With baseless conspiracies west may lose the Pashtuns
It has been since eight years that the west is pouring money and their troops in Afghanistan but no significant achievement they have got yet in bringing peace and stability, their prime target and objective of dismantling of Al-Qaeda and Taliban remains still a utopia, the country is still in deep crisis and violence is on the rise, this is all because of the misunderstanding and mismanaged strategy with political and military mistakes made by the International community.
One of the main reasons for failure of the international community in the restive southern provinces is the lack of understanding of the Pashtun culture, traditions and their homeland. Ignoring the political and economic aspects the west is much focusing on the military aspect and are considering the terrorism problem only as military problem.
Many Americans are held back from achieving a better understanding of their foreign policy, history and that how their government works, they are so little aware of their own history and even less of the history of other people and states that when the then President of the U.S. George W. Bush was asked in the campaign trial about the names of heads of states, he was unable to name several heads of states, including President Musharraf of Pakistan.
This is the lack of understanding and knowledge about the traditions, society and inhabitants of the Pashtun areas that creates much part of the problem.
Last Thursday as posted by the Global Post, the US State Department’s special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke speaking at a Harvard forum said that the Taliban is woven into the fabric of Pashtun society on both sides of the border with Pakistan, according to him almost every Pashtun family has someone involved with the movement, denying negotiations with them he said that there is no American involvement in any reconciliation process.
From Halbrooke statements it is evident that according to his irrational and grim assessment all the Pashtuns are Taliban and have links with Taliban movement that is unrealistic and shows the poor understanding of Hollbrooke about the region and the inhabitants of the Pashtun belt.
There are about 40 to 50 million Pashtuns that are living in the area both Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is a fact that a minor part of the Pashtun population is used by force or compulsion in the terror activities but majority of them live lives of tolerance, order and decency. These millions of people that were once peaceful are the biggest victims of terrorism in the current times.
In the war against terror Pashtuns bordering on both sides in Afghanistan and Pakistan have paid a very heavy price, actually they are the prime and real victims of the reckless policies of the foreign elements and militants.
They have suffered a lot since the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, more than one million Pashtuns have given their lives and more than that were displaced. These were Pashtuns with whom efforts and sacrifices the then Soviet Union was compelled to withdraw from Afghanistan ending the prolonged cold war between the two super powers.
This is very unfortunate that from Pakistani side and the western side always guns are pointed towards Pashtuns their sons are killed, imprisoned and bombarded. Tribal elders, women, children, clerics have been killed from the Pashtuns and this is still going on. Both the international troops, Pakistan as well as the Taliban are inconsistently involved in the killing, kidnapping, beheading and imprisonment of the Pashtun leaders and people.
On the one hand Pakistani establishment and military bureaucracy have kept the consistent suffering of Pastuns as their policy. On the other hand after the collapse of the Taliban regime the U.S. led international forces have also marginalized the Pashtuns as they are the most deprived nation in today’s situation.
Military might has been focused much in the region and the international community has failed to address the basic and critical political, social and economic issues that are directly linked with the growth of extremism in the Pashtun region.
There is a huge gap and difference between the Al-Qaeda and the local armed groups, they needs to be distinguished and separated from each other. Al-Qaeda is a global threat while the local armed groups is a local problem there is a stark difference between the two and counting both in one platform is a blunder.
The local armed groups are not an immense threat, there one can find groups fighting for cash, revenge or their deprivation and marginalization from the mainstream society, that can easily be solved through a transparent system and protecting their rights.
The impoverished Pashtun economy that has gone downturn in the past wars needs to be transformed. If we look in the Pashtun area hardly any big factory or source of employment could be found. Universities, schools are scarce in the Pashtun belt this is what makes them frustrated and the extremism is taking roots in the Pashtun areas. Low literacy rate is the fundamental and primary factor that causes instability in the region.
Instead of wining their hearts and minds US forces created a measure of fear and antagonism making them the occupiers and crusaders in the eyes of the residents with increasing anti western sentiments because they behaved from every angle like an occupation force. Without asking permission or any information searching the villages and houses of the people, moving freely at will in any place wherever they want in a conservative societies like this region possess are all the examples that are the real cause of the problem.
Tribal societies have centuries old customs that are the basic codes of their lives, it is reported that the international troops are disrespecting the local customs and traditions. A night search of civilian houses and their imprisonment without any solid proof or reason creates much anger among the residents.
Looking back at the history it is clear that the strategies and policies orchestrated against this region and people have all collapsed whether it was in London or Moscow, the key reason behind which was misunderstanding the region and the inhabitants.
The Pashtuns are the prime victims of terrorism, this fact must be realized by the west, they are hunted by the terrorists, the cruelty is imposed upon the Pashtuns and they are the people who are helping on both sides of the border to defeat the common enemy of the government and the International community, attention should be paid to this issue especially by the international community.
The Pashtuns don’t want instability they support the government and are asking for ending their deprivation, illiteracy and providence of basic services from the government and the International community.
It is fact that the epicenter of terrorism has been the area on both sides of Durand line but it is not the fact that Pashtuns are favoring that, they are actually fighting and struggling in order to clear the area from the terrorists that have come from outside and under the control of foreign elements, the price for this global security threat is paid by the Pashtuns by sacrificing their lives.
Failure of the high position authorities who are directly linked with the decision making of the region, like Holebrooke of the complex nature of the Afghan society and its inhabitants are the fundamental problems that needs to be addressed.
Much attention is needed to be focused in understanding the Pashtun nature, their tribal history, opaque and centuries old traditions, legacy of the past three decades of war, the deprivation they face, their immense suffering.
Pashtuns have been witness of decades long brutal bombing, scorch earth campaign, they have seen millions of their brothers killed, millions of them displaced, it is needed to be focused how to finish their frustration and sufferings instead of blaming and marginalizing them without understanding and learning their history, traditions and nature.
