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FEATURE

End to Afghanistan conflict?

- Rebels offered place in |
‘national reconciliation’

MOSCOW — Dramatic new devel-
opments have opened the door for a pos-
sible early resolution of the long and
agonizing conflict in Afghanistan, Soviet
Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze
told Afghan leaders during an extraor-

-dinary “‘working session’’ in Kabul last
week.

Shevardnadze, who arrived un-

_ ©Xpectedly in the Afghan capital Jan. 5,

accompanied by top Soviet foreign pol-
icy adviser Anatoly Dobrynin, was refer-
Ting to the Afghan government’s sweep-
ing new appeal for “‘National Reconcilia-
tion’, and in particular to the an-
houncement of a unilateral six-month
ceasefire scheduled to begin Jan. 15.

“This ceasefire is an indispensable
prerequisite condition to make the rum-
ble of guns give way to the voice of rea-
son,” Shevardnadze told Afghan leaders
before his return to Moscow. “‘It will
Create common ground, enabling the
Warring sides to come together to discuss
a peaceful future for their country free
from outside interference’.

In addition, the Soviet Foreign Minis-
ter stressed, ‘‘it will also mean an early
return home-by Soviet troops now sta-
tioned in Afghanistan, by all our boys
who are eagerly, anxiously and hopefully
awaited back home by their mothers,
fathers, wives, friends and workmates’’.

This Soviet vote of confidence adds
new momentum to the National Recon-
Ciliation program announced by Afghan
President Dr. Najib at a special enlarged
Plenary meeting of the Central Commit-
tee of the People’s Democratic Party of
Afghanistan (PDPA) held in Kabul at the
New Year.

‘Seer ee eee rca

‘This ceasefire is an
indispensable prerequisite
condition to make the rumble of
guns give way to the voice of
reason ... it will also mean an
early return home by Soviet
troops now stationed in
Afghanistan’ — Shevardnadze

CREE ger cep ine opine rE TENET

“We regard the struggle to achieve
Peace in our long-suffering land as the

first vital priority,’’ Najib told the meet-

ing.
_ National Reconciliation means re-
integrating former enemies into the life of
the country, Najib said, and giving them
a Voice in the future shape of political and

| economic policy. ‘‘Applying a nation-

Wide character to this process means nei-
ther defeat, capitulation nor retreat from
Our positions,” he said. ‘“The people are
ured of protracted war, sick of blood-
Shed, and demand a peace settlement
which is realistic in content and na-
tional-democratic in spirit’’.

Najib outlined the terms of National
Reconciliation, which from the PDPA’s
Point of view involves a ceasefire, renun-
Clation of armed violence and bloodshed
as a means of resolving present or future

‘Jtlerences, provision for full representa-
ton of all sectors of the population in the
Political structure and economic life of
the country, a general amnesty and
Suarantees against persecution for pre-
Vious political activities, an emphasis on
Preserving and promoting the historical,
National and cultural traditions of the
Peoples of Afghanistan, and full respect
for Islam, the religion of the overwhelm-
ing majority.

From

Moscow
eee ee tee

Fred
Weir

This program, Najib underlined, is
aimed at creating an atmosphere of peace
and security, within which efforts to
develop the economy, improve health,
education and welfare, and democratize
the political system can be carried out. It
will also confirm Afghanistan’s status as
a sovereign, non-aligned and indepen-
dent state, he said.

To implement the new policy, a na-
tional commission for national recon-
ciliation has been set up, with dozens of
smaller bodies at the local level through-
out the country. All are composed of
government representatives, tribal eld-
ers, clergymen and, in some cases, lead-
ers of armed groups. The commissions
have the power to grant safe-conduct
passes to opposition leaders who wish to
enter into negotiations for re-admission
to Afghan society.

Last week Najib revealed that these
commissions are currently conducting
separate talks with 417 rebel groupings,
numbering some 37,000 people, with a
view to bringing them into the process of
National Reconciliation.

The Afghan leader noted that other
special efforts are being made to estab-

lish dialogue with those political forces.

still in opposition in an attempt to find
grounds for practical compromise. He
said that contacts will be stepped up with
“prominent figures from past govern-
ments’’ (a possible reference to Af-
ghanistan’s banished royal family) and
also with several independent ‘‘Islamic
Parties’. In a stunning departure from
previous policy, Najib indicated that a
coalition government involving these di-
verse elements is a definite possibility.
“‘We do not wish to exclude from the
National Reconciliation process various
centrist and monarchist-tinged political
groupings and leaders of the armed anti-
government rebels operating abroad,”’

Najib stressed. ‘““Work on reconciliation

could be combined with nationwide dis-
cussion of a draft constitution so that
representatives of the opposite’ side
could make their proposals as well’’.
The Afghan central government has
already made considerable progress in
winning over armed factions and tribal

- formations which had formerly allied

themselves with the loosely-knit, CIA-
sponsored “‘mujahidin’’ rebels based in
Pakistan. During 1986 alone, Afghan
sources report, some 13,000 surrendered

ae

Adopting similar methods to the contras fighting against Nicaragua’s Sandinista
government, the Mujahidin of Afghanistan target civilian structures. Over 2,000 schools,
several hundred mosques and half of the country’s health centres have been destroyed.

and turned themselves in to the authori-
ties. Such former guerrillas are usually
permitted by the government to retain
their arms and form local militias to pro-
tect their villages and farms from ‘‘mu-
jahidin”’ reprisals.

Although the U.S. government has al-
ready rejected the National Reconcilia-
tion plan, and is expected to exert pres-
sure to keep its ‘“‘mujahidin’’ clients out
of the process, it seems likely that large
numbers of war-weary rebels still in the
field will be strongly tempted to join in.

The seven year war waged across the
Pakistan-Afghan border has taken an
enormous toll in civilian life and, accord-
ing to Afghan government figures, has
seen the destruction by rebel strike
forces of.over 2,000 schools, several
hundred mosques and half of the coun-
try’s health centres.

Over the past year, however, Afghan

programs initiated by the PDPA gov-
ernment have greatly improved its poli-
tical standing with the population.

The rebels, on the other hand, lave
remained divided against themselves,
pervaded by corruption, and seemingly
incapable of enunciating a common poli-
tical program.

Most analysts therefore tend to agree
with Dr. Najib’s assertion that the Na-
tional Reconciliation program has been
advanced “‘from a position of strength,
not weakness’’.

Implementation of the program will be
closely watched around the world and
particular attention is bound to be paid to
the outcome of the unilateral ceasefire
due to begin Jan. 15. On that day all
Afghan forces will be ordered to cease
offensive operations and to hold their fire
unless fired upon. However, Najib
warned, ‘‘a ceasefire cannot depend on

SSG RR a Se apo i Re wis ae urea:

In a stunning departure from previous policy, Afghanistan’ s Najib
indicated that a coalition government could contain leaders of armed
groups, tribal elders, clergymen, independent ‘Islamic’ parties and
possibly even members of the banished royal family.

RES Bc I a i i ea Nai

forces aided by Soviet troops appear to
have gained the upper hand on the bat-
tlefield, while major economic and social

one side alone. Those who continue
shooting will meet a fitting response’’.

The success of National Reconcilia-
tion may also have a major impact on the
proximity talks between Afghanistan and
Pakistan, which are due to resume next
month in Geneva under the auspices of
UN mediator Diego Cordovez. It has
been widely rumored for several
months that a breakthrough is in the off-
ing in these negotiations. Such an agree-
ment would have to include a halt to
outside support for the rebels, the re-
patriation of Afghan refugees, and a
timetable for the rapid withdrawal of So-
viet troops from Afghanistan.

Soviet Foreign Minister Shevard-
nadze last week gave a major boost to
these hopes for an early peace in Af-
ghanistan, saying that a political Settle-
ment is “‘feasible and close as never be-

chy

fore’’.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE, JANUARY 14, 1987 e 9

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