Afghan Warlords

PART II.

Afghanistan has become one of the biggest opium producing country in the world due to the negative effects of warlords in the country. Their presence in law enforcement forces had caused the smugglers strength their activities. The judicial sectors are very weak and are unable to justify and control the smuggling, production and cultivation of opiates cases. Young Afghans have become drug addicts due to miserable and full of adversities lives outside the country as refugees.

Many of Afghan teenagers are still in militia groups and are left behind, uneducated which has affected the county in a very negative way. The ancient country literacy rate is much lower. CIA Fact Book has the estimation until 2003. “28.1% of total population (male: 43.1%, female: 12.6%.” (CIA’s world fact book).

Insecurity in urban areas has become a big problem for the civilians to live peacefully as well as for the International Community to work properly who are helping in reconstruction and development of Afghanistan. People are unable to live according to their will.

Corruption is on the highest range in government offices because of the presence of warlords. This has made the central government weakest and feeble and at the result it does not has control over the provinces and remote areas. Local armed commanders are still taking money from people as tax and tribute. Rape, robbing, killing, kidnapping, and keeping ordinary people in illegal prisons are common in Afghanistan rural areas.

There is no freedom of speech and none of the publications can publish something against warlords or their activities. Many journalists have been killed for publishing the truth. Reporters without Borders stated in its press release that “Press freedom is one of the few achievements of the five years since the fall of the Taliban regime. But it remains fragile as journalists feel the effects of deteriorating security, threats from warlords, conservative religious leaders and an increasingly hard-pressed government.”

Human Right Watch quoted Brad Adams, Executive Director of Asia Division of Human Rights Watch that, "Human rights abuses in Afghanistan are being committed by gunmen and warlords who were propelled into power by the United States and its coalition partners after the Taliban fell in 2001. These men and others have essentially hijacked the country outside of Kabul.”

All the groups that are not under control of the central government must be disarmed. The warlords and precious commanders who disagree with the central government policies must be arrested and be sent through court procedures. U.S. coalition forces should stop directly or indirectly supporting the local warlords and try to create a sustainable and strong central command system. Other countries should be stopped from being involved in the negative activities of warlords such as, cross-border smuggling and drug trade which has resulted in weakening the U.S. strategy for reconstruction, security and reconciliation among the government and local commanders in Afghanistan.



References:

The Free Encyclopedia, Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mujahideen
World Fact Book, CIA:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/af.html
Reporters without Borders: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=20759&Valider=OK
Human Rights Watch: http://www.hrw.org/press/2003/07/afghan072903.htm
Human Rights Watch: http://www.hrw.org/press/2003/07/afghan072903.htm
Farda Online Magazine: http://www.farda.org/


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