Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Bamiyan Provice, Afghanistan: something goes right

  1. #1
    Council Member davidbfpo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    13,366

    Default Bamiyan Provice, Afghanistan: something goes right

    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-n...ing-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.
    davidbfpo

  2. #2
    Council Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    1,457

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by davidbfpo View Post
    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.
    Supporting "time-limited, scope limited military actions" for 20 years.

  3. #3
    Council Member
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Swansea, Wales, UK.
    Posts
    104

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Entropy View Post
    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.

  4. #4
    Council Member davidbfpo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    13,366

    Default No, not Bamiyan

    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.
    davidbfpo

  5. #5
    Council Member
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Swansea, Wales, UK.
    Posts
    104

    Default

    Yeah, there's no excuse for my laziness on that front. I do recall something involving Bamiyan but is escapes me.

Similar Threads

  1. Defending Hamdan
    By jmm99 in forum Law Enforcement
    Replies: 35
    Last Post: 05-22-2011, 06:36 AM
  2. NATO's Afghanistan Challenge
    By Ray in forum OEF - Afghanistan
    Replies: 74
    Last Post: 05-13-2011, 04:11 AM
  3. Afghanistan: A Silk Road Strategy
    By gbramlet in forum Blog Watch
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 03-15-2011, 06:17 AM
  4. Agricultural Component of the Afghanistan Surge?
    By Surferbeetle in forum OEF - Afghanistan
    Replies: 72
    Last Post: 01-20-2011, 04:33 PM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •