Afghanistan Times
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As the U.S. and NATO forces are exiting Afghanistan, the Afghans expect the peace negotiations to reach an early conclusion that will end the bloodshed and relentless violence. But, the expectations remained cold as the Afghan security forces and Taliban have been trying to step up pressure on each other, with escalating offensives countrywide. Either, the intention and support of the international community’s to the Afghan peace faded away after the government and Taliban appeared reluctant to pay real efforts for reconciliation of our country. An Afghan peace delegation left Kabul for Doha capital of Qatar to resume the dead peace negotiations in a bid to reach a breakthrough on Afghan peace. The delegation made the visit hours after a car bombing on a police headquarter of a district in the northern province of Baghlan inflicted heavy casualties on security forces. Similar visits had been made to Qatar but didn’t conclude any result. Although, the two sides once reached an agreement on the agenda of the intra-Afghan negotiations, the talks remained stalled with two sides pointing fingers on each other. Unfortunately, both conflict sides seem to be devoid of intention for peace and reconciliation in the country. What give a big hand now for the Taliban to insist on continuation of violence is the Afghan government’s fragile policy that lost the leverage of both “peace and war”. The U.S. with the initiative of the Afghan peace process sidelined the government in negotiation with the Taliban because it feared of possible obstacles that the Kabul administration might had created against the process. The way of U.S. conducting negotiations with the insurgents scourged the government that also made it not to offer serious steps for peace. However, the government should have considered it a great opportunity for peace and stability and should have not made critical actions against the peace process. In fact it should have already had preplans for peace and reconciliation with the Taliban. Instead, the administration of President Ashraf Ghani then focused on election that concluded a longtime dispute and brawl while our country was going through the historic peace process. The two warring Afghan parties tried to secure their own interest- and some circles even in the government looks to be trying to take advantage of the process for personal goals- but there is no sympathy to the nation from any of these sides. Now that the government once again is resuming the peace negotiations- while it is still not too late- despite the fact that we could end up this relentless violence and Afghan killings a bit longer time ago- the negotiating parties should focus on meaningful issues such as ceasefire and end of long-term war. If the sides have any offer, it should be met via negotiations, not through war. The Afghan government, as calls itself the defender of people, should consider some of the offer of the opposite side that is not affecting our national interests.
