Military

DATE=10/1/2003

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=AFGHAN/U-N/DISARMAMENT (L-O)

NUMBER=2-308103

BYLINE=MICHAEL KITCHEN

DATELINE=KABUL

CONTENT=

INTRO: A group of United Nations-assisted teams is beginning a long-awaited program to disarm Afghanistan's hundreds of militiamen. V-O-A's Michael Kitchen reports from Kabul.

TEXT: Pending approval by the Afghan government, the disarmament program will begin in Kunduz province on October 25th and will expand to other cities and provinces across the country later in the year.

If all goes as planned, members of Afghanistan's several hundred militias will voluntarily hand in their weapons at U-N-run centers in the presence of their militia commanders.

The program will provide the former fighters with job training and employment, including work with the new Afghan National Army.

In exchange for their weapons, the militia soldiers will receive a medal and a certificate of service, along with about 200 U-S dollars and a package of clothing and food.

Critics of the program point out that the 200-dollar payment represents about twice the market value of an AK-47 assault rifle, the weapon of choice for Afghan militias. They fear this could result in the possible re-arming of these groups with more powerful weapons.

One the program's officials, Paul Cruickshank, admits that getting war lords to convince their militia to hand over weapons is ambitious. But disarming tens of thousands of militiamen is a critical step to building a national army for Afghanistan, and U-N officials say disarmament is not the sole solution to Afghanistan's security problems. However, Mr. Cruickshank says that after two decades of war in Afghanistan, many militia fighters are eager to return to civilian life.

/// CRUICKSHANK ACT ///

This is not a "disarm Afghanistan" program. ... When this program is complete, there will still be AK-47s in Afghanistan, I can assure you.

/// END ACT ///

Critics also say the program will have little effect on the country's well-entrenched insurgency. Fighters loyal to the former Taleban regime and other elements are waging a guerrilla campaign against the current government.

Sultan Aziz, a top U-N advisor on the disarmament program, says that although no one knows how well the project will go, even modest success will be a significant achievement for war-ravaged Afghanistan.

/// AZIZ ACT ///

I think it's important that it shows to the people symbolically, if you will, even a thousand here and a thousand there, that this is a process that benefits people and benefits the country, and hopefully will bring a measure of security to the country.

/// END ACT ///

The disarmament process, officially titled "Afghanistan's New Beginnings Program," aims to eventually disarm 100-thousand combatants. (SIGNED)

NEB/HK/MK/MM/MH