DATE=9/18/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41417
TITLE=THE AFGHANISTAN DILEMMA (2)
BYLINE= ED WARNER
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE HARSH RULE OF THE TALEBAN FORCES AS THEY GAIN CONTROL
OF AFGHANISTAN HAS DISMAYED OTHER COUNTRIES AND LED SOME TO GET
INVOLVED IN THE CONFLICT. WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THIS LARGELY
YOUTHFUL, INTENSELY ISLAMIST GROUP THAT HAS PREVAILED ON THE
BATTLEFIELD ? IN THE SECOND OF TWO SCRIPTS, V-O-A'S ED WARNER
REPORTS VARYING VIEWS OF THE TALEBAN.
TEXT: WHILE ACHIEVING NEAR MILITARY VICTORY IN AFGHANISTAN, THE
TALEBAN FORCES REMAIN SOMETHING OF A MYSTERY TO OUTSIDERS. NO ONE
REALLY KNOWS WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THEM, WITH OPINIONS SHARPLY
DIVIDED.
THEIR MEMBERS ARE YOUNG ETHNIC PUSHTUNS, LARGELY UNDER 30 AND
STERNLY DEVOUT. THEIR HARSH ISLAMIC RULE HAS KEPT WOMEN INDOORS
UNLESS THEY ARE COVERED FROM HEAD TO TOE AND HAVE A MALE ESCORT.
MEN ARE OFTEN FLOGGED AND EXECUTED FOR VARIOUS INFRACTIONS.
EVEN BY ISLAMIST STANDARDS, THE TALEBAN ARE SPECIAL, ACCORDING TO
THOMAS GOUTTIERRE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA:
// GOUTTIERE ACT //
THE LEADERSHIP IS MADE UP PRIMARILY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO
ARE RURAL, CONSERVATIVE, IN SOME WAYS PURITANICAL AND
EXTREME CLERICS. THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT HIGHLY
EDUCATED, MOST OF THEM. THEY ARE NOT SOPHISTICATED ABOUT
URBAN EVENTS. I THINK THEY EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO IMPOSE A
KIND OF PROVINCIAL STYLE OF RELIGION AND CULTURE IN THE
URBAN AREAS. THAT IS WHERE THE PROBLEMS CURRENTLY LIE,
MOSTLY.
// END ACT //
BUT MR. GOUTTIERRE SAYS THE TALEBAN HAVE BROUGHT SECURITY AND A
DEGREE OF ENTERPRISE TO THE AREAS UNDER THEIR CONTROL. VISITORS
TO AFGHANISTAN REPORT AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC ON THE ROADS AND
SOME SIGNS OF LIFE IN THE ECONOMY OF THE CAPITAL KABUL. RUGS ARE
NOW COMPETING WITH OPIUM AS THE COUNTRY'S MAIN EXPORT.
TALEBAN OFFICIALS SAY THEY WELCOME FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND WITH
PEACE, THERE IS THE PROSPECT OF AN IMMENSELY PROFITABLE PIPELINE
CROSSING THE COUNTRY, CARRYING NATURAL GAS FROM TURKMENISTAN TO
PAKISTAN TO THE WORLD.
NOORULAH ZADRAN, SPOKESMAN FOR THE TALEBAN IN NEW YORK, SAYS WHEN
THE FIGHTING IS OVER, THE VICTORS MAY RELAX AND MODIFY THEIR
OPPRESSIVE RULE.
// ZADRAN ACT //
ONCE I BELIEVE WE ARE IN FIRM CONTROL, ONCE WE HAVE THE
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE IN KABUL TO EXPRESS THEIR
WILL TO THEIR CHOSEN GOVERNMENT, I THINK A MUCH MORE
POSITIVE ATMOSPHERE WILL PREVAIL IN AFGHANISTAN.
// END ACT //
PROFESSOR GOUTTIERRE ALSO SAYS THERE ARE GROUNDS FOR HOPE:
// GOUTTIERRE ACT //
THE TALEBS (TELEBANS) HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN RESTORING
SECURITY, IN DISARMING GROUPS OF UNDISCIPLINED FORMER
GUERRILLAS AND HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN REDUCING EXTORTION ON
THE HIGHWAYS. MOST OF THE RURAL PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN,
PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTH AND WEST OF THE COUNTRY,
WELCOME THIS SECURITY. NOW WE NEED TO CALL UPON THE
TALEBS TO PROVIDE THAT SAME SECURITY TO AFGHANS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
// END ACT //
BUT SECURITY AT WHAT PRICE? ASKS DANA ROHRABACHER, A SENIOR
MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE OF THE U-S HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES. HE ASSERTS THAT U-S POLICY HAS BEEN FAR TOO
TRUSTING OF THE TALEBAN WHEN IT MIGHT HAVE LENT SUPPORT TO THE
MORE HUMANE AND PRO-WESTERN OPPOSITION FORCES:
// ROHRABACHER ACT //
WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN
UNWILLING TO HELP ANY OF THOSE FACTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN
THAT WERE OPPOSING THE TALEBAN. THE UNITED STATES HAS
BEEN VERY CLOSE TO SAUDI ARABIA AND PAKISTAN, AND THESE
TWO COUNTRIES HAVE OFFERED A GREAT DEAL OF SUPPORT AND
AID TO THE TALEBAN, WHICH HAS ENABLED THE TALEBAN TO
TAKE OVER MOST OF THE COUNTRY AND DEFEAT THEIR RIVALS.
// END ACT //
THE ROLE OF THE UNITED STATES IN AFGHANISTAN SHOULD NOT BE
EXAGGERATED, SAYS KARL INDERFURTH,U-S ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF
STATE FOR SOUTH ASIAN AFFAIRS. HE DENIES THE UNITED STATES HAS
SUPPORTED THE TALEBAN EITHER IN PUBLIC OR IN PRIVATE:
// INDERFURTH ACT //
WE HAVE A POLICY OF NEUTRALITY WITH RESPECT TO THE
FACTIONS - NEUTRALITY TOWARD THE FACTIONS BECAUSE WE
BELIEVE THEY MUST RESOLVE THIS THEMSELVES. WE ARE NOT
NEUTRAL ON THE ACTIONS OF ANY SIDE, AND THERE HAVE BEEN
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS CONFLICT -
THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE AS WELL AS THE TALEBAN. WE WILL
SPEAK OUT AGAINST ANY VIOLATIONS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE
TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF ALL FACTIONS WITHIN AFGHANISTAN
MEETING AND ESTABLISHING A BROAD BASED GOVERNMENT.
// END ACT //
MR. INDERFURTH AND OTHERS SAY IT IS CRUCIAL TO ESTABLISH A
LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT IN AFGHANISTAN THAT CAN NOT ONLY END THE
FIGHTING BUT RESTORE GOOD RELATIONS WITH ITS ANXIOUS NEIGHBORS
AND EXPEL TERRORISTS WHO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ITS PRESENT WEAKNESS.
(SIGNED)
NEB/PT
18-Sep-98 8:24 PM EDT (0024 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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