Afghans seek US support after 2014

KABUL): Afghans from different localities asked the government and people of US to continue their help, even after withdrawal in 2014.

Some of the people want allied forces to stay in Afghanistan but others do not agree with reason that it would create problems and they must keep helping the country in economic sector after their withdrawal.

First phase of transition process started from central Bamyan province, extended to implement in central Panjsher province, Mehtarlam capital of Laghman province, Lashkargah capital of Helmand province, Mazar-i-Sharif capital of Balkh province, Herat city and all over Kabul province excluding eastern Sarubi district. It will be completed by 2014 with handing over of security of whole country to Afghans forces.

Mausawi, a beverage-seller at southern gate of Rawza in Mazar-e-Sharif City of Northern Balkh province told Pajhwok Afghan News, “Americans had come here to bring peace but they have not done anything so far.”

“We want the US to really help us as we want to live like the Americans and they should not cheat us,” he said.

Muhammad Sadeeq, a Taxi driver from Balkh province believes if US forces were here to help Afghans, they must bring peace to the country.

“We have no other expectation of the US as if there is peace in the country, everything will be changed automatically and then we will not need anything,” Sadeeq said.

Afghan and NATO forces had no public support which had resulted in civilian casualties mostly, said Muhammad Javed, a student of Madrasa in Kabul.

Most of the people were not happy with lack of coordination between Afghan government and allied forces which caused problems for locals, such as night raids and killing of innocent women and children in air strikes, he said.

Javed asked the American people to put pressure on their government to provide them logical reason of killing those Afghans.

Sayed Ismail Sadat, a carpet seller in Mazar-i-Shairf said, “I support US for helping Afghans but in fact their presence have made so many problems for us.”

Allied forces must left Afghanistan by 2014 but at the time, they must guarantee their support afterward, he demanded and added, “Progress is impossible until all Afghans united and work hard for the country.”

“Afghans will rely on foreign military aid till the presence of foreign forces and they will not work for progress of the country,” he feared.

Gul Rahman from Nau Abad village of Chardara district of Kunduz province said presence of foreign forces had both good and bad implications. They were good as they had constructed village schools and bridges, while they were bad because they had arrested so many innocent people and put them behind the bars and they blocked roads for several hours, he said.

If foreign forces were here to help them then they must respect Afghan law and they should not behave like our bosses, he added.

Nisar Ahmad resident of Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province said they need international community help as Afghanistan had suffered three decades of wars and most of the people were illiterate.

If the alliance really wanted to help them, it must support economic growth of the country, he said.

However some people like Haji Hakeem Salim, head of Khan Abad district council of Kunduz province think different. “Americans and other foreigners’ presence have a bad impact overall as they have constructed schools and roads but at the same time they have killed many innocent people too which is not acceptable to Afghans,” Salim said.

According to him, foreign assistance had not brought any positive change in Afghanistan because most of the aid-money had been spent at their own services or gone to pockets of influential Afghans.

“If the coalition forces withdraw in these circumstances, we shall witness a civil war again,” Syed Hussain resident of Shiber district of central Bamyan province said.

He hoped Americans would cut root terrorism and led them to a peaceful future.

Sughra, resident of Bamyan city said there was no war in their area after US invasion while they were happy as their kids were going to schools.

“It is good to govern the country ourselves but I am scared that after foreign forces withdrawal, we shall start fighting each other again,” said Salman Ali another resident of Bamyan and added they hoped that US would not leave them alone and helped them to build Afghanistan with peace.

Afghan government had not enough resources, even to pay salaries of government employees, Ali said.

Abdul Raheem resident of Mahmood Raqi capital of Kapisa province said, “US has the responsibility to protect Afghanistan and they should not let someone to interfere in our country’s affairs.”

He criticized Pakistan and said they were sending suicide attackers for disturbance in Afghanistan.

Lal Gul Hafiz, a student of Al-Bironi University in Mahmood Raqi city of Kapisa province said Americans must put pressure on their government to support Afghans until peace was restored.

Meanwhile, International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF and economic growth sectors after withdrawal in 2014 and they would help Afghan security forces to train and equip them well.

Commenting on the transition process, President Hamid Karzai had said last year while addressing to Kabul Conference, transfer of security from ISAF to Afghan forces by 2014 was one the most important goal for his government.
In was decided in Lisbon Conference in 2010 by both Afghan government and NATO, to start transition process during first six months of that year and complete the process by the end of 2014.

The total number of foreign forces deployed in Afghanistan is 140,000 including 100,000 US forces. At the same time, number of Afghan security forces has reached 170,000 Afghan National Army (ANA) and 140,000 of Afghan National Police (ANP) which are planned to be arose by 400,000 jointly.

 

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