Why Afghanistan's Jirga Will Fail
By Thomas Ruttig, June 2, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010 - 9:57 AM
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The Peace Jirga that began today in Kabul, will fail its declared main
aim: To establish a real national consensus on talks with the Taliban. There are too many relevant political forces absent --
and those who are in attendence are massively monitored and manipulated. The jirga
does not bring an end -- or at least a reduction -- of violence closer.
This was echoed by the rockets that exploded next to the tent this
morning -- the closest one reportedly only one hundred meters away --
during President Karzai's speech. He first told the delegates not worry,
but then apparently left the venue himself. The jirga has again resumed
its work and but it is unclear whether Karzai plans to continue
attending.
On the surface, the jirga with its 1,600 delegates bears all insignia of
Afghan tribal ‘democracy' which, although, is male-dominated. (The
women were only able to push through their 20 per cent attendance quota
after Western diplomats intervened -- another example of "foreign
interference," so often blasted by Karzai.) Bearded and turbaned men
from all corners of the country provide a blaze of color that is
supposed to create the impression of plurality that does not exist in
reality. The delegates are rather handpicked. The main opposition party
is absent and also some women rights activists boycott the jirga which
they consider part of a Karzai legitimisation machine. They fear that
burning issues like ‚justice, i.e dealing with the civil war crimes,
and human rights might be sacrificed for a deal with the Taliban. This
shows if a pseudo-consensus is pushed through, only new conflicts will
emerge.
That should make Karzai's NATO allies think. But they are talking, in a
very self-assured tone, about "red lines" that must be kept and that,
first of all, the constitution must not be compromised. But it were they
-- together with the president -- who have treated it as waste paper too
often in the "peace process" so that it is difficult to fully believe in
such assurances. And what is all the talk about the "most basic" human
rights that need to be preserved?
Facing a general perplexity when it comes to Afghanistan, the Western
governments are all too ready to be duped by Karzai's big shows -- be
they elections or jirgas. Karzai taking the lead is a prerequisite for
exiting the Afghan quagmire into which they have helped to manoeuvre the
country themselves. Where Karzai is leading to -- and what really is
stirring in the big jirga pot -- seems to be of secondary concern under
these circumstances. The reaction of the West will show whether Karzai
again can mingle through with his façade democracy.
Thomas Ruttig is the
co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network, where this was originally
posted. He speaks
Pashtu and Dari.
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