Afghanistan: London Conference: olive branch for Taliban who choose peace

Karzai’s proposal to extend an olive branch to the Taliban who give up violence and quit al Qaeda and other terrorist groups won the day. In exchange, he pledged the Afghan government would be responsible for domestic security within in five years.

Karzai appeared sure that some rebels would accept his plan. He announced that peace jirga (traditional tribal assembly) would be convened with Taliban leaders to discuss and seal reconciliation. Before the end of the year, another international gathering would also take place.

UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the delegates at the London conference pledged to contribute more than US$ 140 million to a new trust fund designed to reintegrate Taliban militants into Afghan society, adding that this year would be “decisive” for Afghanistan.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the United States would continue its involvement during the unspecified transition period.

For their part, the Taliban dismissed the conference as propaganda bound to fail to produce results.

Delegates also decided that aid would increase by 50 per cent over the next two years on condition Afghan authorities fight corruption.

In Afghanistan itself, the Shinwari tribe signed a pact to keep the Taliban out of their lands, pledging to burn down the houses of those who shelter insurgents and force them to pay fines as high as US$ 20,000 for any breach.  In exchange, they will get US$ 200,000 in job programmes and a US$1 million tribal fund.

The Shinwari dominate five districts of about 600,000 people in Nangarhar province.

However, “We can't go to the government for anything," said Malik Niyaz, the head of one of the most powerful of the tribe's 12 subgroups.

Niyaz alone oversees a militia of about 400 men who successfully fought off a Taliban attack in July, killing at least four insurgents.

Speaking to AsiaNews, a local source felt positive about the conference but remained doubtful as to its effectiveness.

“It is a good thing that people start to realise that the Taliban cannot be defeated by force,” said the anonymous source. “The real problem though is the need for things to change in this country.”

“The first thing that must change is essential services, like health care and education. We must see that change is possible. The Taliban’s strength lies above all in the knowledge that western countries will leave sooner or later whilst we will stay.”