Kabul, September 26
Even as the people of Afghanistan are getting weary of the Taliban's six-year bloody insurgency, the rebels' stated intent to come to the negotiating table of the Hamid Karzai government could bring a glimmer of hope to this war-ravaged country.
However, hope mingles easily with skepticism in the mindscape of the common Afghani on any promise of peace in a country which has been in a state of war for almost three decades and where death lurks round every corner. Not surprisingly, there is cautious optimism to the proposed negotiations, even though the contours of the dialogue are yet to be defined.
President Karzai announced at the United Nations on Sunday that his government was working "very hard" on peace talks with the Taliban and reiterated his desire to welcome the insurgents back into the national mainstream. Earlier, the Taliban had responded positively on the anniversary of 9/11 this month, to the overtures by his government for negotiations.
With 37 countries across the globe pouring in resources for the reconstruction of a country devastated by war and strife where more than 7000 people have been killed in the past 20 months as a result of the Taliban-led insurgency, the need for peace and reconciliation can never be overstated.
The stakeholders in the Afghan peace process -- politicians, diplomats and the common man -- however, seem less than enthusiastic about the outcome of the proposed process.
Former Foreign Affairs minister in the Karzai government, Dr Abdullah Abdullah, says that the possibility of a major breakthrough in the talks was "premature".
"It would be too early to jump to any conclusions as a number of issues would be involved and the majority would agree that holding talks with the top Taliban leadership would certainly not be easy as they are pretty rigid," he feels.
The former minister observes that heavy casualties (over 3500) inflicted on the Taliban in recent months by the NATO forces could have prompted them to accept the offer of peace talks.
However, Dr Abdullah says that any chance of a lasting peace depended upon the insurgents dissociating themselves from violence and affirming their allegiance to the constitution of Afghanistan. He feels that peace was an essential pre-condition for the development of Afghanistan.
The Karzai government has been stressing that despite the ongoing strife, it has been able to set the agenda for development. "Development has touched the lives of even the Afghanis living in the remotest part of the country, be it in Kandahar, Herat or Wardaka", says M. M. Sediq Ahsan, the minister for Energy and Water in the Karzai government.
He claims the situation is improving and peace would return to his country. India’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Mr Rakesh Sood, while agreeing that the situation in the country has improved tremendously during the last few years, feels holding talks with the Taliban leadership would be a rather complicated issue which could take time.
Danish Karokhel, a media person running the Pajhwok Afghan News agency feels that the situation is too complicated with involvement of the international community in such a big way in Afghanistan. "Most people are resentful of international security forces led by the US", he adds.
Dr Abdullah concurs with the view that the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) needed to pull out from the country but added that the time was not ripe for their withdrawal and could prove disastrous for the Afghani people.
Ask common Afghanis, be it young school-going girls or workers at numerous reconstruction sites, they pine for peace, though without much optimism.
"We have already lost much time and we would be too happy if peace returns for a life away from the shadow of guns, missiles, tanks and tension," says Farishta, one of the few lucky girls who has-been able to resume her studies after schools were rebuilt following Karzai’s installation as President.
"We would be more than happy if talks are held but it seems difficult in the current political scenario," says Hameed, an architect engaged in the reconstruction of Baghe Babur, the tomb of the Mughal emperor which was completely ruined during the war. He is strictly opposed to the presence of international agencies, especially the US and Pakistani, and wants them to leave the country at the earliest and hand over the reins of the country to the Afghanis.
While winds of change are sweeping Afghanistan and the women emerging from behind the veil, peace still remains a far cry.
