person whether right or wrong only to kepe his own position. This step would bring discredit to Karzai he said.

Mohammad Hassan Wulasmal, editor in chief of Afghan Journal in Kabul, said the nomination of Dostum did not have any public backing because the warlord had committed human rights abuses. "It is a fact that General Dostum committed many crimes and killed thousands of Taliban cruelly," he said.

Pilgrimage Investigation Leads to Suspension Of Afghan Ministerial Officials - RFE/RL 03/02/2005

A commission set up to investigate complaints lodged by Afghans who made the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj has issued a report that led to the suspension of several officials of the Endowments and Islamic Affairs and Transport ministries, Radio Afghanistan reported on 28 February.
The report concluded that "serious cases of embezzlement and corruption" took place, and that the people involved in the improprieties -- including officials from the two ministries -- acted in "an organized manner."

According to a decree by Karzai, the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs has suspended seven officials, including Deputy Minister Ata al-Rahman Salim, and the Transport Ministry has suspended five officials, including Jahed Azimi, the deputy minister in charge of administration. Salim was briefly detained by Kabul police and released on bail because of complaints by pilgrims.

Polio vaccination campaign gets under way - [This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

KABUL, 1 March (IRIN) - The Afghan government, working in conjunction with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), launched a three-day national polio vaccination campaign on Tuesday in an effort to finally eradicate the virus from the country.

An estimated 5.3 million Afghan children under the age of five will receive the life-saving polio vaccine under the National Immunisation Days (NID) campaign. Afghanistan is among only seven countries in the world, along with Nigeria, India, Egypt, Niger, Somali and Pakistan, where polio remains endemic.

“The government and UNICEF [the UN Children’s Fund] are hoping that this year is the year when there will be no new cases in polio,” Edward Carwardine, a UNICEF spokesman, told IRIN in Kabul.

Led by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), with support from UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 35,000 health workers will administer the oral vaccine across the country.

“We continue to hope that this will be the year that we break the transmission. Of course it will depend on the number of children who are vaccinated and the continued efforts throughout the year to get newborn children vaccinated against polio.”

According to UNICEF, Afghanistan has already made steady progress towards the eradication of polio over the last three years. In 2004, there were just four reported cases of polio compared to 10 in 2002.

At the same time as receiving the polio vaccine, children will also get vitamin A supplements, which help to boost resistance to other childhood diseases. “The vitamin A campaign had been planned for later in the year, but in the light of the particularly harsh winter planners decided to bring forward the exercise to afford increased protection to children now,” Carwardine noted.

Carwardine said the cold weather conditions in recent weeks had led to a delay in the NID coverage of 61 districts in 19 provinces where access had become restricted by snowfalls. “These districts will be covered in an extra round of immunisation scheduled for May,” the UNICEF spokesman said.
Child mortality is very high in the war-ravaged country. Afghanistan’s first national human development report, released last week, indicated that 20 percent of children died before the age of five.
In the past several weeks, outbreaks of whooping cough, pneumonia and measles have claimed over 200 victims, the majority of them children. Carwardine said these diseases were easily preventable through routine immunisations. “While immunisation campaigns reach large numbers of children, routine vaccination levels are under 50 percent in some parts of the country,” he noted.

Foreign invasions bring social misery to Afghans - Al Jazeera 3/2/2005

Refugees struggle during food distribution by International Security Assistance Forces in Kabul
A UN report on Afghanistan's social conditions illustrates the stark reality prevailing in the country in direct conrtast to the U.S.' media talk of a 'new democracy' in the country and the supposedly compassionate role of the U.S. government in Afghanistan.

The survey, 'Afghanistan, National Human Development Report 2004: Security with a Human Face' asserts that the country has not seen any significant "span of stability" over the past two decades; since the U.S. intervened to support those fighting against the pro-Soviet government and when it invaded the country three years ago to overthrow the Taliban government.

"Years of conflict and neglect have taken a devastating toll, as measured by dramatic drops in human, social and economic indicators," the report's authors write.

The report summarises "Human poverty in Afghanistan is a multidimensional problem that includes inequalities in access to productive assets and social services; poor health, education and nutritional status; weak social protection systems, vulnerability to macro and micro-level risks (both natural and human-triggered); human displacement; gender inequalities and political marginalization."

But another condition that is prevalent amongst most Afghanis is mental illnesses. The report states "Mental disorders are another of Afghanistan's war wounds, yet they have been largely ignored. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates indicate that 95 percent of the population in Afghanistan has been affected psychologically, and one in five suffers from mental health problems."

A significant factor that further adds to the populations mental health problems is the relationship between the state, the warlords and the narco-mafia bosses.

One man from Jalalabad who provides a description of the dysfunctional, US-supported government of President Hamid Karzai is quoted as saying: "It has no education policy, it has no health policy, it has no economic policy, it has no environmental policy, it has no security policy. It just takes everything by the day and many of the days are bad."

Zphirin Diabr, associated administrator of the United Nations Development Program is quoted in the New York Times as saying "the country has a long way to go just to get back to where it was 20 years ago."

The report attempts to place this disastrous state of affairs since the start of the 'Afghan conflict' in the 1970s where the predominant causes stem from "external factors such as foreign invasion and interference."

Along with the present social disaster in Afghanistan, the September 11, 2001, attacks can also be traced back to the strategy adopted by U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski and actively pursued by the Reagan administration during the 1980s of manipulating religious fighters to undermine the Soviet Union.

The report states: "The Western world was more interested in curbing the expansion of the Soviet Union than in the consequences of heavily arming resistance groups. It then abandoned Afghanistan, and its people, after the pull-out of the Soviet Army."

Up to the late 1990s, the Washington had 'ignored' the regressive social policies of the Taliban, which had come to power in 1994. September 11 provided the Bush administration with the pretext to invade Afghanistan and oust the Taliban regime.

The years following the U.S. invasion witnessed "a deeply embedded war economy, which leaves the majority of Afghans living in heightened states of both fear and want." This era has seen an expansion of narco-warlordism and the opium trade. It is estimated that in 2003, Afghanistan produced three-quarters of the world illicit opium, and officials warn that the country could become "a narco-terror state in the future."

Security with a Human Face presents a frightening picture of a country whose "free election" last October was timed to provide Bush with a pre-election boost.

The prescriptions advanced by the report in its later chapters for a stable and democratic society appear absurd in light of current Afghan reality: foreign imperialist occupation, political power in the hands of mafia-like warlords and unspeakable conditions for broad masses of the population.

Struggle for Rights - Human Rights Watch 03/02/2005 - Nisha Varia

Images of long lines of Afghan women patiently waiting to cast their votes in last October's presidential election, and the candidacy of a female doctor for president, seem vividly to symbolise the progress of women since the fall of the Taliban just over three years ago. The images of hope are not wholly misleading. Large numbers of women participated as voters, poll workers, and civic educators in many parts of the country. However, the real test – for women's rights, and for Afghanistan itself – lies ahead, with local and parliamentary elections. This time women will run for office in greater numbers, and the rule of local warlords will be at stake as never before.

The parliamentary and local elections, to be held later this year carry a greater risk of violence, vote-buying, and intimidation, with intense jockeying for control over districts and provinces. Given the slow pace of disarmament and demobilisation and the continued security vacuum, the omens are mixed, at best. From attacks on girls' schools to death threats, violence against women remains routine.

The areas with the most Taliban and insurgent activity continue to be particularly hostile to women's rights. The insecurity and attacks have prevented many aid projects in the south and south-east. Thus, in Zabul province, only one percent of seven to twelve year-old girls attends primary school. In Uruzgan province, only two percent of those who cast their ballots in the presidential election were women.

Facing Danger - In theory, women's political rights are clearly outlined in the new constitution. It guarantees men and women equal rights and duties before the law, and reserves a quarter of the seats in the lower house of parliament, the Wolesi Jirga, for women. One-sixth of the upper house, the Meshrano Jirga, is also reserved for women, by presidential appointment.

In practice, things look very different. Independent candidates face violent retaliation if they run campaigns advocating justice and women's rights. The worry is that the only women who will feel safe enough to stand will be compliant daughters, sisters and wives of local commanders, or other proxies, who promise to toe the party line.

Women still struggle to participate in the country's evolving political institutions. This is not just a question of social expectations, or about the conservatism of Afghan society, it is to do with power. Those who put their heads above the parapet powerfully describe the dangers that they face. From Kabul to Kandahar to Herat, women talk of how the failure of disarmament and the continued dominance of regional warlords threatens their ability to work and speak freely.

Women aid workers, government officials, and journalists face harassment, violent attacks, and death threats. Those who challenge the powerful, conservative elements of the country's political structures are targeted because they can be made into chilling examples for other women considering political activity.

Last June, gunmen fired into the home of a women's rights activist who had spoken publicly about sexual harassment, trafficking, and violence against girls. The bullets missed her by inches. 'To fear losing your life,' she told me, 'is part of living in this country.'

One organisation was forced to close a project that provided classes for internally displaced women in the central Panjshir region. Two armed men declared: 'We don't want to see you here again or else you risk your lives'. The provincial government could not provide safety guarantees. In the words of one staff member: 'Nothing worked. We felt we had lost'.

In the north a woman working for a literacy programme was repeatedly threatened by local strongmen. They told her: 'We will kill you as an example to other women'. A magazine editor says she has been threatened many times, but has not even reported the threats, because to do so would be pointless. 'If I want to report it, what can [the government] do? Nothing at all.'

The pervasive mood of fear, and the lack of accountability for perpetrators of violence, could seriously undermine women's participation in the elections. These are not isolated examples, I talked to more than eighty women from around the country considering running for office. Almost all say they expect warlords and dominant political factions to intimidate them through violence or threats if they decide to become candidates.

Some say they will not run because they are afraid for themselves and their families. These fears of harassment are often reinforced by previous threats women faced during the emergency and the constitutional Loya Jirga grand councils, or in their everyday work. As one female community leader in northern Afghanistan said, 'Most of the women who are running have connections with [General Rashid] Dostum or [Governor Mohammed] Atta. Their men will come at night and make problems for my family so it's not possible [to run for parliament]. I have to sit quiet'.

Others are determined to be candidates – but are clear about the risks. One woman told me: 'I am sure, 100 percent, [military factions] will make problems for me. I will try, what else can we do? For five years, they should take us hostage? If they kill me, no problem, but I will run for parliament'.

Warlords Remain - Part of the underlying problem is that many of the men who replaced the Taliban share the same views on women that made the Taliban so notorious. But another key reason is that the United States and its allies have helped prop up regional warlords and their factions – many with atrocious human rights records– in the fight against the Taliban and Al Qaeda. These warlords have had a chokehold on regional and local governments.

There has been no coherent strategy for helping President Hamid Karzai remove the warlords from power and replace them with civilians loyal to the central government. The replacement of General Mohamed Qasim Fahim as defence minister in Karzai's new cabinet, is welcome. However, the president failed to appoint women to powerful cabinet posts, relegating them to traditional roles overseeing ministries for women and young people. And at the local level, many influential provincial governors – in effect, more militia leaders than civilian governors – remain in place.

Lawless - NATO leads the international peacekeeping force but has repeatedly failed to muster the necessary resources to expand its presence throughout the country. NATO member states, while in theory acknowledging the security needs, and recently expanding their activities in the East, have not translated this into decisive action. In the meantime, much of the country remains lawless.

Again and again, Afghan women activists identify improvement of the security environment as the most significant step that the government and international actors can take to ensure their freedom to assert political rights without fear of violence. Almost all who talked to Human Rights Watch expressed their dismay at the failure of the disarmament process, the continued dominance of warlords, and the lack of accountability for abuses.

An expansion of NATO-led peacekeeping troops throughout the country and renewed efforts at disarmament could help transform it from the rule of the gun to the rule of law. Instead, Afghanistan remains one of the most poorly funded conflict zones in the world.

The Taliban stripped women and girls of their most basic rights. Banished completely from public life, the slightest infraction could result in arrest or execution. With the fall of that regime at the end of 2001, it seemed such nightmares were a thing of the past. But the pressures on women today are sometimes almost as severe as they were in that brutal era.

Three years ago, the US, Britain, and their allies pledged to support women in their struggle to reclaim their rights, and to provide a supportive environment for them to do so. After decades of conflict, those promises should be kept.

Nisha Varia, who was a recent speaker at Chatham House, is Asia researcher for the women's rights division of Human Rights Watch, and the author of Between Hope and Fear: Intimidation and Attacks against Women in Public Life in Afghanistan.

Prosecution say execution not ruled out for alleged murderer of 32

KABUL, Mar. 02, (Pajhwok Afghan News) –The prosecution department of the general intelligence directorate in the capital Kabul speaking to Pajhwok Afghan News on Wednesday said they were hoping for the harshest possible sentencing for Shirin Gul, the woman accused of killing 32 drivers with the help of five other accomplices.

An official from the prosecution department, who did not want to reveal his name, said the Shirin Gul investigations are now complete and said execution would also be a consideration.

The thirty-nine year old woman allegedly enticed drivers of taxi’s and other vehicles to her house, where she is believed to have murdered them with her associates, later selling the cars belonging to the drivers.

The investigation team pulled out nearly 29 bodies from two houses rented by Shirin Gul in Kabul city and eastern Nangarhar province over the past 9 months.

The investigators of the case also claim that Shirin’s nineteen year-old son, Sami Ullah confessed to three bodies moved to another house.

The woman’s second husband, a twenty-nine year old man had earlier been arrested in connection with another murder case. And the body of her first husband, sixty year-old was also uncovered in a property in Nangarhar province.

Later the four accomplices, Mirwais and Ennayatullah from Nangarhar province, and Haji Like and Mammor Mangel from Khost province were arrested. They are now spending time in the detention centre awaiting sentencing.

Investigating officers also claim that the Shirin Gul’s thirteen year-old daughter Gulali was also involved in the murder, but she hasn’t been arrested yet. In an earlier interview with Pajhwok, Shirin Gul claimed her innocence but said: "I was only putting a white powder into their cups of tea.”

And when questioned by the investigating officer about why this information was not disclosed earlier, she claimed she was afraid that they may kill her.

One of the investigators working on the team, Mira Uddin said the accused was bringing drivers of taxis and other vehicles to these houses and were killing them after poisoning them, so that they could then sell their vehicles.

The details of the case came to light when a man named Haji Anwar, an owner of a four-wheel drive vehicle disappeared for about a week. The body was later discovered by the mountainside on the outskirts of Kabul. This then led to one of Shrin’s properties and 9 number plates and car registration documents for the missing drivers vehicle was found, last July.

In total, the police have discovered nearly eight bodies from Shirin’s house in Karte Nau totally. The investigations led them to Shirin’s other property in Nangarhar province, where neighbours in the Joi Haft area, where she is believed to have killed her first husband after neighbours claimed there were other bodies. But this investigation was not fruitful and Sayed Nezam Uddin of the intelligence unit in charge of the investigation told Pajhwok on Tuesday that there were no bodies at her house in Nangarhar.

Shirin Gul’s lawyer Masi Ha is believed to have fled the capital, after the bodies were discovered in the house rented by her.

Afghan cycling team leaves for Asian tournament - By Zainab Mohaqeq

KABUL, Marc 2. (Pajhwok Afghan News) -- The Afghan national cycling team left the capital Kabul on Wednesday, and will arrive in southern Kandahar before they cross the border to Pakistan where they will compete in an international cycling tournament, officials said.

The chairman of the cycling federation of the national Olympic committee, Haji Sadiq said the six-member team will compete in the Asian games against nine countries, which will start in Quetta in Pakistan and end in Pashawar.

He said the cyclist will ride a complete distance of 1,700 km in 11 days. The team will arrive in southern Kndahar and train there for a few days, after which they will cross the border to Pakistan, and onwards to Quetta.

[Disclaimer: The content of this news bulletin does not necessarily reflect the view or policy of the Afghan Government, unless specifically stated as such. The collection of articles and commentaries from Afghan and international news sources is provided for informational purposes, and accuracy of the news is the responsibility of the original source.]