PDA

View Full Version : Bamiyan Provice, Afghanistan: something goes right



davidbfpo
11-22-2011, 12:18 PM
Worth posting a regular Italian visitor to Bamiyan Province writes an optimistic report:
The signs of improvement in Bamiyan province in Afghanistan's central highlands are evident in transport, agriculture and everyday livelihood, says Marco Niada. But the common root is good leadership that encourages education - especially that of women.

Now this is different, with my emphasis:
What is happening in Bamiyan proves that Afghanistan can be a success story, not least as this a remote province with almost 500,000 inhabitants receives from the central government only $50 million of transfers per year (Loghar province, with 20% fewer people, gets ten times more).

True, Bamiyan has benefited from the road projects that came with additional foreign financing. But for the rest, the poor Hazara minority persecuted under the Taliban has been left pretty much to its own meagre resources. In a background context of of stability and security, the secret of progress has been twofold: a myriad of small and medium projects well executed and financed by small NGOs and private donors, and a firm political will.

Bamiyan has been blessed with the presence of a woman governor, the only such in Afghanistan: Mrs Habiba Sorabi. Her honesty, competence and wise management has enabled miracles. She enjoys a high rate of approval and respect, in a country where normally women are locked at home or work in the fields.

Link:http://www.opendemocracy.net/marco-niada/afghanistan-something-goes-right

Note this is where a New Zealand PRT is posted. The majority of the population are Hazara and so no mention of Taliban activity.

Entropy
11-22-2011, 05:41 PM
The majority of the population are Hazara and so no mention of Taliban activity.

There's the reason things look (comparatively) good there. Afghanistan's insurgency is mostly Pashtun.

TDB
11-22-2011, 10:41 PM
There's the reason things look (comparatively) good there. Afghanistan's insurgency is mostly Pashtun.

Mostly, yet not entirely. While I don't know the exact size of the Pashtun population in Bamiyan there is no reason to suspect the Taliban is not present there. Or for that matter other groups. Just look at Kunduz, the province does have a sizavble population of Pashtuns which were infiltrated by Talibs. However, as I understand it anyway, the Uzbek population has also been riled up by Uzbek militants crossing over the border.

As I recall, wasn't Bamiyan the sight of the murder of a British aid worker and her collegues not so long ago.

While I agree with your point that the most fearce aspects of the insurgency are largely confined to the South and East of the country (including the capitol) I don't think we can dismiss Bamiyan.

It might well be worth looking into ISAF troop levels, ethnic and tribal relations in the area. Was the province victim to local strongmen after the invasion. How were tribal rivalries before and after. Furthermore, how good has local government been. All of these seemed to have been major factors in allowing the resurgence of the Taliban in the south, other than Pashtun nationalism.

davidbfpo
11-22-2011, 11:25 PM
TDB,

You asked:
As I recall, wasn't Bamiyan the sight of the murder of a British aid worker and her collegues not so long ago.

No, the aid worker, Linda Norgrove, was kidnapped in:
..in October 2010..in Dewagal valley, in eastern Kunar province

She was later killed in an rescue attempt.

In August 2010:
British doctor Karen Woo and nine other aid workers and translators were killed by gunmen, in the north-eastern province of Badakhshan

From:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11507313

I don't recall another UK aid worker being killed.

TDB
11-23-2011, 12:43 PM
Yeah, there's no excuse for my laziness on that front. I do recall something involving Bamiyan but is escapes me.