V-O-A correspondent Gary Thomas talked with Afghanistan's
new ambassador to the United States, and has this report.
Gary Thomas
Voice of America
10/15/2003
INTRO: In requesting new aid for Iraq, the Bush
administration also included assistance for Afghanistan. However,
Afghan officials say the amount is not enough to fund massive
reconstruction of the country. V-O-A correspondent Gary Thomas
talked with Afghanistan's new ambassador to the United States,
and has this report.
TEXT: Incoming Afghan Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad says Afghanistan
welcomes the prospect of new aid. But, in a telephone interview,
Mr. Jawad says the amount of new assistance is small, especially
when compared to what is being spent in Iraq.
// JAWAD ACT //
The amount of the assistance provided to Afghanistan is substantial.
Most of the assistance will continue to be used in building
of the infrastructure in Afghanistan, and also creating the
capacity in the (Afghan) administration to deliver services
throughout the country. This is a significant step and we are
hoping to get a larger portion of such assistance because the
amount allocated to Afghanistan compared to Iraq is much smaller.
And the needs in Afghanistan are as large as in other countries.
// END ACT //
Mr. Jawad points out that of the nearly 21 billion dollars in
reconstruction aid the Bush administration is asking Congress
to appropriate for Iraq and Afghanistan, Afghanistan is slated
to get one billion dollars.
Afghanistan is moving towards getting a freely elected government
and institutions in place. But outside of the capital, Kabul,
Afghanistan remains in the grip of regional warlords. On Saturday,
President Hamid Karzai promulgated a law on political parties
that bars any group with an armed militia from becoming a political
party. How such a law will be enforced remains unclear. But
Mr. Jawad says the armed groups can either disarm and enter
the political process, or keep their arms and stay out of politics.
// 2nd JAWAD ACT //
We are trying to build a civil society. This is the most basic
requirement. It is part of the demobilization, disarmament,
and reintegration. A portion of the armed forces or armed groups
will be disarmed and reintegrated into civil society. But, in
the long run the faction, the armed group, has the option to
become a national political party, or remain a faction with
arms.
// END ACT //
Afghanistan is also writing a new constitution. More than one-half
million questionnaires were sent out to seek Afghans' views
on a new charter. A Loya Jirga, or grand council, was to have
met this month to adopt a draft, but that has now been moved
to December. Mr. Jawad blames the delay on logistical rather
than political reasons.
There is a draft document, although it is still undergoing revision.
However, the ambassador says it is clear Afghans want a strong
central government with direct presidential elections - that
can provide them security.
The thorniest issue, however, remains the legal system. Conservatives
in overwhelmingly Muslim Afghanistan insist that Islamic law,
or Sharia, be made the country's legal code. But Mr. Jawad says
there is no widespread support to enshrine Sharia in the new
constitution as the country's sole legal code.
// 3rd JAWAD ACT //
The constitution will most probably see something like, "no
laws in Afghanistan can contradict the principles of Islam."
The constitution of Afghanistan will be a model constitution
that does respect the principles of Islam. But there is no demand
by the Afghan people to make the Sharia the only source of law
in Afghanistan.
// END ACT //
Under the Bonn Agreement that set up Afghanistan's post-Taleban
interim structure, elections are to be held in June. Mr. Jawad
says there may be some delay in that target because many measures,
such as institution of a new national identity card, are not
yet in place. However, he says if there is a delay, it will
only be a matter of months. (signed)
NEB/GPT/RH/KBK
