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1963. 1963. 1968. 1968. 1968. 1968. College Students (1970s). Soviet Invasion 1979. Soviet Invasion 1979. December 24, 1979 , the Soviet Union, to support the failing Communist regime that they backed in a 1978 coup, invaded.
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Soviet Invasion 1979 December 24, 1979,the Soviet Union, to support the failing Communist regime that they backed in a 1978 coup, invaded. Reasons for establishing a communist government and subsequent invasion: • Extend influence and create strategic depth: Afghanistan a strategic location just south of Soviet Central Asian holdings and a gateway to influence in the Middle East; • Political gamesmanship: rendered a battlefield as America began to support (both governmental and private sector) anti-communist elements provoking strong Soviets reaction; • Resolve to quell possibility of Central Asian nationalism movements and Iranian influence in Afghanistan and the region
Soviet Invasion 1979 Invasion’s Effects • 10% die; • Many flee to the nation (in the 80s, 1/2 refugees worldwide were Afghan) the largest portion, 6 million, flee to Pakistan - coerced into sending sons to Saudi established, Pakistani-backed Madrassas connected to the ISI; • 2 million more displaced inside Afghanistan; • 70% of the country reduced to rubble (including 5,000 of 15,000 villages) ; • More than 50% of agriculture sector and most of the irrigation system destroyed; • Rendered the most heavily mined nation in the world with 10-15 million landmines planted by the Soviet soldiers; • Ethnic split of Afghanistan begins.
Soviet Withdrawal 1989 • February 15, 1989, Soviet troops withdraw from Afghanistan. • Victorious Mujahideen consist of various groups backed by different foreign elements - this leads to each developing its own agendas. • Allies who pushed Afghans to fight Soviets generally leave the nation to deal with subsequent problems itself and no power structure to do so.
Civil War Soviet withdrawal and abandonment by allies creates a power vacuum. Various groups seek to take power for themselves. Civil war engulfs the nation resulting in: • fighting between warlords; • the destruction of much of what remains of Kabul; • an increase in extreme laws/unlawfulness in areas: marked by tribal, ethnic and religious killing, and executions; • increased corruption as warlords abuse their positions.
Rise of the Taliban • Much of the refugee population within Pakistan resurfaces. • Students schooled in Madrassas taught religious fundamentalism. • These students, led by an instructor, Mullah Omar, organize as a political/military unit and call themselves the “Taliban.” • Backed by Pakistan’s ISI and funded mainly by elements in Gulf States. • Initially welcomed as liberators from corruption and chaos.
Life under the Taliban The Taliban’s strict Sharia law • Long list of sad, shocking, and absurd laws enacted Examples: required beard length for men, various abuses of women’s rights, and banning of music and most sports. • Inhumane punishments (often forcing public to watch or take part) Punishments included beatings by religious police, amputation of hands, public executions, and stoning
Life under the Taliban • Legacy of destruction • Kill more than 8,000 Hazara in Mazar-i-Sharif and Bamiyan; • Attack those of different religious beliefs, Muslim or otherwise; • Destroy the Giant Buddhas in Bamiyan in 2001; • Obliterate Afghan culture including poems and texts, libraries, artifacts, film, and music.
Fall of the Taliban During the Taliban era, the world largely ignores all crimes against the Afghan people. The Taliban provide a haven for the al-Qaida allowing them a base for orchestrating the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York. On November 27, 2001, after the Taliban had been removed from power a month earlier, various Afghan groups meet in Bonn Germany to form an interim government. This is the basis for the modern state of Afghanistan.
Problems - Corruption • 5th worst on 2008 Corruption Perception Index • Internal perception • Afghans citizens believe corruption high in governmental and non-governmental sectors; • Government not afraid to address the issue. • Perceived most corrupt government areas • Justice sector; • Security sector; • Customs; • Municipalities. • Causes • Narcotics; • Uncompetitive salaries/lack of any salaries at times; • Lack or feared lack of job security; • Insurgency - causes government focus to be on other areas; • Nepotism or job provision for other ulterior reasons.
Problems - Corruption Steps taken to address corruption • Creating transparency (information accessible to public, streamlined bureaucratic systems); • Implementing other safe-measures (requiring greater number of signatures to gain certain authorizations). Specific programs/actions taken 2004 - Government signed the UN Convention against Corruption; Law against corruption and bribery was promulgated; General Independent Administration for Anti-Corruption established. 2005.1 - The Afghanistan Compact (a 5-year plan of action) agreed between the Government and international community - included anti-corruption benchmarks. 2007.8 - Independent Directorate of Local Governance established to focus on the sub-national government in areas such as corruption
Problems - Narcotics • Poppy farming endemic began due to collapse of economy and lawlessness; • Generate about 90% of world’s opium; • Largest Afghanistan-based revenue for the Taliban; • At least 1 out of 12 Afghans abuses drugs (UN survey 2009).
Problems - Taliban • Recent resurgence; • Estimates say there are 25,000 Taliban soldiers; • Attacks against civilians sharply escalated: 2007 saw 140 suicide bombings - more than in the past five years combined, killing more than 300 people.
International Aid • Top donor - United States, Japan - 3rd (roughly US$2 billion); • Despite all that is pledged, roughly 1/3 remains undelivered; • Efficiency problems: around 40% of aid its way back to the donor countries.
Achievements Health • Basic healthcare Package covers 85% (up from 9% in 2003); • Over 1,700 active health facilities nationwide. Education • 6.2 million children attending schools (40% girls); • Around 4,000 school buildings constructed or rehabilitated 4,400 more planned in next 4 years (eventually 73,000 new classrooms). Social Security • More than five million refugees have returned since 2002.
Achievements Economy • GDP per capita increased by more than 100% since 2001; • Micro Finance loans have benefited nearly 440,000 households. Natural Resource Management • 200,000 hectares of land benefited from irrigation schemes; • 3 million people benefited from rural water and sanitation projects. Telecommunications • 80% have access to telecommunications. Media • More than 80 radio stations and 30 TV stations, numerous newspapers.
Achievements Women’s rights • 28 % parliamentarians are women; • 26% of all civil servants are women. Poppy eradication, • Poppy cultivation area down 22 % to 123,000 hectares (304,000 acres) in 2009 – 2nd consecutive year of decline; • 20 of 34 provinces poppy-free – two more than last year; • Afghan and NATO troops for destroying large amounts of chemicals, seeds, drugs, and 27 labs in 2009; • Alternative options offered to opium farmers: vouchers to buy cheap seeds and infrastructure jobs. Security • Roughly 8 million unexploded ordinances have been cleared; • Afghan National Army – 100,000 active soldiers; • Afghan National Police – 80,000 active officers.
Achievements - Elections Elections • Second free elections (after more than three decades) were held; • Run-off scheduled for November 7th; • 6,969 polling stations in 1st round; • 323 women ran for provincial council seats of the 3,300 candidates in total; • 250,000 journalists and observers witnessed the election.
Achievements - Elections Reasons behind lengthy process • Challenges • Lack of infrastructure –no easy access computerized voting (electricity problems, lack of equipment, lack of experts). Ballot boxes set up in remote locations and delivered back to a counting station; • Security; • Fraud – over-emphasized, but present. • Transparency Procedure • Independent Electoral Commission: Administrates and supervises all elections; consists of nine members, including a chairperson. • The Electoral Complaints Commission: Independent body to review all challenges and complaints related to the electoral process; consists of five commissioners
Future Goals Exploit opportunities Natural resources • Significant natural resource potential: resources remain greatly underutilized, untouched, or undiscovered; • More than 1,400 mineral deposits identified including oil, gas and coal and other metallic and non-precious minerals such as gemstones, copper, iron, gold; • The World Bank estimates value of solid minerals potential to reach US$600 million by 2015, up from US$60 million in 2004. Youth • 44.5% of the population: 14 or younger; • 70% of the population: 20 or younger; • Motivated and ready for peace and prosperity.
Challenges Key areas needing development Energy • Rely on imported energy; • Desire self-sufficiency Development of untapped resources would allow this self-sufficiency and exportation of excess resources to other nations. Agriculture • Aim for self-sufficiency; • 80% involved in agricultural work: not man power or land problem; irrigation, proper techniques, proper crops, and infrastructure needed.
Challenges Security Problems are tied to neighboring state’s affairs • Taliban still funded, trained, and supplied outside Afghan borders; • Madrassas still train future militants – between 10,000 and 30,000 madrassas across the border Reconciliation • Militants not one force. Insurgents include Taliban, al-Qaeda, Hezb-e Islami, and Haqqani Network (Taliban have multiple leaders); • No place for foreign militants; • Open to peaceful relations with Afghan insurgents if they: • Lay down their arms; • Accept our constitution. • Truth and Reconciliation Commission has brought some 3,000 to the government’s side; • Preventative steps most effective – soldiers typiclly join due to financial hardships or are other coercion – sense of hope, jobs, and future prospects will bring them to our side.
Challenges Increasing trade • Security concerns; • Lack of infrastructure, land locked with no maritime claims • Agreement with Pakistan over access to sea port; • Air freight needs to become feasible; • Plans to build railroads both to the North and the East to decrease dependency on Pakistan and Iran. Reintegrating returning refugees Tend to flock to cities – already existing population problems bring infrastructure challenges. New Kabul City to address this • 500 square kilometer area north of the existing Kabul; • planned for 3 million inhabitants; • Envisioned 2025 completion.
