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35 | 403 | Afghan Special Narcotics Force Conducts Simultaneous Raids in Kunduz and Badakhshan Provinces | "2005-10-02" | Ministry of Interior | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | In a series of raids beginning early on Friday morning, the Afghan Special Narcotics Force (ASNF) launched raids against illegal narcotics laboratories, drugs storage sites and smuggling routes in both Kunduz and Badakhshan Provinces.
These operations by the ASNF aimed to strike the drugs traffickers and the related opium processing infrastructure and not the ordinary farmers. According to the recent UNODC report, opium poppy cultivation levels dropped significantly this year, moving Badakhshan from third to fifth largest opium producing province. Despite this decrease, both Badakhshan and Kunduz provinces are home to large numbers of opium-processing laboratories and are used widely as thoroughfares by drugs traffickers to smuggle narcotics out of the country.
The Commander of the ASNF stated after the operation that, “The ASNF is a flexible, highly mobile and professional force. On Monday we operated in Helmand Province. On Friday we were in Kunduz and Badakhshan. We will always strive to remain one step ahead of the drug traffickers, putting them under additional pressure, thereby making it increasingly difficult for their illegal trade to succeed. There is nowhere they can hide.â€
Frioday’s action reinforces the ASNF successes within the past month, when they the mounted their first simultaneous operations in two provinces by conducting raids in both Helmand and Nimruz, disrupting key trafficking routes to Pakistan and Iran.
During the course of the latest operation, significant quantities of opiates were seized and destroyed, together with a large number of weapons and essential drug laboratory infrastructure. In addition, nine individuals were detained for questioning, many of whom are now likely to face criminal charges and subsequent prosecution by the newly-formed Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan. The sentences they receive for narcotics offences could be sizeable, putting them in prison for some considerable time.
In its campaign against the drugs trade, the ASNF has now destroyed in excess of 140 metric tons of opium, more than 36 metric tons of precursor chemicals and over 130 drug-processing laboratories. The ASNF became operational in January 2004, and since then has steadily increased its ability to successfully interdict narcotics traffickers and their infrastructure in all parts of the country. For reasons of operational security, the size and location of the ASNF are classified. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T14:00:46" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
34 | 403 | Afghan Special Narcotics Force Raid Drug Bazaar and Laboratories in Nimroz Province | "2005-08-22" | Ministry of Interior | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | This morning (Monday) the Afghan Special Narcotics Force (ASNF) conducted operations in Nimruz Province. These raids were targeted at drugs storage sites, and were designed to disrupt the main narcotics trafficking routes to Iran through Nimruz Province.
The Commander of the Force said: “This demonstrates the capability of the ASNF to operate in all corners of Afghanistan. From Badakhshan to Nimruz, across the length and breadth of Afghanistan, there is now nowhere drugs traffickers can hide.â€
These raids are part of a concerted effort by the Government of Afghanistan to rid the country of the shame of drugs. Nimruz province is not a large producer of opium, but the province is used extensively by drugs traffickers as a thoroughfare to Iran and the West.
A full press statement will be issued on completion of the operation.
Since it became operational in January 2004, the ASNF has carried out a series of operations across Afghanistan, destroying over 135 metric tons of opium, over 35 metric tons of precursor chemicals and over 120 drug processing laboratories. The ASNF has steadily increased its capabilities since its inception, and can now operate anywhere in the country at any time. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T13:59:11" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
13 | 404 | UNHCR voluntary repatriation of Afghans from Pakistan passes 2.5 million | "2006-07-21" | UNHCR Kabul | 5 | 302 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | The number of Afghans repatriating from Pakistan has passed the 2.5 million mark as the UN Refugee Agency’s largest voluntary repatriation programme in the world continues to assist refugees to return to Afghanistan.
The programme, initiated in 2002 from both Pakistan and Iran, reached the historic figure as the total number of Afghans returning this year from Pakistan with UNHCR assistance surpassed 200,000.
“This unprecedented number of people returning to their homeland is a testament to the desire of Afghan refugees to participate in the rebuilding of their country," António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said in Geneva.
"The 200,000 Afghans who have received UNHCR assistance to go home from Pakistan so far this year is the largest number from a single country anywhere in the world in 2005," he said. "We want to help as many people as we can go home now even as we discuss with the government of Pakistan solutions for those who remain."
The UNHCR repatriation programme was launched in 2002 from both Iran and Pakistan – the two main countries hosting Afghan refugees -- following the fall of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Both repatriation programmes are governed by Tripartite Agreements between UNHCR and the governments of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.
Under the programme, Afghans wishing to return home receive travel grants ranging between $3 and $34 per person, depending on the distance to their destination, plus a $12 per person grant to help them re-establish in their homeland.
More than 750,000 Afghans returned home from Iran and Pakistan in 2004. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T09:41:00" | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||||||
14 | 404 | Guterres Hails Afghan Accession to Refugee Convention | "2005-09-02" | UNHCR Geneva | 5 | 2 | PRESS RELEASE | 5 | 47 | 9 | U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres today welcomed Afghanistan\'s accession to the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, saying the decision was especially significant for a country that for decades was the origin of one of the largest populations of refugees and asylum seekers in the world.
\"It is possible at times to forget the true meaning of the refugee Convention, but if anyone can understand its significance, it is the people of Afghanistan,†Guterres said. \"During the long, dark years of fighting and extremism, millions of Afghans had to flee their homeland to seek refuge elsewhere. It is testimony to the remarkable progress Afghanistan has made on the road to recovery that it is now able to join the Convention.\"
The accession, which takes effect this week, comes after several months of close collaboration between UNHCR and Afghan authorities on the issue. With it, Afghanistan becomes the 146th country to ratify either the 1951 Convention or its 1967 Protocol. The last previous ratification was in November 2003, when St. Vincent and the Grenadines signed the Protocol.
Both Iran -- which has hosted millions of Afghan refugees over the years -- and Afghanistan have now signed the Convention. UNHCR hopes that Pakistan, which has also generously hosted millions of Afghans, will soon join as well.
Afghanistan\'s accession enshrines in international law the country\'s long-standing tradition of asylum. Even throughout its troubled recent history, Afghanistan kept its doors open to refugees -- notably those from Central Asia like the tens of thousands of Tajiks who fled their country\'s civil war in the early 1990s.
Since the fall of the Taliban in late 2001, more than 3.5 million Afghans have repatriated from neighbouring Iran and Pakistan in one of the largest refugee repatriation operations in UNHCR’s 54-year history. In addition to repatriation, the U.N. refugee agency has been working in Afghanistan to support the authorities\' efforts to re-integrate the millions of newly-returned people.
\"The accession to the international refugee Convention and protocol is a very significant step for Afghanistan,\" the Afghan Minister for Refugees and Repatriation, Dr. Azam Dadfar, said in Kabul. \"So many Afghans have experienced exile and know how important it is to be treated with respect and dignity as refugees. We are, therefore, particularly pleased to be joining the community of signatory states, to strengthen our co-operation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and to add our voice to those committed to provide protection to refugees. Afghanistan will be proud to respect its obligations under these important international instruments.\"
There are now just under 1 million Afghan refugees in Iran. A recent census showed that more than 3 million Afghans, not all of whom are “of concern†to UNHCR, reside in Pakistan. While it is expected that a significant number will choose to repatriate, it is also likely that some Afghans will want to remain in their countries of asylum, where some have been living for decades as well-integrated, productive members of society.
In recognition of a return to more normal conditions in the region, consultations have been underway between Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and the international community on the development of a broader management framework that would provide not only for refugees, but for other forms of population movement. In this context, Afghanistan\'s accession to the Convention can be welcomed as yet another step towards greater regional stability and cooperation. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T09:52:32" | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
15 | 404 | Press Conference - Transcript | "2006-01-26" | Disarmament and Reintegration Commission | 5 | 304 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | His Excellence Deputy Minister Nooristani, Vice Chairman of the Disarmament and Reintegration Commission (DR&C), opened the press conference by a short statement. He said the aim of today’s press conference is to listen to the statements of two personalities from the north east region. His Excellencies Said Ekramudin Masoomi, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA) and General Daud, Deputy Minister of Interior in charge of Counter-Narcotics, are 2 high ranking government officials with influence on armed groups in order to address them through TV messages. They are going to persuade commanders and leaders of illegal armed groups of the north east region to support the DIAG program and hand over their weapons and ammunition to the responsible authorities.
<U>Statement of Said Ekramudin Minister of Social and Labor Affairs</U>
First of all I am grateful for the untiring efforts of the Vive Chairman of the Disarmament and Reintegration Commission (D&RC) for arranging today’s press conference. After the establishment of the interim government of Afghanistan, the appointment of the Constitutional Loya Jirga, the Presidential and parliamentary elections, we are now witnessing the successful implementation of other processes, whose purpose is the establishment of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
We are grateful to the D&RC Vice Chairman who considered us as influential in the north east of country, although we may not be as influential in this area as he thinks. However we are ready to state clearly, in line with our national and religious responsibilities, that we have to support the process of Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG) as we supported Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) program in the past.
I was one of the military commanders and I had a number of armed personnel under my command. With the establishment of an interim government I handed over all of my facilities and weapons to the appointed commission. Subsequently I asked and requested all my Brothers who had links or personnel ties with me during the Jihad to support the DDR process, because for about three decades our beloved country had suffered from an imposed war. This had to be done to respect the wishes of our compatriots; this is why we are obliged to hand over our respected weaponry to the responsible authorities.
At the time, Afghan people had obtained weapons to defend their freedom through various sources. But now we have freedom and there is no need to keep weapons irresponsibly. We are not in favor of those who illegally possess weapons. As a result – and in different ways - these weapons will cause more harm to our compatriots.
Today, by the mercy of God, we have a legitimate government and there is no existing reason to have irresponsible weapons; therefore weapons have to be surrendered to our elected government. Once again we are not in favor of those who illegally possess weapons and use them for negative purposes. I am confident that all the commanders who took weapons for the freedom of the country are not in favor of an illegal use of them, and 90 % believe that weapons have to be turned to the elected Government.
Therefore, I would like to address all the commanders and friends who were obliged to take their weapons and fight for the independence of the country to hand them over to the appointed commission (D&RC). They will be the pride of our pride.
At this stage, the DIAG project is operating under chairmanship of Vice President Karim Khalili and his Excellency Vice minister Nooristani who has been appointed as deputy of the D&RC. This process needs to be supported by all ethnicity, factions, groups …etc throughout the country. By unanimous cooperation, we will reach our common objectives without the irresponsible groups who have used their weapons negatively in the past and expecting to continue using them now. We want the Disbandment and Disarmament of these groups and individuals. I want to assure his Excellency Nooristani that I will use all of my means and energy in the north east to convince the authorities and Brothers and I will be cooperative in order to collect the remaining weapons which are still there outside official structures.
<U>Statement of General Daud Deputy Minister of Interior in charge of Counter- Narcotics:</U>
I fully agree with the statement of Minister of Labor and Social Affairs. He was our leader in the past as well as now. I am pleased with the appointment of Mr. Nooristani as Vice Chairman of Disarmament and Reintegration commission.
I am committing myself, in front of you, to support the process of Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG). In fact the process of DIAG has a vital role to play for the establishment of peace and stability in Afghanistan. The implementation of the DIAG process is impossible, without the support of public.
I was the 6th Corps Commander in the north east region and a number of commanders and friends have accompanied me in many difficult circumstances. I now intend to conduct meetings with them, and I will seriously request from them to comply with the DIAG process, because this process will ensure the peace and stability in Afghanistan.
DDR process first started in Kunduz was completed successfully and now Kunduz is the most successful region of Afghanistan. I hope you will witness successful meetings with commanders and practical work soon. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T09:56:02" | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||||||
16 | 404 | Three Commanders Voluntarily Surrender Weapons in Gardez | "2006-01-25" | Disarmament and Reintegration Commission | 5 | 304 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | On January 25th, Commander Mohammad Hakim Gul Khan, Commander Amir Mohammad Jan Khan and Commander Abdul Akbar surrendered around 10 tons of ammunition, including heavy caliber ammunition, as well as a mixture of light and heavy weapons to the DIAG* weapons collection team. The ammunition and the weapons were surrendered in the City Hall of Gardez and some of them have already been transferred to Pol-i-Charki central weapons collection point where they are now under the surveillance of the Afghan National Army (ANA). Weapons and ammunition will be either used by the security forces of the elected Government of Afghanistan or – if not serviceable - destroyed.
Commander Mohammad Hakim Gul Khan, Commander Amir Mohammad Jan Khan and Commander Abdul Akbar voluntarily surrendered their weapons, thus actively participating in the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Group (DIAG) process.
In the speech he gave during the hand over ceremony, the Governor of Paktya, Hakim Tanaiwal praised the Commanders for their support to the DIAG process. “It is now time to free ourselves from weapons, to make our villages safe and receive support for development, he said. The war is over and weapons are not useful for us anymore; they belong to the Government of Afghanistan and should be transferred to our security forcesâ€. The Governor also made a strong call to encourage other commanders to support DIAG and hand over their weapons.
The ceremony was attended by the Head of the Shuras of Mullahs of Paktya, the ANA Deputy Commander of Paktya, the Head of the provincial Department of Information and Culture of Paktya, the Head of the National Security Directorate (NSD) of Paktya, the Director of the Afghanistan’s New Beginnings Programme (ANBP) and the Head of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Gardez.
<I>The DIAG process was launched on 11 June, 2005 when officially announced by Vice President Khalili. So far (18 January, 2006), 16,850 weapons as well as 25,506 pieces of boxed and 69,255 pieces of unboxed ammunition have been handed over to and verified by ANBP collection teams in Afghanistan. 4,857 of the collected weapons have been handed over by 124 candidates to the parliamentary and provincial council elections.
*Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups</I> | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T10:00:06" | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||||||
17 | 404 | Weapons, including SAM-7, Voluntarily Surrendered By Commander Haji Mohammad Nabi Ahmadzai | "2005-01-22" | Disarmament and Reintegration Commission - Joint Secretariat | 5 | 304 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | On January 22nd, Commander Haji Mohammad Nabi Ahmadzai from the district of Khoshi in the province of Logar handed over ammunition as well as light and heavy weapons to the DIAG* weapons collection teams. A Soviet anti-aircraft missile SAM-7 was among the weapons surrendered.
The weapons are now under the surveillance of the Afghan National Army (ANA). The weapons will be either used by the security forces of the elected Government of Afghanistan or – if not serviceable - destroyed.
By voluntarily surrendering his weapons, including a SAM-7, Commander Haji Mohammad Nabi Ahmadzai significantly participated in the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Group (DIAG) process.
In the speech the Governor of Logar gave during the hand over ceremony, the Governor praised Commander Haji Mohammad Nabi Ahmadzai for supporting DIAG and stressed that “the first Jihad to defend the country is now over, but it is high time for the people of Afghanistan to launch the Great Jihad and rebuild their countryâ€, calling for others to follow the example of Commander Haji Mohammad Nabi Ahmadzai.
<I>The DIAG process was launched on 11 June, 2005 when officially announced by Vice President Khalili. So far (18 January, 2006), 16,850 weapons as well as 25,506 pieces of boxed and 69,255 pieces of unboxed ammunition have been handed over to and verified by ANBP collection teams in Afghanistan. 4,857 of the collected weapons have been handed over by 124 candidates to the parliamentary and provincial council elections.
*Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups</I> | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T10:06:57" | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||||||
33 | 403 | Afghan Special Narcotics Force Conducts Simultaneous Operations in Helmand and Nimroz Provinces | "2005-08-24" | Ministry of Interior | 5 | 222 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | For the first time, the Afghan Special Narcotics Force (ASNF) has been carrying out operations simultaneously in two provinces of the country. Over the past three days, the Force has been active in southern Helmand Province and in Nimruz, the south-western province of Afghanistan, which borders Iran and Pakistan.
The Commander of the Force says “We are no longer limited to one province at a time. The ASNF can now conduct operations in different provinces at the same time, by land and by air. The Force continues to go from strength to strength.â€
With the harvest of this year’s opium crop now well over, Helmand and Nimruz provinces are strategic targets in the fight against narcotics refining and trafficking. A significant quantity of narcotics is smuggled through both Helmand and Nimruz on its way for further processing and export to Iran, Pakistan and the West. By striking at these key points, the Government of Afghanistan intends to disrupt this illicit trade and bring the traffickers to justice.
A full press statement will be issued on completion of the current operations.
The ASNF has steadily increased its capabilities since it became operational in January 2004. In a campaign that specifically targets narcotics traffickers, the ASNF has destroyed over 135 metric tons of opium, more than 35 metric tons of precursor chemicals and over 120 drug processing laboratories. It has also raided drugs bazaars and storage sites, and has conducted operations to interdict narcotics along the main trafficking routes out of the country. It can now operate anywhere in Afghanistan at any time. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T13:43:45" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
18 | 404 | Weapons Collection Ceremony to be held in Kapisa | "2006-02-05" | Disarmament and Reintegration Commission | 5 | 304 | PRESS RELEASE | 2 | 47 | 15 | On February 6th (Monday), at 11:00 am, a weapons collection ceremony will take place in Pul-e Sayad, the capital of Kapisa. Commanders from various districts of the province will surrender over 70 weapons as well as ammunition to the DIAG* weapons collection teams at the Police Compound’s weapons collection point. The ceremony, which will be attended by the Governor of Kapisa, the Chief of Police of Kapisa as well as representatives from the Afghanistan’s New Beginnings Programme (ANBP) and UNAMA, will be followed by the Provincial DIAG Committee, a body chaired by the Governor and meeting on a weekly basis to discuss DIAG-related issues.
Media interested in covering the event should contact the Public Information department of the Joint Secretariat.
<I>The DIAG process was launched on 11June, 2005 when officially announced by Vice President Khalili. So far, 17,509 weapons as well as 25,608 pieces of boxed and 70,246
pieces of unboxed ammunition have been handed over to and verified by ANBP collection teams in Afghanistan.</I> | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T10:09:43" | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||||||
20 | 404 | General Dostum Supports Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups | "2006-02-21" | Disarmament and Reintegration Commission | 5 | 304 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | On Thursday February 23rd, a big ceremony organized by General Dostum to celebrate the birthday of the Uzbek poet Amir Ali Sher Nawai will take place as of 9 o’clock in the morning, in Sheberghan, Jawzjan province. General Dostum will deliver a speech and call his former Commanders to surrender their remaining weapons to the Government through the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG) programme. On this occasion, hundreds of weapons are expected to be handed over by General Dostum’s ex-Commanders to be verified by the DIAG weapons collection team.
A high level delegation from Kabul will travel to Sheberghan, including the First Deputy Minister of Defense and Vice Chairman of the Disarmament and Reintegration Commission, Yussef Nooristani who will give an address on DIAG to the gathering.
By calling his commanders to hand over their weapons, General Dostum is actively supporting the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Group - DIAG, a process which is intending to consolidate peace, rule of law and prosperity in Afghanistan.
<I>The DIAG process was launched on 11June, 2005 when officially announced by Vice President Khalili. So far, 21 February, 17,724 weapons as well as 26,287 pieces of boxed and 77,070 pieces of unboxed ammunition have been handed over to and verified by ANBP collection teams in Afghanistan. 4,857 of the collected weapons have been handed over by 124 candidates to the parliamentary and provincial council elections.</I> | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T10:21:59" | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||||||
21 | 404 | General Mosseni Voluntarily Surrenders Weapons in Baghlan | "2006-02-08" | Disarmament and Reintegration Commission - Joint Secretariat | 5 | 304 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | On February 8th, General Mustafa Mosseni, the Chief of Police of Logar and former Commander of the 20th Division, handed over 100 weapons, including missiles and heavy weapons, to be verified by the DIAG* weapons collection team. The ceremony took place in Pol-e Khumri, Baghlan province, in the presence of a high level delegation from Kabul, led by General Manan, the head of the Anti-Terrorist Department of the Ministry of Interior. The weapons are now under the surveillance of the Afghan National Army (ANA). They will be either used by the security forces of Afghanistan or – if not serviceable - destroyed.
By voluntarily surrendering his weapons, General Mustafa Mosseni has been complying with the Gun Law regulating the detention and use of weapons in Afghanistan while actively supporting the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Group (DIAG), a process which intends to consolidate peace, rule of law and prosperity in Afghanistan.
In the speech he gave during the hand over ceremony, General Mustafa Mosseni insisted that “peace has now come back to Afghanistan and therefore weapons should be handed over to the Government for the use of the Afghan security forcesâ€. He also called for other Commanders to follow his example and comply with the DIAG process.
The ceremony was attended by the Governor of Baghlan, Alam Rasikh, the Chief of the Badakhshan-Salang Highway Police, General Khalil - who himself had surrendered 285 weapons on 30th November - as well as the head the Joint Secretariat of the Disarmament and Reintegration Commission, representatives of the Afghan National Army (ANA), the National Directorate of Security (NDS), and the ISAF Provincial Reconstruction Team.
<I>The DIAG process was launched on 11June, 2005 when officially announced by Vice President Khalili. The DIAG process was launched on 11June, 2005 when officially announced by Vice President Khalili. As of 6th February 2006, 17,530 weapons as well as 25,608 pieces of boxed and 70,246 pieces of unboxed ammunition have been handed over to and verified by ANBP collection teams in Afghanistan.
4,857 of the collected weapons have been handed over by 124 candidates to the parliamentary and provincial council elections.
*DIAG: Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups</I> | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T10:23:22" | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||||||
22 | 404 | Hundreds of Mines to be Destroyed in Sheberghan | "2006-07-30" | Afghanistan’s New Beginnings Programme (ANBP) | 5 | 216 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | On the occasion of the International Mine Awareness Day, the Afghanistan’s New Beginning Programme (ANBP) will organize a ceremony where hundred of anti-personnel landmines will be destroyed. The ceremony will take place in Sheberghan, Jawzjan province, on Tuesday 4 April 2006, at 10 o’clock in the morning.
Last July 2005, the Government of Afghanistan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed an agreement on the destruction of ammunition and anti-personnel landmines. The Ministry of Defense, with ANBP’s support, is implementing this two-year nationwide project, whereby ammunition safe to be moved will be transported to storage facilities while the remainder and all mines will be destroyed. The total cost of this project is US $16 million. Canada, the United Kingdom and UNDP are, to date, the key donors together with in kind support received from the US State Department’s Explosive Remnant of War (ERW) programme
This project will alleviate the threat of unexploded ordnance, one of the major dangers in Afghanistan today, but also assist the Government in meeting its obligations as a signatory to the Ottawa Convention on the ban and destruction of anti-personnel landmines. In line with this international treaty signed by Afghanistan on 1 March 2003, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan committed to establish a complete ban on anti-personnel mines within four years, with all stockpiles to be destroyed by 28 February 2007.
Speakers at the ceremony will include ANBP’s Director, Peter Babbington, and the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in Afghanistan, Tom Koenig, and the Deputy Ambassador Elizabeth Baldwyn-Jones. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T10:25:23" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
29 | 404 | Guards of Ammunition Depots in Panjshir to Receive Salaries | "2006-02-11" | Afghanistan’s New Beginnings Programme (ANBP) | 5 | 1 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | On Sunday 12th February, the Afghanistan’s New Beginnings Programme (ANBP) and the Ministry of Defense (MoD) will proceed with the payment of the backpay salaries for the last 10 months of 112 guards watching over 9 ammunition depots in Panjshir. All the guards are former combatants of the 1st Division of Panjshir, whose units have been disbanded in the framework of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process.
With the completion of disarmament and demobilization, and consequently the MoD ceasing payment to Afghan Military Forces (AMF) units - including the 1st Division of Panjshir – ammunition depots guards claim that they have not received salaries for the last 10 months although performing their duties. ANBP raised this issue with the MoD, which agreed to pay the guards a ten-month salary equivalent to what they were earning with the AMF. The MoD will continue to pay the guards as long as depots will need to be guarded.
Payment will take place in Dashtak (Panjshir) at 10 am. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T11:17:24" | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
25 | 404 | Weapons Hand Over Ceremony in Jalalabad | "2006-04-16" | Disarmament and Reintegration Commission - Joint Secretariat | 5 | 304 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | On April 18th, the Governor of Nangarhar, Gul Agha Sherzai, will organize a meeting of ex-Commanders, influential tribal and religious leaders as well as provincial and districts government officials in Jalalabad, Nangarhar province.
At the end of the ceremony, ex-commanders from neighboring communities are expected to hand over around 100 light and heavy weapons as well as over 100,000 rounds of ammunition. In addition, during the same ceremony, appreciation certificates signed by President Karzai will be given to former Afghan Military Forces (AMF) commanders whose units were decommissioned as part of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process.
The Joint Secretariat of the Disarmament and Reintegration Commission as well as the Afghanistan’s New Beginnings Programme (ANBP) will be represented by a senior delegation from Kabul. Governor Gul Agha Sherzai and other officials are expected to give speeches in support of DIAG*, a programme intending to eradicate the influence of illegal armed groups in Afghanistan, thus allowing the consolidation of peace, rule of law and prosperity in the country.
The ceremony will be held on Tuesday 18 April, 9:00 am, next to the Governor’s Compound in Jalalabad.
Media interested in attending the ceremony or wanting more information can contact the Joint Secretariat Public Information Office.
<I>The DIAG process was launched on 11June, 2005 when officially announced by Vice President Khalili. As of 13 April 2006, 20,425 weapons as well as 28,323 pieces of boxed and 119,901 pieces of unboxed ammunition have been handed over to and verified by ANBP collection teams in Afghanistan.
*DIAG: Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups</I> | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T10:36:46" | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||||||
27 | 404 | Mangal Tribe Elders Voluntarily Surrender 3 Tanks in Paktya | "2006-05-10" | Disarmament and Reintegration Commission - Joint Secretariat | 5 | 304 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | On May 9th, 2006, the elders of the Mangal tribe in Paktya surrendered three T-54 tanks as well as other weapons to the DIAG* weapons collection team. The ceremony took place in Ghondai, Said Karam district. The tanks have been decommissioned and are to be removed to the heavy weapons cantonment site in Gardez.
By voluntarily surrendering tanks and weapons, the elders of the Mangal tribe are actively supporting the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG) programme, a process intending to eradicate the influence of illegal armed groups in the country, and allowing the consolidation of peace, rule of law and prosperity in Afghanistan.
In the speech given during the hand over ceremony, Haji Hanan, one of the elders of the Mangal tribe, called for all other tribes to surrender their weapons and support the DIAG process. “Tanks and weapons are the property of Afghanistan and not of any specific tribe, he said. By handing them over, we will support our elected Governmentâ€.
The ceremony was attended by Mangal tribal elders and Jihadi Commanders, the District Chief of Police as well as representatives of the Joint Secretariat of the Disarmament and Reintegration Commission and the Afghanistan’s New Beginnings Programme (ANBP).
<I>The DIAG process was launched on 11June, 2005 when officially announced by Vice President Khalili. As of 8th May, 21,629 weapons as well as 20,869 pieces of boxed and
170,381 pieces of unboxed ammunition have been handed over to and verified by ANBP collection teams in Afghanistan.
4,857 of the collected weapons have been handed over by 124 candidates to the parliamentary and provincial council elections.
*DIAG: Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups</I> | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T10:40:22" | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||||||
28 | 404 | Kapisa: More Commanders Should Voluntarily Surrender Weapons | "2006-07-05" | Disarmament and Reintegration Commission - Joint Secretariat | 5 | 304 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | On July 5th, 45 former Jehadi Commanders of Kapisa surrendered 251 weapons, including 94 operational weapons, to the DIAG* weapons collection team. The ceremony, organized by Governor of Kapisa Abdulsatar Murad took place in Mahmud Raqi, the capital of Kapisa province. The weapons were immediately transferred to Pol-i-Charki central weapons collection point where they are now under the surveillance of the Afghan National Army (ANA). They will be either used by the security forces of Afghanistan or – if not serviceable - destroyed.
By voluntarily surrendering their weapons, ex-commanders are complying with the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG), a Government-led process intending to eradicate the influence of illegal armed groups in the country, thus allowing the consolidation of peace, rule of law and prosperity in Afghanistan.
The Governor of Kapisa Abdulsatar Murad should be praised for his continuing efforts to support DIAG. However, half of the 37 Kapisa commanders who had been issued a notification letter on May 1st giving them a month to voluntarily hand over their weapons and disband their armed groups have failed to do so, either willingly or as a result of subsequent negotiations in June. Unfortunately, these commanders continue to hinder the establishment of a safe and secure environment in their area, thus preventing their communities from being attractive for potential development and governance projects which would lead to renewed prosperity in Kapisa.
General Sakhi Baiani, the Ministry of Interior Chief of Staff attended the event along with representatives of the Joint Secretariat of the Disarmament and Reintegration Commission. In the speech he gave during the ceremony, General Baini warned non-compliant commanders that the government will eventually “take every step to retrieve illegal weapons†urging them to “use the current opportunity given to them to hand over their weapons and disband their armed groupsâ€.
The compliance of the commanders of Kapisa, a province which had been selected for the Main Phase of DIAG, will be closely monitored in the coming weeks as establishing enhanced security through disbanding illegal armed groups is the only way forward to stability and a better future for the Afghan people.
<I>The DIAG process was launched on 11June, 2005 when officially announced by Vice President Khalili. As of 5th July, 23,788 weapons, including 14,727 operational weapons as well as 20,915 pieces of boxed and 195,371 pieces of unboxed ammunition have been handed over to and verified by ANBP collection teams in Afghanistan.
*DIAG: Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups</I> | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T10:44:01" | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||||||
30 | 404 | DIAG Main Phase to be Launched in Herat and Farah | "2006-05-18" | Disarmament and Reintegration Commission - Joint Secretariat | 5 | 304 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | On 20th and 21st May, 2006, the Joint Secretariat of the Disarmament and Reintegration Commission (D&RC) will officially launch the Main Phase of the Disbandment Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG) process in the provinces of Herat and Farah.
A high level delegation will travel from Kabul and include the First Deputy Minister of Defense and Deputy Chairman of the D&R Commission Dr. Yusuf Nuristani, other Deputy Ministers and high level officials as well as the Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Norihiro Okuda, representatives of the Afghanistan’s New Beginnings Programme (ANBP), ISAF and UNAMA. The delegation will attend two separate ceremonies which will take place at 10:00 am on 20th and 21st May at Governor Said Hussain Anwari’s compound in Herat and Governor Ezatullah Wasifi’s compound in Farah.
During the ceremonies, where weapons will be surrendered, notification letters will be handed over to ex-Commanders and Government officials linked with Illegal Armed Groups. The ex-Commanders and officials linked with armed groups will be given 30 days to surrender their weapons and disband or sever their links with illegal armed groups. If they do not comply, they will face dismissal and/or prosecution by state institutions.
DIAG is a process intending to eradicate the influence of illegal armed groups in Afghanistan, thus allowing the consolidation of peace, rule of law and prosperity in the country. By voluntarily surrendering their weapons, disbanding or severing links with armed groups, ex-Commanders and government officials linked with groups will demonstrate their support to the Government to build a safe and prosperous Afghanistan.
<I>The DIAG process was launched on 11th June, 2005 when officially announced by Vice President Khalili. As of 13th May, 22,098 weapons, including 13,674 operational weapons as well as 20,971 rounds of boxed and 181,280 rounds of unboxed ammunition have been handed over to and verified by ANBP collection teams in Afghanistan.</I> | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T11:20:31" | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||||||
31 | 406 | Afghan President Interviewed on History, Politics, and Current Affairs | "2005-08-12" | Interviewed by Massoud Qiam and Nawab Momand | 5 | 3 | President Hamed Karzai has given an overview of historic events and his personal involvement in the country's politics prior to his election as leader. In the first interview given to the private Tolo TV, Karzai termed both the Bonn agreement and last year's presidential election as successful and described his current cabinet as "quite efficient... but not as good as it should be". He said that the process of state building has begun in Afghanistan and expressed his firm belief that progress will be made. Commenting on the forthcoming parliamentary and local council elections, Karzai urged people to vote for "patriotic, Muslim and honest" candidates and assured that the process will be fair and secret. Regarding the performance of his government he admitted that there were shortcomings in the judiciary procedures, and problems with corruption in the administration, but he promised improvements. Touching on the issue of national economy, he advocated the creation of a "people's economy" with a strong private sector. In reply to questions on the country's foreign relations, the president said that he opted for agreements with "strong friends" and allies in order to make the country powerful and "strong enough to help its own people and others". In conclusion he assured the viewers that "the bad times for Afghanistan are now over". The following are excerpts from and interview with President Hamed Karzai on Tolo TV in Dari/Pashto languages broadcast at 1610gmt on 16 August by Afghan independent Tolo TV; subheadings inserted editorially. | 5 | 47 | 2 | [Presenter in Dari] Hello dear viewers of Tolo TV. You will now be seeing President Hamed Karzai's interview for the first time on Tolo TV. Various issues were discussed in this interview. The most important issues include the parliamentary election and the challenges related to this; events after the Bonn Conference, economic issues, and problems emanating from our battered economy, foreign policy, and the president's opinion regarding the future of Afghanistan, the significance of the presence of international peacekeeping forces from his perspective, and the importance of cooperation agreements with foreign powers, and other issues. The first part of the interview, which is also the most interesting part, includes personal questions.
<B>Personal involvement in Politics</B>
[Hamed Karzai in Dari] In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. I was born in 1337 [1958]. I turned 47 this year. I did my primary education, grades one and two, in Kandahar. Then, from grade three up to grade 12, I studied in Kabul at the Mahmud Hotaki School, the Sayed Jamaloddin-e Afghan High School and Habibia High School.
[Passage omitted: Karzai's childhood memories]
[Presenter in Dari] There are reports that you entered Kabul alone, with no bodyguards, and accepted the risk.
[Hamed Karzai in Dari] The day I was appointed head of the Interim Administration was a very interesting day. At around 0900 [local time], a US aircraft mistakenly dropped a bomb on us, which inflicted heavy casualties on us. But early that same morning, some Americans also came to render assistance to us. They suffered casualties, and our people also suffered casualties. [Passage omitted: Why Karzai came to Kabul without bodyguards]
[Presenter in Dari] I think when you entered Kabul you were not alone. You were accompanied by the entire Afghan nation as your robe represented the entire nation. The charming robes you wear - charming for representing the nation - provoke discussion among young people. Did you wear the same robes in the past too, or did you start wearing them after you became president?
[Hamed Karzai in Dari] I wore them in the past, too. I like this robe and the cloak. We always had such robes at home, and this has always been our tradition. Even in Quetta [a city in Pakistan], I always kept a cloak in my cupboard. And the Qaraqul hat is part of Afghanistan's national tradition. This is our national dress. My father and grandfather wore it. Thousands and hundreds of thousands of other Afghans wear the same robe. So I wear our national dress, which is easy to wear and comfortable.
[Passage omitted: Karzai's visit to India for higher education, his return to Afghanistan, and his participation in the political party of former Afghan president Sebghatollah Mojadeddi]
[Presenter in Dari] In the early 1370s [1990s], you were in the mojahedin government and, as you said, you were deputy foreign affairs minister. When did you leave your post?
[Hamed Karzai in Dari] I worked there for two years. When esteemed Hazrat [Sebghatollah Mojadeddi] transferred power to esteemed Borhanoddin Rabbani, I continued to cooperate with them for two more years. Then I went back to Kandahar. The situation had changed in such a way that it was difficult to stay there any longer. There was fighting and destruction across Afghanistan. I went to Kandahar and from there I went back to Quetta. Even in Kandahar it had become extremely difficult to live. Then the Taleban movement started, and we all cooperated with them.
[Presenter in Dari] You left the mojahedin government after two years and went to Kandahar. Soon after that, you joined the Taleban movement. What made you leave the mojahedin and join another movement?
[President Hamed Karzai in Dari] The circumstances made me leave the government, but I did not leave the mojahedin, jihad or the leaders. I was in touch with Ustad [Rabbani, former president], and other brothers, whom I knew from jihad. Once, I was in Quetta and I was supposed to come to Jalalabad via Islamabad and then to Kabul. I received a message from Mullah Naqibollah Akhond, who was a prominent mojahed and a commander of Jamiat-e Eslami, asking for an urgent meeting. I went to Kandahar. Then, he was the commander of the Kandahar Military Corps. I met him. He said that jihad had been disgraced, and that there was a feudal lord on every street with his own kingdom and the people were extremely desperate. Their lives and the lives of their children were not safe. He said they [the mojahedin] had been introduced to something other than jihad. He said he wanted me to meet some other people who had taken part in jihad and whom he knew, he told me. They were
people from groups called the Taleban. Even during jihad, some mojahedin were called the Taleb mojahedin. They were mostly groups who were either with esteemed Mawlawi [Yunos] Khalis, or esteemed Mawlawi Mohammad Amin.
[Presenter in Dari] Sorry, before you explain this, can you clearly state what was the reason for your disagreement with the mojahedin before you joined the Taleban? Why did you all of a sudden break away from the mojahedin?
[Hamed Karzai in Dari] It was not all of a sudden. It happened gradually. The story is quite long. Actually, the day I left Kabul, a serious fight had erupted in Kabul between Jonbesh, Hezb-e Eslami, Hezb-e Wahdat and the government forces. The fighting continued for seven days and no one could leave their homes. On the seventh day, I went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A person who was working in intelligence came to me and told me that Ustad [Rabbani] wanted to see me. I said all right. I went with him. But instead of taking me to Ustad, he took me to the office of the National Security Directorate. There, they investigated me, telling me I was with Hazrat [Sebghatollah Mojadeddi] and Hazrat had joined Hekmatyar. He said that Mahmud Khan Achakzai had come from Pakistan. We were exchanging these words when a rocket hit the building, blowing a hole in it. I came to the Foreign Ministry, where I noticed I had been wounded. Then, I went to Jalalabad, from where I went to Peshawar. I returned some five months later.
[Correspondent in Dari] Who were they? Did you recognize them?
[Karzai] They are here. They are still here. Anyway, then I went to Quetta [capital of Baluchistan Province, Pakistan]. Then Ustad issued a tough statement. He called those involved in this the enemies of peace and Afghanistan. I was in touch with Mr Lafrahi and others even after this. But I did not want to work in the government again. At the time, Mullah Naqibollah Akhond referred the matter to me.
[Correspondent in Dari] What about your activities in the Taleban movement?
[Karzai in Dari] I went to visit a mojahed whom I had known since the jihad era. We always waged jihad together. His name was Mullah Yar Mohammad Akhond. I went to see Mullah Yar Mohammad Akhond. He lived near Kandahar airport. He was not living in the city. I told him that according to Mullah Naqibollah Akhond, their jihad had been corrupted and the people were in great trouble. I asked him to do something together to ensure peace and to establish a system in the country. However, he said that this was impossible and they might not support the idea. I asked him to do this. Then I returned to Quetta. I was there when a large number of mojahedin, who had assembled under the name of the Taleban in Kandahar, went to Herat to visit our brother Gen Esmail Khan. They sought his advice and returned to Kabul. They stayed with the then leader Ustad Rabbani, esteemed Ustad [Rasul] Sayyaf and other jihadi leaders. They discussed the situation and ways of improving it. They returned to Kandahar after one or two months. In Kandahar they contacted me again and said that they had talks with them [these jihadi leaders]. They said there was a need to regulate a movement to lead the country to peace.
<B>Negotiations with the Taleban</B>
[Correspondent in Dari] Your negotiations did not produce a solution through peaceful means?
[Karzai in Dari] Not immediately. In fact, we started this through dialogue and peaceful means. When they returned, the jihadi commanders in Kandahar were voluntarily surrendering themselves to them. Everyone was unhappy and fed up. The surrender of weapons began. Those who had joined the Taleban movement came to me within three or four months and said there were indications of foreign hands in the [Taleban] movement. Some of them [Taleban] possessed modern weapons, several vehicles and large sums of money. Others lived like ordinary Afghans. They asked us to investigate this [the involvement of foreigners], which prompted us to gather information about their movement. We received information that the Taleban had reached Ghazni Province and were closing down schools and promoting disunity rather than unity, and that foreign involvement was detectable in this. After six months, myself and some of my friends figured out whether this movement was backed by foreigners or was sabotaged and had fallen victim to foreigners. We gradually started to negotiate with them. Until then, we had not entered into negotiations with them. We sent a delegation and a letter to them. We told them that the Afghan people surrendered themselves to them in the hope that they would bring peace to their country. But it seemed that they were acting against this. We started this movement. We were discussing this with the Taleban at meetings that were held at a national level for one year. The media was not reporting this. When one year later we received reports from Taleban inside Afghanistan about killings, disunity and foreign involvement, we informed the media. We called for a Loya Jerga and negotiations between Afghans. We started negotiations at a national level in Islamabad in accordance with the plan of [former king] Mohammad Zaher. Then we held talks in Istanbul, Bonn and Rome. All those who wanted this country to be rebuilt and remain under Afghan control, from the United Front led by Ustad Emir [Ahmad Shah Masud], other leaders, Mr Qanuni [former education minister] to [Foreign Minister] Dr Abdollah, were directly in touch with me. Other Afghans, tribal leaders, elders, mojahedin, particularly the late Commander Abdol Haq and Haji Abdol Qadir, started this process with me to reach victory.
[Correspondent in Pashto] You entered Afghanistan in the last days of the Taleban government. What was the people's reaction and what were their demands?
[Karzai in Pashto] I already had plans to enter Afghanistan. I had made plans to enter Afghanistan about a year or a year and a half prior to this. My life became quite difficult during resistance and exile in Quetta. My father was martyred and the circle was tightened around me. It was quite difficult to complete my task from there. We had completed our political task. We held meetings and called for a Loya Jerga. Moreover, Zaher Shah's plan was announced in Rome and we were part of it. We had made our political preparations. Then we came to Afghanistan. However, my task was quite difficult. There were two opinions. The people of Kandahar and the southwest told me that if I wanted to succeed, I had to join Ahmad Shah Masud in Takhar [northeast] and come to Urozgan or Kandahar via there. Some people told me to go to Iran and come back with our brother Gen Esmail Khan. I went [to Iran] around six months before the 11 September events in America. Seven or eight months before this, I met Esmail Khan in Mashhad. We drew up a plan and I was also in touch with Emir [Masud]. We were negotiating with him, both via telephone and through representatives. We were paving the way for this. I was ready for this. Then this incident happened [11 September attacks].
<B>US, international involvement</B>
Following the attacks, I realized that America will come and help us. I did not receive help prior to this. I knew that America and the international community would come and help us. The situation became worse after these incidents during my exile. Eventually I decided to enter [Afghanistan]. I asked my wife to pack my clothes and toothpaste and told her that I was going to Chaman [town in Pakistan, near Afghan border] to attend a mourning ceremony. I informed my friend Hafizollah Khan and my brother one day before my departure. I asked him [brother] to find money for me so I could leave. Some of my other friends, like Mohammad Shah Kakar, had already entered Afghanistan. They were in Urozgan and other regions with our other friends, such as Ghani Mama and [word indistinct]. They were very good people. They are all still alive. I asked my wife to pack my clothes. She did not know [what was happening]. I told her not to look for me if I did not return. I left her and did not let her speak.
[Passage omitted on Karzai's two nights in Chaman and his arrival in Kandahar and Urozgan]
When I reached Urozgan, we held a secret meeting at the house of a prominent scholar, Abdorrahim Akhondzada. He was in Kabul for two or three nights. We were four to five people. There, I understood the situation in Afghanistan. The elders who were present at the meeting told me that I had been trying to save Afghanistan from this situation for the past five years. However, this was impossible because we were powerless. It was their desire, but they could not do it. `You have come here, but tell us whether you have international support. Is America supporting you or not?' I said yes, the international community is supporting me. They said if the international community is supporting you, then prove this to us. They said if I proved this, we would capture Tarin Kot, the capital of Urozgan. There I realized that the nation was ready, but had no support. It did not have the necessary equipment and the foreign game played by Al-Qa'idah and other foreigners was very powerful. It had upset the nation. I was living in the mountains when foreign countries started helping us and everything was ready. The Taleban had attacked me and for this reason I had gone to the mountains. I was there and the people were seizing Tarin Kot. This happened a month later. The nation was completely ready, but it did not have support. When the international community stood by it, freedom returned to Afghanistan [word indistinct]. The international community's support and the nation's commitment freed Afghanistan. It had already made a commitment, but I did not have support. Following the 11 September events, the international community started to support Afghans. Afghanistan was freed in one and a half months when it [international community] came. Whichever region we entered, the people captured it. Reports were reaching us from districts and villages that the people had liberated their districts. Then we went to visit these districts.
[Presenter in Pashto] After that incident, what changes did you think would take place in Afghanistan?
[Hamed Karzai in Pashto] The incident in America woke up the world. It drew the attention of the world to what was happening in Afghanistan and its consequences for the world. The incidents in New York and Washington awakened them from a profound indifference and drew their attention to Afghanistan. Before that, during the five years of Taleban rule, we completely understood that the Taleban movement was against Afghanistan and was being used against this land, against its unity, against education and learning, against the history and culture of this land. In short, it was being used against Afghanistan. So, we continued to approach America, Europe and the UN telling them about this. We also told them that there was great oppression in Afghanistan. We told them, if you do not come and free this land for the sake of the people of Afghanistan, then liberate it for your own sake. Because the oppression of the people in Afghanistan has reached such a point that terrorists have built their bases here. And these terrorists are brought here from abroad for training and they will then go back to you. They did not believe us. They told us to provide them with evidence and documents. But we did not have evidence such as photos etc. However, we did have extensive general public information which we gave them. This went on for five years, during which we approached Americans and Europeans and informed them. All of us, the people of the United Front [Northern Alliance], we, the people living in refugee camps and other people, the father of the nation [ex-king Mohammad Zaher], jihadi leaders, particularly Esteemed Hazrat [Sebghatollah Mojadeddi] had taken a serious stance. Also, esteemed martyr Haji Abdol Qadir, Haji Abdol Haq and other friends were making efforts. We made efforts every day, but our efforts caught the attention of the world only when they themselves suffered losses. When they sustained losses, we knew that they would come and help us. So we were prepared in
advance. I was personally prepared. I was in touch with Esteemed Martyr Emir [Ahmad Shah Masud] to find ways to go to Afghanistan and work there. When our brother Esmail Khan managed to escape from [Taleban] prison and went to Iran, I went to Iran where I had a meeting with him. So there were intellectual [efforts] as well as practical actions taken for this liberation.
[Passage omitted: Hamed Karzai explains his father's background and assassination]
Bonn Agreement
[Presenter in Pashto] How successful do you think the Bonn Process has been?
[Hamed Karzai in Pashto] Which Bonn Process? The one that we Afghans started or the one in which the UN and the world reached an agreement with us?
[Presenter in Pashto] Both of them. The one you initiated and the one that took place later, at which an agreement was reached.
[Hamed Karzai in Pashto] The Bonn process was an international process in which about 200 Afghans participated. It was held in 1998. Then, we held a huge gathering in which Afghans from all corners of the country came together. Elders from Afghanistan also gathered at these meetings. Martyr commander Abdol Haq was there, [Abdolsattar] Sirat was there. This was how those series of activities began which expanded as far as the meeting in Rome, and negotiations and the dispatching of delegations to Iran, Darqad, Fayzabad [capital of northern Badakhshan Province], Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and France and other countries. But the other Bonn Conference was held after the September attacks on the US [Twin Tower] buildings. At the time when the meeting during which the Interim Administration was created took place, I was in Afghanistan.
[Presenter in Dari] The Bonn Conference was a historic event for Afghanistan. How successfully do you think the conference's agreements, for the implementation of which the interim and transition governments were formed, have been implemented. What is your opinion?
[Hamed Karzai in Dari] Glory be to God, the Bonn agreements, which are called the Bonn Accord, have been successfully implemented one after another. The transfer of power took place. Esteemed Ustad Rabbani transferred power to me. Then, the Loya Jerga was held as scheduled, after six months. Then, the constitution was adopted as scheduled and voter registration for the presidential election was held on time and the election was held on time. [passage omitted, listing of known events] So, thank God, the Bonn Process has been carried out very successfully from a political perspective.
<B>Presidential elections</B>
[Presenter in Dari] The presidential election took place in the best possible way, which was unprecedented in the region. This is a judgment from a foreign perspective. From a domestic perspective, though, there are critics who say that the election was rigged. What is your opinion?
[Hamed Karzai in Dari] I think the election had more success inside the country than outside it. There were two possibilities for fraud: by the government or by candidates. As to the government, I assure you that neither myself nor those working with me wanted this [fraud], nor did the government have the ability to do so. We had no such desire, and fortunately neither did we have the ability at the time to do so. For this reason, from the perspectives of freedom and transparency, the election was very good. About 4.5m people voted for me, 1.5m for esteemed Qanuni, about 1m for Esteemed Gen Dostum. Similarly, about 1m people voted for esteemed [Mohammad] Mohaqeq. In a situation like this, when all major candidates win a considerable number of votes, the election is considered to be a good one. But yes, there were some flaws and shortcomings. It was the first time. There was the issue of indelible ink, the issue that people could not reach polling stations on the election day etc. But in general, the election was very good. With regard to the election, I must point out to you that as an Afghan individual, elections in Afghanistan, the independent electoral commission of Afghanistan, Afghanistan's democracy, and state-building and institution-building in Afghanistan have been my greatest desires. We will be there for another four years, if we are alive, and so will our opponents. But as to the future of Afghanistan, the time when Afghanistan's destiny will be properly determined will be when you young people enter the political scene. This means that if we do not respect Afghan institutions, which promote public participation in political life, promote democracy and institutionalize it, if we respect these institutions, strengthen them and legalize them [end of cassette, few words missing]. Also respect for the constitution and abiding by it will guarantee our country's stability.
[Correspondent in Dari] As you said earlier, one of the characteristics of the presidential election was people's active participation. A large number of people voted for you. Now that you are president, do you not think that a particular group has gathered around you and you do not know whether the people are still happy with your cabinet and its activities?
[Karzai in Pashto] There are always some people around the president in a government. The president must have some people, whether you call them a group, a number of people or individuals. In the present government, cabinet and environment, the people gathered around me are the best Afghans in terms of their professionalism, jihad and service for this country. Compared to the previous cabinet, this cabinet is quite efficient. Thank God, the government is now strong enough. It is stronger than the government of two years ago. The government is present in Afghanistan. The ministers are visiting the provinces every day. Some of our cabinet members are now in Zabol. They were in Herat the day before yesterday and Khost before that. We are in a good situation in terms of governance. However, this situation is not as good as it should be. It may not become as good as it should be for many years.
[Correspondent in Pashto] All right, do you not think there is distance between you and the public?
[Karzai in Pashto] I do not think so. I believe we are quite close to the people. If there is distance between the people and the government, the government does not have the right to govern. Then it should go and another government should come.
<B>Parliamentary elections</B>
[Correspondent in Pashto] As the parliamentary election approaches, the people are concerned about the security situation. There is a real possibility that some powerful armed people will enter parliament. Will the new parliament truly represent the people?
[Karzai in Pashto] Our primary duty is to pave the way for a free and secret election for the Afghan people. God willing, we will ensure such an election takes place. The Afghan people have an opportunity to take part in a free and secret election. However, in some cases, people may use force and ask people to vote for them. They may use money, tricks or other ways to get votes. But our people should know that there will be nobody other than God in the polling booths. No one else will be there. No one will see you and know for whom you vote. Only Hamed Karzai and God will be there. This is your choice. No one can prevent you from voting for your chosen person. For this reason, nobody should be scared. If someone gives people money, they should take the money from them, but vote for their chosen person. If someone threatens you, do not be scared and say you will vote for him. Tell him all right, you will vote for him. Whether you are a man or a woman or our sister or brother, you will vote for your chosen person in the polling booth. God willing, this will happen and Afghanistan will have a
representative parliament. If the people vote in a free and secret election, be sure that whoever they chose will represent the Afghan nation.
<B>Work of the cabinet, administration</B>
[Correspondent in Dari] Parliament is a powerful part of the government and its efficiency is crucial. The cabinet should be efficient to have a good government. How satisfied are you with your cabinet? Some people complain that some of the ministers are unprofessional. Your cabinet's structure is national. However, the people criticize them for their inefficiency.
[Karzai in Dari] The work of the entire cabinet is observed every day. It is under observation every day. I can say that it is better than the previous cabinet. If there is a need for it to improve, obviously it will be reformed. However, I am satisfied with many of my ministers. They are doing a good job. In other words, we understand that our country is facing several problems, particularly in terms of human resources. We are one of the poorest countries in the world. Given this fact, we are improving Afghanistan's administration and government affairs. What we have now will improve in two years' time. Be sure, it will improve in three years' time. The new government and president, who will be elected in five years, will be better than the present government and system. The process of statebuilding in Afghanistan has begun, and considerable progress will be made in this regard.
[Correspondent in Dari] Another issue which is currently debated by young people, who make up 60 per cent of Afghanistan's population, is that the Afghan cabinet is not in complete harmony with society. There is a legal vacuum and there are shortcomings. No age limit for ministers has been specified. Do you not think that some ministers are very old and therefore cannot do a good job?
[Karzai in Dari] Our cabinet is young compared to the cabinets of other countries. It is quite young compared to the cabinets of other countries. Our cabinet is quite good in terms of mental and physical energy and age, which a cabinet requires. It is very good. It is very good. Perhaps we are very backward in terms of professionalism and experience compared to other countries. But, we are very good in terms of energy.
[Voice in the background unclear] Why not, if we are younger?
[Correspondent in Dari] Some of your ministers, who are holding key posts, are not experts in their fields.
[Karzai in Dari] That is correct. This is not mandatory. This is not mandatory. This is common all over the world. It is not compulsory that a minister should be a professional in his field. What is important is determination, objectives and honesty. The majority of our ministers have these characteristics. Some of them are experts in their fields and are determined. Some of them are not professionals in their fields, but they are determined. For example, our Energy Minister, Mr Esmail Khan. He is very committed to his job. He is always busy doing his duty. For example, the rural development minister had not specialized in rural development. But he is very determined and successful in his work. There are also other ministers who are expert in their posts. They are successful and determined. Our cabinet is more efficient than the previous cabinet.
[Correspondent in Dari] Which minister are you happy with? Can you please give a short response?
[Karzai in Dari] Dear brother, if I say I am happy with one minister and not with another, this will provoke an argument. I cannot say this. I am satisfied with all of them. All of them are good.
[Correspondent in Dari] We will return to parliament. Who is your favourite candidate in the parliamentary election? Who are your favourite candidates?
[Karzai in Dari] I have not made a choice. Thank God, there are 6,000 candidates. They are very noble and good. My only hope is that the people of Afghanistan will vote for patriotic, Muslim, honest and sincere people who can satisfy the nation's desires. He should be a son of this land and should serve this land and its helpless people and future. Whoever enters parliament is the best representative of people if he has these characteristics.
[Correspondent in Dari] There are concerns. Mr Mohmand, during his visits to the provinces, learnt that the people are concerned about inexperienced people and those who previously violated the law and are accused of human rights violations in Afghanistan entering parliament. At the same time, the government has not paid sufficient attention to reports produced by human rights organizations. For example, 75 per cent of the people called for an investigation into a report entitled "People's Voice for Justice". They said stability could be ensured through this. Afterwards, Human Rights Watch produced a report and then another 160-page report was produced. People say those previously accused of crimes should not enter parliament. As the judiciary is very weak, it is impossible to prevent them.
[Karzai in Dari] We cannot arrest a person without a court order. Regarding the transitional justice programme, work is under way on this. We are planning to hold a meeting next week. The government will take steps in this regard. A plan has been formulated. Mr (?Spantas) and other brothers have worked on it. As I said earlier, whoever the Afghan people elect by their will and secret vote will be their representative in parliament. In fact, it is up to the people. Obviously they will not vote for a bad person. If they vote for someone, we should accept him as a people's representative.
[Correspondent in Pashto] The government's security departments usually complain. They complain that they arrest dangerous criminals and major drug smugglers, but the judiciary releases them soon after their arrest. What do you have to say about this?
[Karzai in Pashto] Without a doubt, the judiciary, the administration, prosecutor's departments, the whole country and national departments were in a very bad condition. We had very serious problems in this regard and very dangerous people were released and escaped from police custody, prosecutor's departments and the judiciary. But, the situation has been improving for seven to eight months. Previously we were not told who was arrested and who was released. Government departments have been delaying information about such people for one or one and a half years. The condition of prosecutor's departments and the judiciary has improved. But we still have many problems, such as bribery and administrative corruption. Our prosecutors and investigation system have improved. However, we have not completely succeeded in solving issues such as bribery and administrative corruption or misuse of government facilities. There are several reasons for this. We understand these causes and should tackle them. Attention is paid to this. We have taken effective steps in some cases. However, they have not produced the desired results.
<B>Economy</B>
[Correspondent in Dari] In fact, economic issues are the backbone of a country. What is your economic policy for the next four years? Could you please shed some light on this and what is your concept regarding Afghanistan's economy and its economic pillars?
[Karzai in Dari] A people's economy, an economy, the bulk of which is controlled by the people and an economy that can create a rich society. The government should provide services to the country by collecting revenues from the rich society. Afghanistan should serve as a crossroads in the region and its products should be sold. We want an Afghanistan that produces good products, an Afghanistan which is not in need of anyone, an Afghanistan that can purchase and sell products, an Afghanistan that has its own industrial and agricultural production and an Afghanistan whose daily, monthly and annual per capita income is higher than at present.
[Correspondent in Dari] Earlier you spoke about the people's economy. When you say people's economy, the concept of the private sector comes to mind.
[Karzai in Dari] You are right.
[Correspondent in Dari] The private sector plays a key role in economic development. What steps have been taken to attract investors? How enthusiastic are investors?
[Karzai in Dari] Afghanistan's environment agrees with a private sector. Our people want private business, land and property. This is a great characteristic. If we pave the way for the promotion of the private sector, our country will make considerable progress. You can see that the government has built roads, supplied electricity to some regions, established schools and clinics or has provided other services over the past three years. But the cities are built by the people.
[Passage omitted on construction of homes in various provinces and meetings held on the promotion of the private sector.]
[Correspondent in Dari] There are some obstacles to promoting the economic situation in government departments like administrative corruption. According to the figures provided by one of your departments last year, Afghan government departments suffered a loss of 10m afghanis due to corruption. This is a serious problem and attention should be paid to this. Secondly, the level of social services is pretty poor. People have complaints about this.
[Karzai in Dari] Without a doubt, the level of social services is pretty poor. There are various reasons for this. One of these reasons is the absence of manpower and another reason is the lack of equipment and facilities. They have improved over the past three years. [Passage omitted on foreign assistance and weakness of national economy]
<B>Foreign Relations</B>
[Correspondent in Dari] Afghanistan's location and its geographic significance increase our hopes for an improvement in the economy. We have some questions about regional relations. The signing of a declaration on permanent strategic cooperation with America really is a great achievement. But, why has it provoked direct and indirect reactions from regional countries, such as Russia, Pakistan and Iran? When you signed an agreement on cooperation with Britain during your recent visit, it triggered some direct and indirect reactions.
[Karzai in Dari] It is natural that these things provoke reactions. You can see that there are some regional countries which have gained power from such cooperation. There are military forces in this region which have gained power from such cooperation. They now have major military forces and power. Japan made economic and industrial progress by taking advantage of its cooperation with America after World War II. Germany, other countries and Korea also benefited from this cooperation. Afghanistan has been crushed by various powers for various reasons over the past 150 years.
[Passage omitted on foreign interference in Afghanistan] Afghanistan was neutral when Russia attacked it. It was a non-aligned country. Our neutrality and membership of the non-aligned movement did not prevent Russia's attack on Afghanistan. Russia, which was our neighbour, attacked us. The present Afghanistan has adopted a different stance. It has adopted a policy of having agreements and strong friendship. Its policy is to strengthen itself through these agreements and friends. It should have a strong army, strong equipment, modern equipment, a modern economy, and strong and modern intelligence. Such agreements and friendship will help strengthen the position of Afghanistan until the country becomes self-sufficient. The current policy of the government of Afghanistan is based on the past several years of disaster and oppression in the country. The roots of our policy go back 30 years in history. We want to have strong allies and a powerful Afghanistan. The national strength of Afghanistan and the international support will lead Afghanistan towards prosperity. This is how the country can become strong and move towards development. Several other countries in the region and in the world have gained power through this way. We have signed agreements with some countries and we will sign more agreements with the international community in the future, particularly with NATO. Our negotiations with NATO are under way and we are discussing better ways of signing an agreement on strategic cooperation with them. We are also in negotiations with the international community. Afghanistan wants to be a country strong enough to help its own people and others. We want Afghanistan to be country, not harming others, but generously helping them.
<B>Neighbours</B>
[Correspondent in Dari] Making the neighbours understand what you say is very difficult.
[Karzai in Dari] It is very easy to make them understand. We tell our neighbouring countries that, dear sisters and brothers, Afghanistan is a country that has been completely destroyed as a result of the interference of its neighbours. We tell them that now we want to become a self-sufficient, powerful and honourable country. We want to live with other neighbouring countries in peace and brotherhood. We do not want to be weaker than others and we do not want to be disgraced by others. No one can give us orders and we do not accept slavery. We are equal to others and we will remain a friend and brother to other countries. We want to be self-sufficient and strong enough to make a living for our own people. We want to have our own Afghan doctors, engineers, roads, bridges, and laws. We want the Afghan flag to be hoisted all over the world. We prefer death to being taken to international conferences by others. The bad times for Afghanistan are now over. The future Afghanistan will be stronger than the present.
[Correspondent in Dari] There are concerns that Afghanistan will once again become a battlefield for confrontation of powerful countries of the region and the world. Relations between Asian countries are very complicated. There are reports that Pakistan somehow interferes in Afghan internal affairs by supporting the Taleban. There are similar reports saying that Russia supports the Taleban. Such relations are very complicated. What will be the position of Afghanistan in the coming ten years?
[Hamed Karzai in Pashto] As I said earlier, our relations with the neighbouring countries will be based on friendship. Without a doubt, a stable Afghanistan is in the interest of its neighbours. Exports from neighbouring and brotherly country Pakistan to Afghanistan was worth 26m dollars during the Taleban's government. Pakistani Prime Minister Mr Jamali told me this during his visit to Kabul about two years ago. Pakistan's exports to Afghanistan increased from 26m dollars to 600m dollars in two years following the fall of the Taleban. Today Pakistan's exports reached 1.2bn dollars after just about two. This means Pakistan's exports to Afghanistan have reached 1.2bn dollars. It increased from 26m dollars to 1.2bn dollars in three and a half years. Iran's exports to Afghanistan were 10 to 12m dollars or even less than this. However, today its exports [to Afghanistan] have reached 350 to 400m dollars. Hundreds of Afghans visit China for business every month. Our trade with Tajikistan has increased four times. Therefore, Afghanistan's stability, peace and economic development are in the interest of its neighbours. Without a doubt, the past three years proved this. We hope that our neighbours will
understand and admit the significance of this stability. Afghanistan is not unstable and it cannot be destabilized. No one can destabilize Afghanistan now. If someone is trying to destabilize Afghanistan and believes he will benefit from its instability, it is wrong. Afghanistan's instability amounts to instability in the region. Afghanistan's destruction amounts to the destruction of this region. Therefore, Afghanistan's stability is in the interest of all.
[Correspondent in Pashto] There are reports that Pakistan is interfering in Afghanistan's internal affairs. You may also have heard Maulana Fazlur Rahman's [leader of faction in Jamaat-i Islami party of Pakistan] remarks. He has accused the Pakistani government of assisting the government opponents. What is the government's policy on this?
[Karzai in Pashto] The remarks and speech of Maulana Fazlur Rahman are directly related to our national security. This is a very serious issue. We are examining these statements. We are very seriously considering them. We will take measures, which are important for our national security and safety of our people and protection of this soil.
<B>US, coalition forces operations</B>
[Correspondent in Pashto] Another issue is that as we visit rural regions, many people complain about the mistreatment by American forces during military operations and the bombing of innocent people in Afghanistan. What measures has the government taken to prevent this?
[Karzai in Pashto] We have this problem. We have been discussing this issue with the US government for two years. We have told them many times that some of the interpreters employed by the coalition forces, who have come from the neighbouring countries or were inside the country, do wrong translation and give wrong reports for personal interests or other objectives or for causing trouble. They [interpreters] work for others. They give wrong reports about innocent people. This is one problem. We have discussed this many times with the US government and we are still negotiating with them. Another issue is the search and random raids on people's homes. This really disturbs us. We have complained about this and have discussed this. Fortunately, we have also reached some agreements about this. Regarding bombing, thanks to God, now there is peace in Afghanistan. The air force is used when an operation is carried out somewhere against the terrorists in mountainous regions and when there is no other way to eliminate them. However, the use of the air force in our villages, homes and areas is wrong by all means. There is no need for using air force in these places. Thanks to God, now there is peace in Afghanistan. We should fight those, who come from abroad and attack Afghanistan. We should not use the air force. This has been reduced to a great extent compared to last year and other years. We signed the joint strategic declaration with America and discussed this issue with them. Some commissions will be set up to further deal with this issue. The situation has improved compared to the past. But, sometimes such incidents occur. I will discuss this with them. They discuss issues with us. Today the coalition forces and the Afghan government are in a very good state of negotiations. God willing, this problem will be solved. We are aware of this problem and the nation has also heard our talks.
<B>The Future</B>
[Correspondent in Dari] Will you again stand as a candidate in the future presidential election?
[Karzai in Dari] I do not think so. I believe this country should have a new leader and young people should come forward. It should move towards a new system and people should have new leaders. There should be new ideas. This country should function on the basis of new ideas and visions. A person like me, who works in the presidential palace, can get fed up and lose his ideological initiatives and inventive thinking, day by day. He becomes tired and old. I believe it will be better if the new Afghan generation comes forward. It should be vigilant and should enter the scene. They should develop this country with a strong national spirit and pride.
[Correspondent] We have no more questions. You can convey your message to the nation through Tolo.
[Karzai in Pashto] May God prosper Afghanistan. May God keep it strong.
[Karzai switches to Dari] My message to the young people of Afghanistan is that they should be very proud of their national identity. They should be very proud of their history and identity. They should be very proud of their culture. They should be very proud of their languages whether they are major languages such as Farsi and Pashto or Pashayi, Uzbek, Turkmen, Baluchi and any other language which is spoken in our country. Neither the life of people nor the country can be improved unless we receive education and become professionals. We need to receive education to improve the lives of Afghan people and every individual. We should receive education again and again if we want to have a bright future.
<I>Source: Tolo TV, Kabul, in Dari and Pashto 1610 gmt 16 Aug 05</I> | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T12:17:30" | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
32 | 405 | IFJ condemns the imprisonment of Afghan editor | "2005-10-24" | International Federation of Journalists | 5 | 516 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the jailing of Afghan magazine editor Ali Muhaqiq Nasab after an investigation by the Afghan Media Commission found him not guilty. Nasab, who was arrested on October 1 following complaints that he intentionally published anti-Islamic articles, was sentenced to two years in prison by the primary court in Kabul on October 22.
When arresting Nasab, the chief editor of Hoqoq-e-Zan (Women’s Rights) magazine, authorities bypassed Afghan legislation that states journalists cannot be arrested until the government appointed Media Commission for Investigating Media-Related Offences has considered their case.
The media commission met on October 18 to discuss Nasab’s case following a series of requests by Afghan media groups and international human rights groups. The media commission concluded that Nasab did not deliberately insult Islam in his articles and was therefore not guilty of blasphemy.
The IFJ, the global organisation representing over 500,000 journalists in more than 110 countries, has called the court’s decision to imprison Nasab illegal and immoral. “The Media Commission found him not guilty, therefore, according to Afghan law, Nasab should never have been arrested in the first place,†said IFJ president Christopher Warren.
“The court’s decision to go against Afghanistan’s own legislation is a huge step back for both human rights and press freedom in Afghanistan,†said the IFJ president.
“The case is now under appeal and we demand that Afghan authorities follow the mandate of Afghan legislation providing for press freedom, and drop all charges against Nasab immediately,†said Warren.
Blasphemy laws remain the greatest threat to journalists in Afghanistan and the IFJ is concerned that Nasab’s sentencing will lead to increased self-censorship and an avoidance of reporting on important religious issues in the region.
The prosecution called for the death penalty, accusing Nasab of apostasy (the abandonment of faith), leading observers to call the two-year sentence a compromise. “It is true he is fortunate not to have received the death penalty, but any guilty verdict in this case is immoral and should be not be condoned,†said Warren.
The IFJ calls on the Afghan Government to respect the law of the land and allow press freedom to prosper. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T12:25:18" | 0 | 1 | 5 | ||||||
36 | 403 | Afghan Special Narcotics Force Disrupts Smuggling Routes Along Iranian and Pakistani Borders | "2005-08-27" | Ministry of Interior | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | In major operations over the past few days, the Afghan Special Narcotics Force (ASNF) has disrupted opium smuggling routes running towards the Iranian and Pakistani borders in the southwestern provinces of Nimruz and Helmand.
The ASNF operations included raids on the Garmser narcotics bazaar in Helmand and on narcotics storage sites in both provinces. It is the first time the ASNF has conducted interdiction operations simultaneously in two provinces, demonstrating the increasing capability of the Force.
Judicial prosecutors working with the ASNF detained three drugs traffickers, who have been handed over to the new Counter Narcotics Criminal Justice System. They will all now face criminal charges. Over 2 metric tons of opium were destroyed in the raids. The ASNF also seized significant quantities of weapons and vehicles used by the traffickers to transport drugs out of the country.
The Commander of the Force says; “We are keen to see these traffickers held accountable for their criminal activity. Their criminal behaviour is against Islam, and prevents development in areas where they operate. Those found guilty could face many years in prison. The latest operations of the ASNF should come as a timely warning to those involved in the drugs industry.â€
The ASNF became operational in January 2004, and since then has steadily increased its ability to reach all parts of the country and successfully interdict narcotics traffickers and their infrastructure. In its campaign against drugs, the ASNF has now destroyed in excess of 137 metric tons of opium, more than 35 metric tons of precursor chemicals and over 120 drug-processing laboratories. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T14:02:06" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
37 | 403 | ASNF Renews Operations Against Drug Traffickers, Drug Labs in Helmand | "2005-07-24" | Ministry of the Interior | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | The Afghan Special Narcotics Force (ASNF) has renewed operations against narcotics traffickers in the southern Afghan province of Helmand. In the operations so far they have targeted the village of Keshenakhud and Sangin District, where they destroyed three narcotics production laboratories and over 600 kilograms of opiates.
These latest operations follow concerted activity by the ASNF in Helmand Province in May and June this year, and are part of an ongoing campaign by the force to target the key poppy growing provinces of southern Afghanistan. In June the Minister of Interior, Ali Ahmad Jalali, himself accompanied the ASNF on its raid against the largest drugs bazaar in Afghanistan at Bahram Chah, in Southern Helmand Province near the border with Pakistan. Minister Jalali stressed to Afghans there that the Government of Afghanistan is determined to rid the country of the shame of drugs.
The raids in Helmand Province demonstrate the ability of the ASNF to cover vast areas of the country in a series of short and sharp precision strikes. Surprise and a high degree of mobility are key characteristics of ASNF operations. Just last week, the ASNF conducted a series of successful raids against drugs laboratories in the northern province of Badakhshan. The commander of the ASNF said: “This is a clear demonstration of our extended reach. We can go from the north to the south of the country inside the same week. The drug traffickers have no idea where we will strike next.â€
On its latest operations in Helmand the ASNF has been assisted on the ground by the local police forces, who have provided useful information on the location of narcotics dealers and their laboratories. This operation is a key part of the Afghan government’s wider counter narcotics strategy to attack the drug traffickers wherever they seek to hide.
Since it became operational in January 2004, the ASNF has carried out a series of operations across Afghanistan, destroying over 130 metric tons of opium, over 35 metric tons of precursor chemicals and more than 120 drug processing laboratories. The force recently increased in size and capability to undertake more operations. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T14:03:36" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
38 | 403 | Afghan Special Narcotics Force Conducts Raids in Helmand Province | "2005-09-28" | Ministry of the Interior | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | In major operations over the past few days, the Afghan Special Narcotics Force (ASNF) has conducted a series of raids on the illegal drugs trade in Helmand Province. The ASNF operations included raids on the Kajaki bazaar and on narcotics storage sites in the Lashkar Gah area of Helmand.
During the raids a number of drugs traffickers were detained by the ASNF, which has special powers, granted by Presidential Decree, to detain individuals for narcotics offences. Individuals are then handed over to the Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA) for formal prosecution, under the new Counter Narcotics Criminal Justice System. They will all now face criminal charges.
Over half a ton of opiates was destroyed in the Helmand raids. The ASNF acts under the direct authority of the President and the Minister of Interior, and has the authority to destroy narcotics on site during operations, which guarantees the drugs will not find their way onto the streets again.
According to the Commander of the Force, “the cultivation, processing and trafficking of drugs are all illegal acts and are against Islam. The Afghan Government is determined to uphold the rule of law and remove this source of shame to our country. It must be understood that those who engage in this illegal trade will be brought to justice. Helmand is the biggest province in Afghanistan and for more than 25 years it has been the centre of drug production despite the fact that it has good land, water and a strong workforce. The ASNF has mounted numerous operations in Helmand Province, specifically to disrupt and stop drug-dealing, to represent the new Afghan Government, to explain Afghan law, to encourage people to accept the rule of law and finally to find out what problems people face and hear their concerns, to pass on to the authorities for action.â€
The ASNF became operational in January 2004 and since then has steadily increased its ability to successfully interdict narcotics traffickers and their infrastructure in all parts of the country. Last month, the ASNF demonstrated its ability to operate in two provinces at the same time by mounting simultaneous operations in both Helmand and Nimruz provinces.
For reasons of operational security, the size and location of the ASNF are classified. In its campaign against drugs, the ASNF has now destroyed in excess of 139 metric tons of opium, more than 35 metric tons of precursor chemicals and over 120 drug-processing laboratories. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T14:04:51" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
39 | 403 | Afghan Government Ministers Discuss Counter Narcotics Campaign with leaders from provinces of Balkh and Samangan | "2005-08-07" | Ministry of Counter-Narcotics | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | Key government ministers involved with the Government of Afghanistan’s Counter Narcotics campaign are today (Sunday) discussing the programme with the Governors and senior figures of the Provinces of Balkh and Samangan at a meeting in Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel. Today’s seminar follows similar recent meetings with leaders from the Provinces of Laghman, Kandahar and Uruzgan.
Speakers at today’s seminar are due to include the Afghan Minister of Counter Narcotics, Habibullah Qaderi, the Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, Haneef Atmar, and the Deputy Minister of Interior, General Mohammad Daud, who has special law enforcement responsibilities for Counter Narcotics.
The meeting will be chaired by General Khodaidad, Deputy Minister of Counter Narcotics. The British Ambassador, Dr Rosalind Marsden, will speak on behalf of donor countries of which the United Kingdom is the lead nation helping the Government of Afghanistan with its counter narcotics campaign.
The Governors of Balkh and Samangan will lead open discussions during the course of seminar. A press conference will held in the hotel’s ballroom at 11.50 to which all the media are invited to attend.
The Minister of Counter Narcotics, Habullah Qaderi, reiterates that “the Government of Afghanistan is looking for full cooperation from provincial governors this year in all its efforts to combat the cultivation of opium poppy. This includes cooperation especially in the forthcoming poppy eradication campaign.â€
For the Government of Afghanistan’s Counter Narcotics Campaign, Balkh and Samangan were last year poor performing provinces. Whereas opium poppy cultivation decreased in the country as a whole, cultivation in Balkh and Samangan increased significantly, along with Kandahar and Farah. This is according to a Rapid Assessment Report of this year’s poppy cultivation trends carried out by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in February.
At the time of a similar meeting held a year ago in Kabul, Balkh provincial authorities claimed that their province would be the first to eliminate poppy. Balkh and Samangan are not traditional poppy growing provinces, and cultivation there only began after the fall of the Taleban government in 2001.
At Sunday’s seminar, the different pillars of the overall Afghan counter narcotics campaign will be addressed, including Eradication, Interdiction and the Counter Narcotics Criminal Justice Task Force. And so too will Rural Development be discussed, specifically details of this programme in the Provinces of Balkh and Samangan. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T14:06:34" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
40 | 405 | Afghan civil servants to receive leadership training | "2006-03-26" | UNDP Kabul | 5 | 1 | PRESS RELEASE | 0 | 47 | 15 | As part of the support to capacity building in public administration, UNDP’s Civil Service Leadership Development Project (CSLD) is to launch a major long-term training programme to equip the country’s top 550 civil servants with adequate skills in a bid to consolidate the implementation of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS).
The two and a half year programme that will get underway with a ceremony on Saturday April 1 2006 will target civil servants at three different levels, including younger staff that show potential for future development.
In the course of the project life time, four Top Leadership (TLP) courses, seven Senior Leadership courses (SLP) and eight Emerging Leaders (ELP) courses will be conducted with each session accommodating up to 30 participants. To maximize the actual impact of the training programmes and change at the workplace, the SLP and the ELP programmes will combine training with extensive coaching on the job. The trainees will be overseen and advised as they apply their new skills in performing their regular tasks. The coaching sessions will be preceded by actual training sessions.
UNDP’s Civil Service Leadership Programme CSLD, implemented jointly with the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC) is aimed at addressing one of the biggest challenges that Afghanistan is currently facing: the reform of the Public Administration system including the re-establishment of a competent and efficient civil service.
CSLD is geared towards the top Civil Servants in the capital and the provinces including Deputy Ministers, Heads of Departments, Senior and mid-level Civil Servants as well as young Civil Servants.
Journalists are invited to the ceremony which will start at 09.30 on April 1 2006 at the premises of the Training and Development Department of the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (Shah Mahmood Ghazi Watt, adjacent to AISA, right beside the Ministry for Rural Development). | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T14:10:24" | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
41 | 403 | President Karzai Signs the Counter Narcotics Tribunal Decree | "2005-07-25" | Minstry of the Interior | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 0 | 47 | 15 | The Counter Narcotics Tribunal Decree was proposed by HE Chief Justice Shinwari of the Supreme Court of Afghanistan. The Decree establishes special tribunals to try cases related to narcotics. It supports Article 7 of the Constitution, which bans the cultivation, production and trafficking of narcotics. The Decree came into force just after the President signed it.
On signing the Decree the President said: "this demonstrates the Government's crucial proactive commitment to the fight against narcotics. It is a further step towards greater judicial reform".
"This is a strong message to those involved in narcotics that the Government will crack down on the traffickers and all those that shame the name of the Afghan people" the President added. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T14:11:37" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
42 | 403 | British Team Starts Training a Further 400 Afghan Counter-Narcotics Police Officers to Combat Drugs Trafficking | "2005-07-27" | Minstry of Counter-Narcotics | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | The British Ambassador to Afghanistan, Dr Rosalind Marsden, is today (Wednesday) handing over five vehicles from the UK Government to the Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA) at a ceremony at the CNPA headquarters at Karte Seh in south-west Kabul. It is part of a British programme being launched to equip and train the CNPA to combat drugs trafficking in the country.
Attending the event will be the Afghan Minister for Counter Narcotics, Habibullah Qaderi, the Deputy Ministers for Counter Narcotics, General Khodaidad and Baki Khogiani, the Deputy Interior Minister, General Mohammad Daud, and the head of the CNPA, General Sadaat.
At the ceremony, there will be a demonstration by dogs being trained for drug detection and also a demonstration by a CNPA Mobile Detection Team of specialist search equipment and a purpose-built vehicle.
The media are invited to attend the event, which will be held at 2.00 pm today (Wednesday) at the CNPA headquarters.
The five vehicles being donated today are part of a consignment of over forty vehicles due to be handed over during an eighteen month British training programme for the CNPA that started last month. Ten mobile detection teams are being equipped and trained, three of them for Kabul and the others for provinces such as Kandahar, Nangarhar and Badakhshan.
According to Dr Marsden, “This training project shows the UK’s commitment to the long term development of CNPA and other counter narcotics institutions of the Afghan Government.â€
Over the next 18 months, nearly 400 Counter Narcotics Police will be given legal and operational training by the UK, as well as practical training while subsequently carrying out their work.
Along with the Afghan Special Narcotics Force (ASNF), the CNPA has been making steady progress against traffickers and heroin producers. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T14:13:23" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
43 | 403 | Afghan Religious Leaders Hold Symposium on Reducing Drug Addiction in Afghanistan | "2005-07-26" | Ministry of Counter-Narcotics | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | Five hundred Afghan religious leaders are meeting today (Tuesday) and tomorrow at a symposium in Kabul to discuss how to reduce drug addiction in Afghanistan. The symposium is being organized by the Afghan Ministry of Hajj and Awqaf (Religious Affairs), the Ministry of Counter Narcotics and a regional inter-governmental organization, the Colombo Plan Secretariat.
The symposium, being held at the Sham-e-Paris Hotel in west Kabul, will be addressed by the Minister of Hajj and Awqaf, Professor Naimatullah Shahrani, the Deputy Minister of Counter Narcotics, General Khodaidad, and the head of the Colombo Plan’s programme in Afghanistan, Tay Bin How. A press conference will be held at the Paris Hotel at 11.30am today (Tuesday) to which all the media are welcome.
The purpose of the symposium is to mobilize religious leaders to combat drug abuse in provinces around the country. One of the aims of the two day gathering will be to understand drug addiction from an Islamic perspective. Another aim will be to identify the role of mosques in various aspects of drug demand reduction.
Of the 500 religious leaders at the symposium, 35 will be chosen for an additional two days of training next week to act as coordinators of mosque-based prevention and aftercare programmes that are due to be established in all 34 provinces of the country.
Through its Drug Advisory Programme, the Colombo Plan has over the past three years been developing a faith-based approach to combating drug addiction. It has been working in this way in countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, southern Philippines and Pakistan. According to Tay Bin How of the Colombo Plan Secretariat “individuals who are affiliated with a religion are less likely to abuse drugs than individuals not affiliated to a religion.â€
The Colombo Plan has already held two programmes with a total of more than forty Afghan religious leaders in Malaysia in 2004, and a further programme in Afghanistan with forty religious leaders in June this year. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T14:14:39" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
44 | 407 | World Bank holds workshop aimed at strengthening and improving Afghanistan's financial management system | "2006-07-10" | World Bank Kabul | 5 | 1 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | To help strengthen and improve Afghanistan’s financial management performance, the World Bank organizes a one day workshop. More than 120 participants from government institutions and its project implementing agencies are expected to attend the workshop. It is expected that at the end of the workshop participants will be empowered to undertake their work efficiently and effectively. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T14:30:42" | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
45 | 403 | Afghan Counter Narcotics Forces conduct first ever drugs raid in Zaranj | "2006-04-05" | Ministry of the Interior | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | Today, the Ministry of the Interior's counter narcotics forces conducted their first ever drugs raid into Zaranj, capital of Nimruz Province, on the border with Iran. With the successful operation by other Afghan law enforcement forces in Bahramchah, southern Helmand, on Monday, this latest action shows that big drugs traffickers are under threat in all parts of Afghanistan. Whilst Ministry forces have previously visited Zaranj, this is the first raid acting on information about drugs dealers in the town. The operation is still happening; they are holding 2 individuals for questioning and have seized a small quantity of brown heroin and a large quantity of hashish.
The Minister of the Interior spokesman said: "This is another first for our increasingly capable Afghan counter narcotics forces. Whilst other forces are attacking the big opium dealers in Helmand, in Nimruz we are attacking other parts of the opium snake that is trying to poison the nation of Afghanistan. Opium dealers and other enemies of our country are using ordinary Afghans to make themselves rich and are preventing economic growth and education in the Province. The people of Zaranj have welcomed us and they can make the change in their own province and Inshallah it will come soon for them." | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T17:00:07" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
46 | 403 | Statement by Hamid Karzai at the Conference of Heads of States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) | "2006-06-15" | Ministry of Information | 5 | 9 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | Your Excellency Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies Heads of states,
Ladies and Gentlemen!
I am honored to have been invited to this session of Shanghai Cooperation Organization and am very pleased to be in this beautiful and historical city of Shanghai. Allow me to thank the organizers of the conference and the people of China for the very warm and generous hospitality extended to me and my delegation.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen!
Prior to September 11, 2001, Afghanistan, as part of a scheme by foreign elements, had turned into a safe haven for international terrorism. It is evident that the situation not only dismantled Afghanistan’s economy and infrastructures and damaged the social fabric of Afghan society but it also caused great detriment to the other countries of the region and beyond.
With the defeat of terrorism by our people which was made possible through support and cooperation by the international community, today Afghanistan is a free country and a reliable strategic partner in the war against terrorism. We Afghans have endured the biggest sacrifices in the war against terror and have suffered the most in the hands of terrorism; that is why fighting it is at the top of our priorities at the regional level.
The people of Afghanistan are committed to do their utmost to make sure that our country does not become, once again, a center of destructive activities against other countries and that no terrorist groups could feel safe on our soil.
On the other hand, the presence of international community in our country to continue the war on terror, strengthen state institutions and to rebuild the economic infrastructures is essential. Such presence is in the interest of our country, the region and the world because the remnants of terrorism pose a global threat that can endanger the achievements of Afghanistan, the countries of the region and the international community. I have full confidence that the countries in our region concur with me on this issue and will continue to support us as before in achieving our common goals.
We believe that terrorism is a global challenge and that fighting it requires joint international determination, cooperation and effective measures. The critical issue is that terrorism has moved up into an organized destructive level and the terrorist networks have now gained considerable influence in some States. As we are committed to prevent Afghanistan from turning into a base of terrorist activities against others, we expect other countries as well to pay attention to this issue.
Your Excellency Mr. Chairman!
In the last four and half years, Afghanistan has taken great strides towards the establishment of a state based on rule of law, building state institutions, reconstruction, economic growth and trade between Afghanistan and countries of the region. These achievements are indeed objectives that are also incorporated as part of the SCO framework.
In addition to establishing political infrastructures in the country, we have paved the ground for the growth of economic cooperation as an important principle of our regional policy. We believe that the development and welfare of the people in the region cannot be achieved independently and that we have a shared destiny. We believe that the development of Afghanistan is only possible through cooperation with the other countries in the region. On our part, we have taken important steps. To cite just one example of such cooperation, the exports of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Afghanistan during the Taliban was no more than 25 million dollars a year while now this has risen to almost 1.3 billion dollars. We have reformed our laws dealing with Custom Duties, Taxes, Trade and Foreign Investment and will continue to do so to create further facilities for businesspeople and investors.
Your Excellency Mr. Chairman,
Afghanistan wants to further strengthen coordination and expand cooperation with the SCO and bilaterally with the member states of the Organization. Particularly, Afghanistan is in favor of further SCO concentration to the fight against terrorism and extremism and is ready to participate in any way. Moreover, we believe that enhanced cooperation multilaterally and bilaterally in the areas of combating organized crimes, production and trafficking of illicit drugs and arms trafficking is in our interest.
The people of Afghanistan have made a commitment to the international community to continue their fight against the production and trafficking of narcotics and they are resolute in this struggle. Our success to fight this menace needs time and is dependent on the comprehensive support and cooperation of the countries in the region and beyond. In reality, Afghan farmers are the least beneficiaries of the drug trade. The main profit goes to international mafia organizations. These organizations must be fought decisively, and ways must be found to stop drug trafficking more effectively.
With our membership in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) as of July 2006, Afghanistan will turn into a bridging point between member countries of the SCO and SAARC. We consider this position as a good opportunity for ourselves and our neighbors.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The road we have taken is the road towards peace, cooperation and progress in the region. Today Afghanistan, as part of this region and as a responsible and active member of the family of nations, is once again extending its hands of friendship and co-existence to all the countries, particularly to our neighbors and member states of SCO. We are grateful that our message of friendship has met with positive response from our neighbors and members of Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the last four years. I am confident that the continuation of this friendship will be beneficial in creating a safer world and contribute to long-term peace and prosperity of our people in the region.
I wish you, Excellencies, success in achieving our common humane and peace-loving aspirations.
Thank you. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T17:12:42" | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
47 | 403 | Afghanistan-India Joint Statement | "2006-04-10" | Governments of India and Afghanistan | 5 | 7 | PRESS RELEASE | 0 | 47 | 15 | 1. At the invitation of His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, His Excellency Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is currently paying a State visit to India (April 9-13, 2006).
2. During the visit, the two leaders held talks on a wide-range of bilateral issues as well as regional and international matters of common interest. They welcomed the progress achieved in bilateral relations since President Hamid Karzai’s visit to India, February 23-25, 2005 and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Afghanistan, August 28-29, 2005, and agreed to take this relationship further into a new paradigm of friendship and cooperation. They affirmed that the time-tested friendly relationship between the two countries, underpinned by historical and cultural ties, had overcome many challenges and were today based on a shared commitment to the ideals of democracy, peace and security.
3. India expressed full support to the goal of a sovereign, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan, which is also necessary for peace, security and stability in the region. It expressed admiration for the courageous steps taken by the Afghan people and Government under the leadership of President Hamid Karzai towards the adoption of a democratic polity, including the holding of the Parliamentary elections and convening of the new Parliament, while addressing the challenge of economic development and reconstruction.
4. President Hamid Karzai thanked India for its demonstrated commitment to Afghanistan by providing more than US $ 600 million for projects in all parts of Afghanistan, in different sectors - including infrastructure, human resource development, and humanitarian assistance. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh reaffirmed India’s continued commitment to Afghanistan’s reconstruction and pledged an additional US $ 50 million under India’s Assistance Programme for Afghanistan. To broaden cooperation between the two countries, three cooperation agreements were signed today in the areas of Rural Development, Education and Standardization in the presence of President Karzai and Prime Minister Singh.
5. In the field of institutional and human resource development, both sides expressed encouragement at the ongoing process of annual award of 500 Scholarships for Afghan students for University education in India and 500 short-term ITEC Programme for Afghan nationals, as announced during Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s visit to Afghanistan in August, 2005. They agreed that this initiative had great potential of contributing significantly towards skills development of the Afghan youth, which could be expected to become the vanguard in tackling the challenge of institution building in Afghanistan.
6. Going beyond the core areas of government-to-government developmental cooperation, both leaders also explored the possibilities of expanding business-to-business cooperation, particularly between the small and medium entrepreneurs of the two countries. President Karzai is also accompanied by a strong business delegation on this visit, which will be interacting with Indian business and industry counterparts from CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM this afternoon. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh offered to consider extending a US $ 50 million line of Credit facility to promote trade and investment between the two countries.
7. As provided for under Article 11 of the Preferential Trade Agreement signed between the two countries on March 6, 2003, the two sides agreed to constitute a Joint Committee at Ministerial level to review the progress in the implementation of the Agreement, thereby promoting mutually beneficial bilateral trade.
8. Tomorrow, President Karzai will be inaugurating a Festival of Afghanistan in India which would be displaying traditional Afghan products and having components of dance, music and cuisine, as a follow-up to the recently concluded MoU on Tourism.
9. Tomorrow, President Karzai will also go to Hyderabad where he will visit the Hi-Tech City, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., the National Remote Sensing Agency and a Rural Development Pilot Project.
10. At the regional level, the two leaders reiterated their vision of Afghanistan regaining its strategic position at the cross roads of Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The need for greater regional cooperation by encouraging trade and people-to-people contact among the countries of the region was emphasized. President Karzai thanked Prime Minister Dr. Singh for India’s strong support for Afghanistan’s membership of SAARC and pledged to work together with the member countries in all fields to affect greater harmonization of political, economic, social and security policies.
11. President Karzai welcomed that India would host the Second Regional Economic Cooperation Conference for Afghanistan in New Delhi, November 18-19, 2006, with participation of all the regional countries, G-8 member States and international organizations. This Conference will also have a business-to-business component to promote private sector linkages.
12. Confronting the shared challenges of fundamentalism and terrorism, the two leaders condemned global terrorism as a threat to democracy and declared that there can be no compromise with its perpetrators. India expressed its support to the efforts made by Afghanistan in recent months in tackling the increased terrorist activities in certain provinces in the country.
13. The two leaders reaffirmed that India and Afghanistan, have a common interest in reinvigorating the past ties and developing a new, strategic partnership for the 21st Century. The two leaders emphasized the importance of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries for taking this partnership to greater heights.
New Delhi | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T17:31:51" | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
48 | 403 | ASNF Targets Drug Bazaar and Drug Labs in Helmand | "2006-04-04" | Ministry of the Interior | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 0 | 47 | 15 | Afghan Special Narcotic Force (ASNF) conducted an operation against drug bazaar and drug labs at Bahramcha town of Helmand province on April 3 2006. The operation finished successfully on the same day.
During the operation, ASNF set on fire 100kg of opium and 5kg of heroine. They also arrested one drug trafficker. The operation ended successfully without any casualties.
"This operation was a part of the overall counter-narcotics campaign which is being conducted all over the country and specially in southern provinces which are considered to be the main producers for opium," said Mohammad Yosuf Stanizai, MOI spokesperson," This operation was an alert for all drug dealers around the country. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is committed to terminate poppy economy throughout the country and to arrest and punish all drug traffickers and drug dealers."
The ASNF, working under MOI, have conducted a number of successful counter narcotics operation and have the capacity to continue such operations and extend them to all poppy cultivating provinces of Afghanistan. This was the fourteenth ASNF operation in Helmand province. Since its establishment, the ASNF have interdicted and destroyed 209 drug labs, 150 ton of opium, more than 970 ton of heroine precursors, more than 50 ton of cannabis and also have arrested several suspect drug smugglers, 6 of whom have been recognized as guilty and submitted to judicial authorities, 2 of whom were sentenced to 10 years jail. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T17:37:21" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
49 | 403 | Local Police Killed Drug Criminals | null | Ministry of the Interior | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 0 | 47 | 15 | Helmand Local Police have killed four drug criminals as the criminal ambushed Nawzad Eradication forces in Korghi, Nawzad District of Helmand province, yesterday.
The enemies ambushed the local eradication forces while the local police were on their way to (eradicating poppy fields) Nawzad District of Helmand province, and the local police reported being attacked with heavy and light weapons.
The police also seized three AK47s and one heavy weapon.
"The Government of Afghanistan is fully committed to eradicate poppy fields; the insurgents can't stop the government from its fight against drugs," said, Lt. General Mohammad Daud Daud the Deputy Interior Minister for Counter Narcotics, "The enemies of Afghanistan are trying to kill all those involved in creating peace and stability. The eradication forces are vital for this peace and stability. Be aware and help the government in arresting the drug criminals who threaten our peace and stability. "
The MOI eradication forces are working with other Afghan security forces within the country to eradicate the poppy fields and create secure environment for rehabilitation projects.
The four dead bodies were taken to the district administration of Nawzad district. There is no casualty from the government side. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T17:40:51" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
50 | 403 | MOI Congratulates The Afghan National Police in Kandahar | "2006-03-28" | Ministry of the Interior | 5 | 1 | PRESS RELEASE | 0 | 47 | 15 | This morning two suicide bombers who attempted to blow themselves up among the noble citizens of the Kandahar Province have failed due to the their hard work and that they put themselves in danger of the Afghan National Police in Kandahar, a southern province of Afghanistan.
The initial investigation shows that two suicide bombers detonated explosives strapped to their bodies when they confronted the Afghan National Police in the first District of Kandahar city this morning at 08:45 local time.
"The ones, who are committing these atrocities against Afghanistan, are demonstrating their willingness to kill innocent civilians – these people are driven by hate and evil. They have nothing positive to offer. Instead they want this country to become again, a nest for terrorists," said the MOI Spokesperson, Yousuf Stanizai.
There were no other casualties in the explosion. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T17:42:46" | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
51 | 403 | Drug Raids Across Nimroz and Helmand show new strength of Afghan Counter Narcotics Forces | "2006-07-30" | Ministry of the Interior | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | It can now be revealed that yesterday, as the Ministry of the Interior’s counter narcotics forces pounced on drugs traffickers in Zaranj, capital of Nimruz Province, law enforcement forces were also searching a drugs den on the Helmand-Nimruz border.
In this operation, Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNP-A) detained 6 suspects and seized 1000kg Hashish, small quantity of brown Heroine, 6 mobile phones and satellite mobile phones, Military equipments and weapons, papers and ledgers in Zarang, capital of Nimroz.
The Minister of the Interior spokesman said: “Our counter narcotics forces now have the strength and the information to attack the drugs traffickers in all the areas they thought were their strongholds. These simultaneous raids have revealed our new ability and we will continue to attack the enemies of Afghanistan who seek to poison our children and our soil. The people of Helmand and Nimruz Provinces have welcomed us and they can make the change in their own province and Inshallah it will come soon for them.â€
With the successful drugs operation in Bahram Chah, southern Helmand, on Monday, these latest actions in Nimruz show that Afghan forces, acting on information, now have the capacity to strike the big drugs traffickers wherever and whenever they wish. This series of operations have captured 6 detainees, military equipment and destroyed significant amounts of opium resin, brown heroin and hashish. Ledgers and papers have also been taken for further examination.
It was particularly gratifying to find a positive reaction from the local population in Nimruz who were friendly and keen to assist the operation. The local police also assisted in the effort to prevent the drug mafias from being the controlling influence in the town. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T17:47:15" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
52 | 403 | 10 Enemies of Peace and Stability have been Killed in Paktika & Zabul Provinces | "2006-06-21" | Ministry of the Interior | 5 | 223 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | More than 60 enemies of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan riding two vehicles and 25 motorbikes, attacked the Khoshamand District of Paktika Province on the night of June 19th. Police were able to push back this brutal attack. Six enemies were killed and 15 others were injured and police seized two RPG rocket launchers with four RPG rounds. The building of the district headquarters has been partially damaged.
On June 19th, a police patrol run into an enemies ambush in the area of Soory at the Shinkay District of Zabul Province. Four enemies were killed and two others were injured as the result of clashes between the enemies of peace and stability and the ANP.
On June 19th when an enemy who wanted to plant an explosive mine at the Terway District of Paktika Province, was killed.
On June 19th the Ghour Provincial Police arrested two people in connection with launching rocket on Medira NGO at the Watira District of Ghour Province. Police seized two AK-47, a rifle, an anti-tank mine and nine grenades from the arrested people.
H.E Zarar Ahmad Muqbel said, “as our police forces are endeavoring 24-hours a day to provide a safe and secure situation and neutralize the destructive activities of the enemies of peace and stability in Afghanistan. Recently the destructive schemes of the enemies have laid causalities for themselves.†| 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T17:49:47" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
53 | 403 | Government Press Restrictions Document | "2006-06-20" | "Islamic Republic of Afghanistan" | 5 | 516 | The 24-point list below was delivered to editors of newspapers and
television stations in Kabul in a document that bears only the name
the "Islamic Republic of Afghanistan" and carries no signature or
official stamp.
It is widely agreed to have been issued by the intelligence service,
following an agency briefing to editors on the same subject. | 0 | 47 | 15 | The public media as bridge between people and government has a
significant role. Although the rule of press justifies and directs
of their activities, in the current circumstances, it is important
that the media must ban or restrict broadcasting those materials
which deteriorate the morale of the public, cause security problems
and which are against the national interest. The following must be
banned or restricted:
• Publication and broadcasting of provocative statements of armed
organizations and terrorist groups.
• Broadcasting and publications of reports which cause irritation,
any exaggerated reports against national unity, or against peace
throughout the country and those report that cause intolerance of
language, religious, ethnic and local diversities.
• Conducting interviews with high ranking well known commanders of
terrorist groups those who have participated in armed conflict
against the government, and filming or photographing them, and
broadcasting or publication of those reports that have been prepared
in the favor of and in order to bolster the morale of the enemies of
peace and security.
• News of terrorist activities must not come as the lead story of
the news.
• Those materials that deteriorate people's morale and cause
disappointment to them, and publication and broadcasting of gossip
and rumors which are against the security and welfare of society.
• Broadcasting and publications of religious decrees of terrorists
and enemies that are against the tranquility of the people.
• Negative propaganda, interviews and reports which are provocative
or slanderous and which are against the presence (in Afghanistan) of
the international coalition forces and ISAF.
• Broadcasting and publication of any views of the people's enemies
who want to represent that Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is not
Islamic, or combating terrorism is a kin to combating Islam.
• Those reports that aim to represent that the fighting spirit in
Afghanistan's armed forces is weak.
• Broadcasting and publication of provocative articles which are
against the Mujahideen and call them "warlords" and those which call
technocrats as "Westernized" and subjects of this nature which create
division and conflict.
• Broadcasting reports, subjects, articles and discussions which
endanger territorial independence, territorial unity and national
sovereignty of the state.
• Avoidance or abstinence from exaggeration of accidents and
terrorist acts.
• Reports relating to riots and violence which are provocative
should not be published and violence should be condemned.
• Broadcasting and publication of programs and subject matters which
are against the morals, religious and accepted customs of the public
which provoke people and cause security problems.
• The use of titles of respect such as warriors, resistance, peace
keepers etc should not be used to describe terrorists and killers.
• Broadcasting and publication of interviews and reports that are
inaccurate, undocumented, harsh and slanderous which are defamatory
specifically against important figures, and in accordance with
article 2 provision 33 of the Press Laws are forbidden.
• Live reports from meetings and ceremonies that disclose
confidential governmental and military secrets and cause a
deterioration of relations among three branches of state and results
in reduction of the prestige of the government and parliament.
• Broadcasting and publication of those reports and interviews that
are against the government's foreign policy in regard to neighboring
countries that puts the government in conflict with neighboring
countries.
In the following cases, we ask cooperation of mass media.
• Improvement in the method of news, sentences and words used in
news of incidents related to the armed forces.
• Disclosure of the real face of terrorists and their isolation from
the people.
• Dissemination of the spirit of resistance and the bravery of the
armed forces in the capital and provinces and particularly, in the
country's border areas.
• Disclosure of the propaganda of the enemy of peace and security and
adopting a defensive policy against this type propaganda.
• Dissemination of reports by the media relating to activities of
terrorists which are inhumane, and which uncover and disclose their
criminal activities.
• Strengthening of relations and improvement of cooperation between
public relations and spokespersons and the media.
In observing and executing the above, according to directions of the
leaders of the government, we want the cooperation of all media
organizations and their responsible personnel.
Copying and broadcasting and distribution of this document is not
authorized. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T17:52:43" | 0 | 1 | 5 | ||||||
54 | 403 | President Hamid Karzai’s Remarks with Secretary Condoleezza Rice After Their Meeting | "2006-06-28" | Ministry of the Interior | 5 | 7 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | PRESIDENT KARZAI: Media members, ladies and gentlemen, I am honored (inaudible) Afghanistan welcomes Her Excellency.
SECRETARY RICE: Thank you very much, Mr. President. And first let me, on behalf of the American people, on behalf of President Bush, thank you for your friendship, thank you for your commitment, thank you for your superb leadership of a country (inaudible) since the war you have brought unity, you have (inaudible) the Afghan people and indeed to the region and to the world. Thank you very much for your leadership.
We had a broad-ranging discussion of our joint fight in the war on terror, but also about how to answer the hopes of the Afghan people for a better life, a more prosperous life. (Inaudible) reconstruction (inaudible) bring further security to the Afghan people, not just through coalition and American forces but also the strengthening of Afghan security institutions, something that the President has been concerned about and that we, too, are concerned about.
Mr. President, I want you to know that we consider Afghanistan to be a friend for the long term. The commitment of the United States is a strong commitment but also one that will be an enduring commitment. I have said before that we made the mistake once before of leaving Afghanistan and of not sustaining our commitment to our relationship here. We will not make that mistake again. America will be committed and a friend of the Afghan people for a very, very long time to come. Thank you for your leadership.
PRESIDENT KARZAI: Welcome, ma'am. Welcome. Questions?
QUESTION: Madame Secretary, (inaudible). Aren't you concerned that (inaudible) United States (inaudible)?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, first of all, I have the greatest confidence that the democratic institutions and the democratic future of Afghanistan are indeed getting stronger and getting stronger each day. That Afghanistan has determined enemies is no surprise to anyone. That they are brutal and ruthless enemies who will take innocent life is also not a surprise to anyone. These are people who raped and pillaged and tried to destroy this country over an extended period of decades and there are small numbers of them who are still trying to destroy this country but they will not succeed. They will not succeed because Afghanistan has an elected president, an elected parliament. For the first time Afghanistan has strong coalition partners, not just in the United States but in NATO. It has the respect of the international community. And because the security forces of Afghanistan, which really barely existed just a few years ago, are now really coming into full being and are being strengthened.
So yes, Afghanistan has determined enemies and they are ruthless, but they will not succeed in undermining or in rolling back the democratic gains of the Afghan people. We are here committed to those democratic gains and I know that the Afghan people themselves are committed to those democratic gains.
PRESIDENT KARZAI: I would reconfirm the remarks of Dr. Rice. There is absolute certainty that Afghanistan is going to strengthen the gains of the past five years. Whatever was asked of the Afghan people in the Bonn agreement has been fulfilled on time. We have constitution, elections for the president, a very vibrant parliament and a strengthening civil society.
Now, terrorism will definitely try to work very, very hard, seeing the success of Afghanistan, they will try to hurt us. But the success is moving further and further and that is the story in Afghanistan.
Now, yes, we do have incidents of security and some of them are serious. That causes the Afghan people concern and that is what we are working on together with the international community on a daily basis.
As for myself, ma'am, perhaps it doesn't get out to the international press. Every month I am in one of the Afghan provinces. Just yesterday I was in Baghlan Province in the northern part of the country, northeastern part of the country, inaugurated a road that links that part of the country with a major border of Afghanistan with Tajikistan and a port and what I saw there impressed me a lot. There was a vibrancy of agriculture and a construction there and agricultural feats. There were so many new schools. In a drive of about 20 minutes I saw three new schools built there and met lots of children going to school, met with people there, met with boys and girls and asked them about their aspirations. A lot of them wanted to be pilots, engineers, doctors and some of them wanted very much to be president of this country.
So Afghanistan is not what you hear in the press. It's just a lot more than what you see in the press in terms of success that this country has had, and that success will continue.
QUESTION: Dr. Rice, within past two years the Afghan Government repeatedly asking its international friends to help this war against terror in a strategic way, which means it should move to the place where (inaudible) and equip it. Why it is not possible to do so?
And second, you have stressed again greatest cooperation between Kabul, Washington and Islamabad. Is there any difference between your present trip and between -- between present and previous trips? I mean that is there any signs to minimize the (inaudible) between Afghanistan and Pakistan?
And let me add one more fact. Recently The Washington Post had an article was saying that President Karzai is losing support of his Western allies. What do you think about that? Three questions.
PRESIDENT KARZAI: Thank you.
SECRETARY RICE: Yes, thank you. Well, three questions. Let me start with the last question and I think that the press corps that was traveling with me, so to speak, got an earful about that article. I don't know anyone who is more admired and respected in the international community than President Karzai, for his strength, for his wisdom and for his courage to lead this country first in the defeat of the Taliban and now in rebuilding a democratic and unified Afghanistan. And I can tell you I am with foreign ministers and with heads of state all over the world. I sit in the councils of NATO. I sit with the EU. I sit with people all over the world and there is great admiration for your president and also for what the Afghan people are doing here. And I just want to say to the Afghan people that that commitment from the international community is very, very strong and will remain so.
As to the war on terror and the regional issues concerning Pakistan, concerning other neighbors, we have a situation in which all of these countries, including, by the way, the United States, are threatened by the same enemy and we need to stay focused on that. The same people who destroyed Afghanistan and then harbored the terrorists who attacked New York are the same people who have tried to kill President Musharraf, the same people who are still attacking innocent Afghans, the people who have extended their war to places like Bali and to places like London and to places in Russia. This is an international force that is determined to try to undermine the aspirations of free people and they're not going to win. They're simply not going to win. They don't have a positive agenda for anyone. All that they have is a view of destruction and backwardness and hopelessness, and that is not going to win.
And it's not going to win because there are strong leaders who will not allow it to happen. They will not win because we have military operations that are going after them. And indeed, sometimes when you hear about violence in places like Afghanistan, it is because military operations are being conducted against these terrorists. We have intelligence cooperation that is going after them and we are accelerating our efforts to build local security forces in places like Afghanistan to counter them as well.
It is also the case that when I was in Pakistan I talked about the fierce fight that Pakistani forces are engaging these terrorists, who, if they could have their way, would also threaten Pakistan.
And so we have to realize that we have a common enemy. We can all do more. We can all work harder. We all need to constantly assess our strategies, look at our tactics, make certain that we are responding to their changing tactics, because this is a thinking enemy that changes its tactics, too.
But the commitment of Pakistan, of Afghanistan, of the United States, indeed of the international community, against this enemy is going to succeed. We are not going to tire. We are not going to leave. They should know that we are in this fight until it is victoriously concluded.
And I just want to say, as I flew into Kabul just now, I saw the flags of the International Security Assistance Force. It is a remarkable show of unity by the international community with this country and with the antiterrorism front.
QUESTION: Hello, President Karzai. I'm Janine Zacharia with Bloomberg News. You gave us a very -- we know you're an optimist. You gave us a very optimistic assessment. Perhaps when you're standing next to a top U.S. diplomat it's difficult to express any concerns, but do you have any concerns about the resurgence of the Taliban? Can you assess for us what that is or can you really travel freely in the south? That's the first question.
Secondly, we were in Pakistan yesterday and the Pakistani Foreign Minister told us that Afghanistan is not providing them with actionable intelligence in the border area. Is that true?
PRESIDENT KARZAI: Ma'am, concerns? Yes, we have. We, all of us, have concerns. We are fighting terrorism and they're trying to attack us where they can. But we have won. The very fact that Afghanistan is where it is today is testimony to the fact that we have won. And we have won massively in Afghanistan. There are 4.5 million refugees back in this country. Those who were running away from this country five years ago, 4.5 million have come back. There are 60,000 Pakistani workers working in Afghanistan. Afghanistan's trade with its neighbors has gone up so many times that if I told you, you wouldn't believe. Pakistan's exports to Afghanistan in the Taliban were 25 million. Today they stand at 1.3 billion. Iran's exports to Afghanistan were barely 10 million or so. Today they are 350 million. And apply that to other neighbors as well. Success is there.
We have problems, too. The reason we are working, the reason we are talking, is also to get at the problems. So when we speak of success, it doesn't mean that we are forgetting the problems. We are continuously working with the problems to make this country better and better and to free the whole world from terrorism that we are still fighting.
As to the southern part of the country, ma'am, I was in Kandahar about 25 days ago, went to the hospital, visited people. I met with (inaudible), went around the city, and just before that I was in Zabul inaugurating a very good hospital, a hospital that was built with the help of the United Arab Emirates, and went to English language schools and computer school courses that were set up by the American PRT there for the children of Zabul, both boys and girls. So it isn't like that. I and any other member of the government can and do travel to any part of the country. The trouble is that we don't communicate what we do properly to the rest of the world.
SECRETARY RICE: If I could just -- Janine, just let me say the President has no hesitancy communicating his concerns. None, because we are partners and we are allies. And when he has concerns I want to hear them, President Bush wants to hear them and we want to jointly respond to those concerns and those problems.
So his optimism or my optimism about what Afghanistan has achieved is not a matter of trying to ignore the problems and the challenges, but simply to say that in a country that five years ago was still under the role of the Taliban, the progress has been extraordinary in this country. There is a still a lot of hard work to do, but the Afghan people need to know that we appreciate their commitment and their sacrifice and how much they have achieved.
PRESIDENT KARZAI: Now, that doesn't mean that when we speak of success that we are either oblivious or not aware of problems. Afghanistan has problems. Afghanistan has still a very weak bureaucracy. Afghanistan still has a very weak police force. Afghanistan has a problem to handle corruption in this country. Afghanistan still has the drug problem to address here. There are problems and some of them very serious ones, but that is the situation all over the world. All countries have problems unique to themselves. We know Afghanistan's problems. Some of them we share with the rest of the world. Some of them are unique to us. But we, as any other government, are working stage by stage to correct.
QUESTION: The Voice of America.
QUESTION: (In Pashtu.) Is the international community (inaudible) a different vision of the security situation in Afghanistan?
SECRETARY RICE: We have exactly the same vision of Afghanistan, which is why we are here in partnership with Afghanistan: that it will be a strong, democratic, prosperous country that can reclaim its rightful place in the international system and that will be a vital ally in the war on terror.
We are making great progress toward that vision and toward that goal. We share our views about changes that might be made in tactics or even in strategy when it is necessary to respond, as I said, to a thinking enemy. It is not as if the enemy simply sits and doesn't change tactics, so we must (inaudible).
And I can tell you that when I talk to our diplomats, Ambassador Neumann or our people at the Embassy or I talk to our military commanders, the military commanders of the International Security Assistance Force, we are determined to continually look at what we can do better, what we need to accelerate, what we need to slow down. And we have in President Karzai the kind of partner with whom we can have the most open and candid and frank discussions possible. We would want nothing more and nothing less than that. We expect that from our partner and that's what we're doing.
Thank you. Thank you very much. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T17:54:20" | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
55 | 405 | The Asia Foundation Announces Agreement with United Nations | "2006-07-30" | The Asia Foundation (San Fransisco/Kabul | 5 | 7 | United Nations Development Programme Awards The Asia Foundation $10.6 million to Strengthen the Office of the President | 0 | 47 | 15 | The Asia Foundation, the premier non-profit organization devoted to Asia's development since 1954, announced today an agreement of $10.6 million awarded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support the development of central executive institutions involving the Office of the President in Afghanistan.
The award, which goes into effect immediately, will strengthen the Office of Administrative Affairs, the Council of Ministers Secretariat, and the Presidential Chief of Staff Office’s capacity by upgrading their organizational structures, procedures, office equipment and facilities, information technology, and policy coordination processes.
The award will be managed through the Foundation’s Kabul office, which has supported a range of projects in Afghanistan since 1954. Since 2002, the Foundation has supported governance activities that include the Emergency Loya Jirga, constitutional process, 2004 presidential election, and 2005 parliamentary elections.
“We are honored to be working with the United Nations Development Programme and continue our priority focus on Afghanistan,†said Douglas Bereuter, President of The Asia Foundation. “This award will support the crucial objective of strengthening key intra-governmental relationships and overall democratic governance in Afghanistan.â€
<I>About The Asia Foundation
The Asia Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to the development of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific region. The Foundation supports programs in Asia that help improve governance and law, economic reform and development, women's empowerment, and international relations. Drawing on 50 years of experience in Asia, the Foundation collaborates with private and public partners to support leadership and institutional development, exchanges, and policy research.
With a network of 18 offices throughout Asia, an office in Washington, D.C., and its headquarters in San Francisco, the Foundation addresses these issues on both a country and regional level. In 2005, the Foundation provided more than $61 million in program support and distributed 1.1 million books and educational materials valued at $28 million throughout Asia.</I> | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T17:57:29" | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
56 | 403 | Afghan Ministers to Discuss Counter Narcotics Campaign with leaders of Helmand Province | "2006-10-19" | Ministry of Counter Narcotics | 5 | 213 | PRESS RELEASE | 3 | 47 | 15 | Key ministers involved with the Government of Afghanistan’s Counter Narcotics Campaign are due to arrive tomorrow (Thursday, 20th October) in Lashkargah, capital of southern Helmand Province, to discuss the campaign with the Province’s Governor and senior provincial officials.
The ministerial delegation to Helmand will be led by the Afghan Minister of Counter Narcotics, Habibullah Qaderi, and will include other Cabinet Ministers and the Deputy Minister of Interior for Counter Narcotics.
According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the total area of poppy cultivation in Afghanistan decreased in 2005 by 21 percent compared to 2004. Helmand Province decreased its area of opium poppy cultivation by 10 percent, but its overall area of cultivation was twice as large as any other single province in the country, contributing as much a quarter of the total area under cultivation.
The Minister of Counter Narcotics, Habibullah Qaderi, reiterates that “the Government of Afghanistan is looking for full cooperation from provincial governors this year in all its efforts to combat the cultivation of opium poppy. This includes cooperation especially in the forthcoming poppy eradication campaign.â€
“As Helmand Province grew twice as much as any other province last year, I appeal to the provincial authorities and farmers of Helmand to stop growing opium poppy altogether this year,†says Mr Qaderi.
Tomorrow’s meeting in Helmand follows a meeting between Afghan Government Ministers and the Province’s Governor and senior provincial leaders in Kabul six weeks ago. Similar meetings have been held in the provincial capitals of Kandahar, Nangarhar, Farah and Balkh over the past month. Earlier meetings were held in Kabul with leaders of the ten main poppy growing provinces. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T18:04:16" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
57 | 403 | JEMB Condemns Attack on Staff Member | "2005-08-18" | JEMB Kabul | 5 | 223 | PRESS RELEASE | 0 | 47 | 15 | Last night a Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) staff member, Mr Gul Ahmad Nazari,, was attacked in his home in Herat. During the attack Mr Nazari received serious injuries and is currently receiving medical attention.
“While the motive behind this deplorable attack does not appear to be related to the vital work Mr Nazari was doing for the forthcoming elections, we condemn all violence against honest people working to rebuild Afghanistan and set it on the path to peace and stability,†said Bissmillah Bissmil, the Chairman of the JEMB.
Mr. Gul Ahmad Nazari, a National Regional Election Co-ordinator for the JEMB, was victim of a burglary in which he was stabbed during the night of 17 to 18 August 2005. Mr Nazari is a well respected, leading member of the community and is responsible for overseeing the process leading up to the forthcoming Parliamentary and Provincial Council Elections in the Herat region. There is no evidence that this was a politically motivated act and initial reports suggest criminal elements are at fault. Mr Nazari is currently in the care of the medical team of the Spanish contingent of ISAF’s Forward Support Base and is being transported to Kabul this afternoon for further treatment.
The JEMB expresses its deep gratitude to Spain for their generous help, in particular at a time when they have suffered such a terrible loss with the accident two days ago that claimed the lives of 17 Spanish servicemen. | 1 | 1 | "2006-07-30T18:07:41" | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
66 | 311 | Parliament disciplines the government | "2006-08-02" | Fathullahzada | 19 | 3 | Translated by Hamid Stanikzai | 3 | 7 | 3 | Yunis Qanuni, the president of the parliament, closed the parliament in order to punish the government. Qanoni said in an interview to a number of reporters that the parliament was to discuss the statements of three of the new ministers and within 48 hours the biographies of the new ministers would be distributed to the parliament members. […]
He added that of course problems exist in the government and are notable but today a decision has been made to shut the parliament off in order to punish the government.
Regarding the agenda for the next day’s session, Qanoni said that tomorrow a session would not be established to debate the vote of confidence to the new ministers but instead the parliament will debate provincial councils’ regulations which are included in the current month’s agenda. Such a decision was made, he said, in order to accelerate work processes and to avoid wasting time.
In a response to these actions of the parliament, the government representative in parliamentary affairs said that there was still no agreement on assigning the ministers to parliament at a specified time. This was before he announced the names of the five ministers, while reporters were present.
He added that, today half an hour before the parliament session began, the president spoke to the parliament president on the phone and declared that today the finalised list would be sent to the parliament but the president of the parliament closed it after his arrival to the parliament.
The reason for this is not clear to us; the government’s finances and its conservative policies have been continually criticised by the public, researchers and the press. It is thought that certain opportunities have been lost due to such conservative policies and that most of the work that could have been accomplished with a small budget in appropriate conditions is now too difficult to accomplish.
If the president could have made more compromises then Afghanistan would now have a united, expert and experienced cabinet, or at least certain policies, principles and integrated programs of rehabilitation and development. […]
Unfortunately, the government still prefers to compromise its priorities and needs seeking instead to keep certain political circles satisfied. […] | 1 | 1 | "2006-08-03T14:07:52" | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||
67 | 311 | The women of Bamyan need to learn about economic sustainability | "2006-08-02" | 19 | 403 | By inaugurating a training project for the Bamyan women development centre, the women of the province will learn necessary skills in the field of economy. | Translated by: Hamid Stanikzai | 2 | 7 | 3 | In the inauguration ceremonies for a project that took place in the women affairs department of Bamyan province yesterday, Dr. Sakhi, director of Afghanistan’s child and mother-care institute, told a Rah-e Nejaat reporter that, “today we are witnessing the beginning of a four-part project that will take a year to be accomplished. The project contains four training courses: generating electricity using sun-light, cookery, cake-baking and make up.â€
Dr. Sakhi said that the establishment of such courses was very effective in enhancing the capacity of women and added that, “when such skills are learnt, the women can improve the financial situation of other families as well as their own.â€
Dr. Sakhi declared that there was a course of embroidery, adding that this initiative was started with a view to opening a market in Kabul and Bamyan for the handicrafts of Afghan women, in order to stimulate economic activities.
It is to be noted here that the project is financed by the Japanese International Administration to a budget of $10,000 USD; more than 40 women are taking part in the project’s different courses. | 1 | 1 | "2006-08-03T15:31:33" | 0 | 0 | 5 | ||||||
61 | 2 | Who is responsible for the Taliban killing our compatriots in ruthless homicide? | "2006-07-19" | Ghulam Mohammad Mohammadi | 21 | 204 | translated by Hashmatullah | 0 | 7 | 0 | In the last months of Taliban sovereignty, in some regions of our country the colonial and continual efforts were briefed to verify that the Taliban were divided into two groups – one moderate and one more conservative. Like that our people and the international community remarked that. All endeavours, goals and facilities had used on this design that must be omposed on primary, international elected administ nation which had been done. The people which their hands were infected with the blood of innocent people they are proud on their operation based on annihilation of cultural and era urbanity of Afghanistan right now. And best their like interior, defence ministries, government administration, parliament and the hound of president had reserved to them, and somatic facilities exposed to the disposal of them and gave the disposal to decide on advisable through tribal and ethnic solidarities to release the convict people from prison and the I.D. cards had presented by two hands for them.
National peace consolidate had formed with immense money and bill but used for rescuing of Taliban we must ask the rotationers of Taliban scenario right now that which kind at draft they have without acceptance of Mullah Omar inspection. These people were you that had been propelled the DDR process by advisable at Pakistan, USA and coalition forces toward secure and comfort places in spite of Taliban regions. You gave the opportunity to main hostile to reiterate the force. Right now you don’t have any response for culture killing, the burning of schools, the killing of clerics, the problem of mines, suicide-bombers and the last explosion of bereaved officers in spite of acceptance.
Who is responsible for these crimes? Who pondered rong? The oppressed people of Afghanistan on Karzai government and international community? Those which their blood poured on avenues and separated or fraged cannot revive which had been done by the censuring of criminal deeds under the title of peoples hostile.
The state is responsible for people’s safety, which must in turn plead from the goals and body of people. Why they reprised the community supin? Why they caval on anti ballot cars? And why their families live in secure and safe places? And why they haven’t measured in prosecution of the enemy? Which Kabul will change to second Baghdad. And overall they content on censuring of hostile deeds. Can the censuring of hostile ward your responsibilities? This is the time to make sure the people because the ruches are getting nine in latest days. And government leaders haven’t the courage to express the truth as well. Asking from the government is the right of the people. Because people gave the disposals to governors to solve the key problems of society and supply justice. If the government remains like this and people will infect to blood with hungry abdomen and bar feet on avenues, people will not pondere the government from themselves. Five explosion claimed the kill of 2 persons and 49 injuries while the chief of national compromise commission. Mohammad Akram declared that 59 Afghan which depend on Al-Qaeda will be realeased from Guantanamo prison and that shows that we are strengthening our people neglectfully and oppressing our oppressed people. | 0 | 0 | "2006-08-02T13:49:00" | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||||||
62 | 2 | Stability and security pave the way for reconstruction and development | "2006-07-19" | 21 | 223 | translated bY Hashmatullah | 4 | 7 | 8 | We have always emphasized – in truth – that war and insecurity in our country has foreign aspects and that as long as this isn’t dealt with, our problems will continue.
The consequence of these interferences, especially those of ISI, is that a quarter of a decade of imposed war has badly damaged the material and intellectual fortunes of our people. But the compensation of these losses is that Afghanistan must achieve confident and nationwide security and stability.
After the defeat of the Taliban and the reintegration of temporary administration which had a wide-ranging support-base from the public and the international community. With the arrival of the international coalition force led by the US and likewise the equipped NATO force and our young national army, it was expected that our country would be safe from foreign interference but unfortunately the black guard interferes again, revived in a new and expanded form.
Every day, we hear about the serious operations of terrorists throughout in our country. The peaceful and humanitarian people of our country expected from Pakistan, as our pious neighbour and member of a coalition against terrorism, to loyally and honestly make true on their pledges not to put the peoples of Pakistan and Afghanistan back into danger. To obtain peace in our country a loyal peace without any deception should be put into place.
But unfortunately one can see that still our southern, south-western, south eastern and eastern borders suffer from the interference of foreigners. On a daily basis terrorists cross over the border and create anarchy in a secure and stable sphere of our country. The renewed operation of Afghan, ISAF and NATO forces has recently taken place on the borders, but still there are suicide attacks, destruction and murder in our country.
Of course it is needless to say that times of peace and stability can pave the way for reconstruction, development and improvement […].
This all depends, however, on Pakistan to loyally render its pledges as a member of a coalition force in charge of fighting terrorism at this moment in time. | 1 | 1 | "2006-08-02T13:52:58" | 0 | 0 | 3 | |||||||
63 | 2 | Do we really have a weak administration? | "2006-07-19" | 21 | 1 | translated by Hashmatullah | 4 | 7 | 8 | Recently, the main theme of most reliable internal and foreign press articles has been the weakness of the Afghan administration and the anarchy and insecurity in Afghanistan. They thought that one of the surest reasons for these problems was the incapability of the Afghan government. They said that the people are tired of war and that with the creation of the first government, they were looking to the future. The pledges of aid from the international community for these poor people of Afghanistan, who have endured many decades of devastation, war and anarchy, got them thinking a lot and built up their expectations day by day.
Since the creation of the temporary administration and government up till now, a billion US dollars has been donated and committed to Afghanistan which increases the expectations of people further.
By now immense amounts of money has been spent and still people don’t perceive any changes to their life which increases their desperation. We can say in all truth that the temporary government was more loved than the interim and democratically elected government. We should consider the weakness of the government as represented by the expansion of insecurity, administrative corruption, the growth in the cultivation and trafficking of narcotics, the appropriation of a billion dollars and the weak process of rehabilitation.
In spite of this insecurity, the resurgence of the Taliban as a force is on account of other things as well, such as foreign interference, the utilisation of narcotics money, administrative corruption and idleness; this debilitation of the government must not be taken easily.
Returns of absent political forces always carry the belief that the government acted weakly […]. This caused them to invigorate and enlarge their internal and foreign facilities and appear on the scene again. […]
It depends on the government to take serious measures based on basic changes to reform itself. On the one hand it should attract the support of the people by taking important decisions, and on the other hand it must bring real changes to people’s lives. We must not forget that this process which is ongoing in our country. […] | 1 | 1 | "2006-08-02T13:55:39" | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||
64 | 2 | Karzai to form religious police in Afghanistan | "2006-07-19" | Mirwais Alham | 21 | 1 | translated by Hashmatullah | 3 | 7 | 3 | President Karzai accepted the offer of clerics to rebuild the religious police in Afghanistan. Afghan officials stated that, “Karzai accepted the offer of reforming the religious police after an offer was made by the Ulema’a council.†This is based on reports of ministry officials. Fazul Hadi Shinwari, head of the Supreme Court, Neamatullah Shahrani, minister for the Hajj and Religious Affairs, and Mohammad Qasim Dosti, candidate for membership for the supreme justice council of country, were appointed to form the religious police. The religious police will revive the name it used during the Taliban’s regime.
[…] Issues of clothing, beards and hair dimensions as well as people’s behaviour were strictly controlled under the Taliban.
Maybe there will be no differences to the religious police from the Taliban period. Mohammad Sharif Rabati, head public relations at the ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs said that, “the religious police under the leadership of the new administration of Afghanistan will soon be revived and maybe it will be no different from the religious police of the Taliban rule.†Based on reports of Afghan officials, “the new organisation of the religious police will use different means to broadcast and preach their faith.â€
<B>Reversion to Taliban rules:</B>
Among the members of the Afghan parliament there are differing views on the creation of the new religious police. Some of them see the revivial of the religious police as a reversion to Taliban times. But others are of the view that if they are to eliminate administrative corruption from their infrastructure then the revival of the religious police is a necessary one.
Mir Ahmad, a member of parliament for Kabul, believes that the creation of such a police force is not necessary for a country like Afghanistan which already has a constitution based on the Islamic faith. Mr Joyenda stated that, “the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs must solve the problems of administrative corruption with the ministry itself.â€
<B>Optimism:</B>
Meanwhile optimism is prevalent among the people who believe that the religious police will be useful in removing corruption and bribery from their country, and will not follow the harsh behaviour of the religious police from the Taliban period. Shokra Karakzai said that , “if the new religious police don’t follow the rules from the Taliban regime and if fighting corruption is the focus of its work, then there is no problem with its revival.â€
But the Ulema’a council of Afghanistan have up until now emphasised the role of an independent media in broadcasting women’s dancing and singing, controlling women’s clothing and questions relating to the use of alcohol.
<B>Religious police:</B>
The religious police administration was founded during the early 1990s during the time of the Mujahideen government in Afghanistan. This administration was turned into a ministry during the Taliban regime. […]
The end of the Taliban regime saw the dissolution of this ministry also, and a religious police force was never created before.
[…] | 1 | 1 | "2006-12-05T00:35:49" | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||
65 | 232 | An Afghan Railway | "2006-07-31" | Hamid Reza | 5 | 106 | translated by Atif | 4 | 7 | 3 | On Saturday, April 7th, Ahmad Zia, the vice-President of Afghanistan and Ali Sayyed, the vice-President of Iran, announced the beginning of work on a 191km railway project in Herat.
The official announcement from Iran was that, "it is the first time that Afghanistan will build a railway. The railway will connect Afghanistan with Iran, Europe and Turkey up to the Persian Gulf.â€
Afghanistan is one of the few countries of the world that doesn't have a railway.
The railway project of Herat will transport both freight goods as well as passengers. Also it will carry goods between Afghanistan, Iran and the Persian Gulf.
Arena reported that 77 kilometres of the 191 kilometres of railway are located within Iran and will be paid for by Iran. 61 kilometres will be paid for by developed countries who help with the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Iran will spend $30 million on the construction of the Herat line and it will continue up to Maymana district in Faryab province. It was added that Herat will now be connected with 8 other countries to the west.
The 122km of railway to Tor Kham will be a vital link between Iran and Afghanistan which will be constructed at a cost of $60 million. Iran announced this $60 million in Tokyo, Japan, for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. | 1 | 1 | "2006-08-02T15:04:14" | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||||||
68 | 311 | "We will try to solve the problems of prisoners and prisons" | "2006-08-02" | 19 | 1 | Translated by: Hamid Stanikzai | 2 | 7 | 3 | Sarwar Danish, Minister of Justice, said today in the hall of the Setara hotel: “We will endeavor to solve the problems of prisoners and prisonsâ€.
Sarwar Danish, who was speaking in the second congressional session about Afghanistan’s prisons, added that: “prisoners have problems in our country’s prisons and the greatest of these concerns is what takes place inside the actual prisons.â€
He spoke of future plans to grant rights to prisoners, to offer professional education and to eliminate corruption from inside prisons. He also noted that, according to reports shown to the justice ministries, crimes were taking place inside prisons such as drug dealing, corruption and bribery, and that prison authorities should control and prevent such actions.
Danish also said that the prison authorities should have full information about the prisoners. […]
Lieutenant General Abdul Salam, the general director of prisons said: “whenever a prisoner escapes, the directors of that prison should be punished, for the escape must have had the approval of these directors, however tacit.†| 1 | 1 | "2006-08-03T15:37:03" | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||
69 | 192 | Bad effects of war cause mental disorders | "2006-07-15" | Azim Resalat | 19 | 201 | Translate by: Hamid Stanikzai | 5 | 7 | 1 | The residents of Wardak province face medical problems. They say that when any member of their family is ill they cannot take them to a hospital in a short space of time. The reasons for this are that hospitals are located in remote areas, and the road leading to these hospitals is in poor condition.
Fazel Rahman of Tar Mohammad in Band-e Chak district, who brought his sick mother to the district hospital for treatment said: “there is no clinic or hospital in our district which is able to treat all types of diseases. There is one hospital in the district but it does not have professional doctors for childbirth or any surgeons.â€
He added, “we have to take our patients to Kabul or Ghazni for treatment and the cost of this is considerable, and due to the bad road conditions, the patient might not arrive at the hospital in enough time, and even when they reach the hospital their condition could have deteriorated.â€
Another resident of Day Mirdad district, Shah Mahmood, also complained of remote hospitals and bad road conditions. He said that, “aside from these problems, if you take a patient to hospital and you don’t know any of the staff members you will not be given the chance to see a doctor quickly and you will have to wait for hours, and after the patient is finally examined, the necessary drugs are not available at the hospital.â€
Mirza Gul, a resident of Onkhi (Saydabad district), criticized the doctors, saying that, “I have visited the local clinic and the district hospital nearly a hundred times but they have not diagnosed what I am suffering from. I do not know what is wrong with me! Are the doctors not capable of diagnosing my illness or is something else the matter!†He added that the doctors in his hospital are not professional and uncommitted to their jobs.
Dr. Ghulam Farooq Mukhlis Wardaki, the director of the provincial health department, said the following, “clinics and hospitals have been constructed without taking into account population density in certain areas, there are also not enough clinics and hospitals compared to the population – this is the main reason for the existing problems.â€
He added, “we are now taking into account the exact statistics of population so that in the next five years we can build clinics and hospitals in those areas where they are most needed.â€
The provincial health director highlighted low salaries as the main reason behind the decline of professional doctors working in hospitals adding that, “the Band-e Chak hospital is one such hospital that lacks surgeons; we are endeavoring to appoint professional doctors in this ward in order to put an end to this particular problemâ€.
Dr. Mukhlis did not accept the claim that there was a lack of drugs in the hospitals; he said that drugs are distributed to people without any charge and that Band-e Chak is the only hospital that distributes drugs at a low cost because it is financed by a local NGO.
He also rejected claims about preferential treatment of certain patients and said that in hospitals, health workers never do this. Instead he claimed that hospitals are crowded and people must wait their turn to see a doctor. | 1 | 1 | "2006-08-06T10:37:58" | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||||||
70 | 192 | Bad effects of war caused mental disorder | null | Azim Resalat | 19 | 0 | Translated by: Hamid Stanikzai | 0 | 7 | 0 | The signs show that most of Afghans suffering mental diseases are due to war effects, but developments and changes have eased the treatment of such diseases in spite of the fact that there has been continuing lack of profesional facilities and medical equipments, but there have been improvement regarding mental disease in the country.
Alhaj M. Nader Alemi, the director of the mental and nerves hospital in Mazar-e Sharif and also the translator of two books about mental disorders says: “now, 20-30 percent of Afghans suffer mental problems and 40-50 percent suffer mental anguish. He releases the statistics according to his private hospital, clinics and the NGOs involved working in this regard. Dr. Nader Alemi says that, the number of the nerve and mental patients treated have been reduced since two years. Adding that, that improvement in economy and political situation in the country are causes for the reduction in these diseases. Before this the peoples did not live in peace and tranquility and were in bad mental condition due to the war effects. During the Taliban, the economical condition of the people was bad as well as poor security. The people thought that they were rather in prison than in their country and most of the youth were worrying that they may be faced with Amr-e belmaroof units of Taliban whom they had an extreme interpretation of Islam.
The environment of Alemi’s hospital looked clean but the main problem is that this is the only hospital in the Northern provinces not adequate for the patients. Why? This is a ten bed private hospital and there is a large number of visitors. Some of the visitors think the hospital for mental diseases as a great access but they mention the main challenges that the hospital is faced with as the loss of medicine prescribed for the patients, the fee that patients are obliged to pay is relatively high and lack of nurses. Most of the patients have been caused by means of joblessness, poverty, family and personal problems, political pressure, long lasting fighting, losing of the relatives and some of them are geneogically.
Aeed Mohammad who accompanied his sick brother to the hospital said: my brother 30, is mostly quiet and isolated and is not interested to speak, he thinks the children of his enemies and he is disturbed by them, I have brought him to be recovered.
This hospital has sections for medical treatment, clinical consultation and electronical treatment. Drug users, patients who experience depression and worry, those who have attempted to commit suicide and who hear divine (mysterious) and other types of voices and are hopleless are brought for treatment to this hospital.
There are certain people who refers to religious means and believes for treatment of such kind of diseases, they believe that pucks have caused their disease and that they will not be recovered by medical treatment, but they can exercise the puck and jinn from their body when taken to the doors of clergy and religious people.
But Dr. Nader Alemi terms such believe to be traditional and add that most of the patients have been caused by means of joblessness, poverty, family and personal problems, political pressure, long lasting fighting, losing of the relatives and some of them are geneogically that can progress sometime later.
Nadir Alemi believes that all the kinds of mental diseases can be treated and the number of such type of patients have reduced since last two years.
| 0 | 0 | "2006-08-06T10:42:40" | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Afghanwire Dataset Description
- Homepage: https://huggingface.co/datasets/strickvl/afghanwire
- Repository: N/A
- Paper: N/A
- Point of Contact: Alex Strick van Linschoten (@strickvl)
Dataset Summary
The Afghanwire dataset is a comprehensive collection of translated Afghan media articles from the period of May 2006 to September 2009. It was created by the Afghanwire media agency, founded by Alex Strick van Linschoten and Felix Kuehn. The agency employed a group of Afghan translators who translated articles from Dari and Pashto media sources into English. The dataset includes translated newspaper and magazine articles, as well as summaries of radio and television content. As most of the original media from this period is no longer available online, and certainly not in English, this dataset represents the largest publicly available trove of translated Afghan media for the 2006-2009 period.
The primary purpose of making this dataset available is to serve as a historical artifact. However, it also presents opportunities for various Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks, such as Named Entity Recognition (NER) for entities that may be underrepresented in standard or smaller models, and potentially sentiment analysis. It is important to note that the dataset is unlabeled and consists solely of translated articles.
Supported Tasks and Leaderboards
There are a variety of potential tasks that could be done on this dataset, including text classification, zero-shot classification, summarization, and feature extraction. There are no leaderboards for this dataset.
Languages
The dataset is only in English, but the original source articles were in Dari and Pashto.
Dataset Structure
Data Instances
Here's a JSON example from the main "articles" table:
{
"id": "97",
"paper": "142",
"title": "Some parliament members left session yesterday",
"date": "2006-08-13T00:00:00.000Z",
"author": "-",
"translator": "19",
"topic": "0",
"abstract": "Translated by: H. Stanikzai",
"comment": "",
"rating": "0",
"language": "32",
"type": "0",
"article": "Bakhtar, in yesterday session of the parliament, the president of the parliament termed the activities and sessions of the previous week as to be effective, and as an objection on constitutional decree on prisons and confinements the session members left the parliament. The members who left the parliament are mostly from northern Afghanistan and they objected the policies of the government of Afghanistan, they have threatened not participate in the parliament session until the government has changed its policies. The parliament members claims that they are witness for the insecurity in the country, to return the rights and privileges of the military, an in impropriate policy of the government regarding the appointment of cadres the failed reforms in the ministries, bribery in government offices and administrative corruption, the unfair composition the diplomatic representative and the lack of cadre in the central and as well as local government offices. But some other parliament members criticized the action of the members who left the parliament and said that their objection was unlawful and is against the principals of the inner tasks of the parliament.",
"ok": "0",
"no_newsletter": "0",
"eingegeben": 1155479462000,
"newsletter": "0",
"free": "0",
"url": "",
"top_topic": "0",
"words": "",
"translatorcomment": "",
"datetranslation": "",
"scan": ""
}
The dataset consists of several supporting tables that are referenced in the main "articles" table, such as papers, article_tags, bib_books, cities, current_events, ethnics, glossary, historical_events, issue, languages, organisations, people, provinces, region_tree, renderbackgrounder, top_topcs, topic, and types.
The dataset as a whole consists of 7990 articles that were translated during the period Afghanwire was open as an organisation.
Data Fields
id- basic id for the articlepaper- id/number for a paper mentioned in papers.parquettitle- article titledateauthor(if present)translator(who translated the article)topic(associated with topic table)abstract(sometimes mentions the translator)comment(sometimes also mentions the translator)rating(not always used. was a measure for interest level)language(associated with the separate table)type(associated with the article types table)article- the full translationok- whether the translation has been editedno_newsletter- a metatag to represent whether the article should be sent out as part of our newsletter or noteingegeben- a unix timestamp for when the article was uploaded to the databasenewsletter- whether to include the article in our newsletterfree- whether to make the article available for free or noturl- if availabletop_topic- what high-level topic the article was associated withwords- word count (not always present)translatorcomment- not always presentdatetranslation- not always presentscan- whether there's a scan for the article or not
Data Splits
There are no predefined splits. The dataset is provided as a single large collection.
Dataset Creation
Curation Rationale
The creator of this dataset, Alex Strick van Linschoten, had the database files stored on his hard drive for an extended period. By making this data publicly available, he aims to ensure that it can be utilized by others. The media articles were translated by Afghan translators and represent a snapshot of Afghanistan's media discourse during the 2006-2009 period. As the translations were privately funded and are likely unique, with no other copies existing elsewhere, this dataset is expected to be an extremely valuable resource for scholars and historians.
Source Data
The source data was collected by ordering newspapers and magazines from around Afghanistan to the Afghanwire office on a daily basis. The agency also monitored radio stations. The translators selected articles that they and the agency deemed representative and interesting for readers, and then translated them into English.
It is worth noting that the data was originally used to populate a website and newsletter at afghanwire.com. However, the website is no longer active, and the files only existed in an old MySQL database on the creator's laptop. While the website is partially available on the Internet Archive (snapshot from February 2009), most of the articles were behind a login page, which does not function with the archive snapshots. This dataset aims to make the translated articles accessible to the public.
Annotations
This dataset does not contain any annotations aside from some manual topic classification.
Personal and Sensitive Information
The dataset does not contain any personally identifiable information (PII). All content is sourced from public media outlets and has been translated.
Considerations for Using the Data
Social Impact of Dataset
This dataset is valuable for historians and researchers as it provides insights into the debates and discussions within Afghan society during the 2006-2009 period. It challenges the notion of uniformity in opinions on various issues, such as attitudes towards the Taliban, the Afghan government, and ISAF/NATO forces. By foregrounding Afghan civil society in the discussion of Afghan history, this dataset plays an important role in shifting the focus from foreign powers and military forces to the voices of the Afghan people, which are often overlooked.
The dataset contains information about events, tribes, and ethnic groups from across Afghanistan, including articles about Dai Kundi province, which might have otherwise been lost. Although the Afghanwire office was based in Kabul, efforts were made to obtain newspapers and magazines from the provinces to ensure a representative collection. However, it is acknowledged that there may be a slight bias towards the capital due to the office's location.
Discussion of Biases
The creators of this dataset made a concerted effort to avoid biases in both the selection of articles and the translation process. However, as with any dataset, the potential for biases cannot be entirely eliminated.
Other Known Limitations
Apart from the possibility of a slight overrepresentation of media from Kabul compared to other provinces, there are no other known limitations to this dataset.
Additional Information
Dataset Curators
The dataset was curated by the Afghanwire organization. The translators, Hamid Stanikzai, Atif Mohammadzai, Abdul Hassib Rahimi, and Hamid Safi, selected the articles to be translated and deserve full credit for their work.
Licensing Information
This dataset is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license. For more information, see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
Citation Information
If you use this dataset in your research or project, please cite it as follows:
@misc{afghanwire_2024,
author = {Afghanwire},
title = {Afghanwire Media Database 2006-2009},
year = {2024},
month = {April},
day = {1},
url = {https://huggingface.co/datasets/strickvl/afghanwire}
}
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