Khalilzad Renews Afghan Peace Push as US Reduces Troops

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Khalilzad

By Ayaz Gul
VOA News
October 30, 2020

ISLAMABAD – The U.S. peace envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation has resumed his diplomatic efforts to press warring Afghan parties to reduce battlefield hostilities and accelerate ongoing negotiations to reach a deal that ends the country’s nearly 20-year war.

Zalmay Khalilzad’s renewed push comes as President Donald Trump’s administration says it has brought down the U.S. military presence in the war-ravaged country to 4,500 troops.

Khalilzad returned this week to Doha, Qatar, where teams representing the Afghan government and the Taliban insurgency have been negotiating since September 12. They have not made headway because of lingering disputes over procedural matters.

A spokesman for the Taliban, Mohammad Naeem Wardak, said Thursday that their political leaders in Doha met with Khalilzad and his team the previous evening, and that the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, General Scott Miller, also attended.

On the agenda

Wardak said the two sides discussed “the importance and full implementation” of the peace agreement signed by the Taliban and the U.S. in February. Wardak added that the removal of names of top Taliban leaders from a U.N. so-called blacklist and alleged U.S. violations of the agreement also were discussed.

The U.S. side has so far not commented on the meeting.

The February 29 peace pact called for all American and NATO forces to leave Afghanistan by May 2021. In return, the insurgents are required to fight terrorism on Afghan soil and open peace talks with Kabul to negotiate a comprehensive cease-fire, as well as a political power-sharing deal.

White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said Wednesday that the peace agreement sealed after 19 years of war “we hope and expect” has put Afghans “on a path toward lasting peace.” He credited Trump’s working to end America’s longest war.

“We are ending the American involvement in Afghanistan. It does not take place overnight, but if you look at Afghanistan, where we had 15,000 troops, we are now down to 4,500 troops,” O’Brien said while delivering a public talk at Washington’s Hudson Institute.

“We are on a pathway to get our soldiers, sailors and Marines home after the tremendous sacrifices of blood and treasure that the country has made over the past 19 years,” he said.

While explaining a recent tweet by Trump that he wanted all American troops out of Afghanistan by Christmas, the national security adviser said that “as soon as conditions permit,” the president has pledged to live up to his commitment.

“He’s even tweeted recently like many other past presidents in times of war that he would like them home by Christmas, and whether we get them home by Christmas, or surely thereafter, American troops are coming home,” O’Brien emphasized.

Some skepticism

Critics are skeptical, however, about whether the intra-Afghan peace negotiations will produce any tangible outcomes soon or help reduce the deadly violence in Afghanistan.

Expressing his frustration over the rise in violence and the slow movement of the peace talks, Khalilzad criticized the Afghan rivals Tuesday for their “intransigence and a refusal to abandon animosity” in favor of a formula for political cooperation to end the war.

“I return to the region disappointed that despite commitments to lower violence, it has not happened. The window to achieve a political settlement will not stay open forever,” said Khalilzad. The Afghan-born diplomat urged both negotiating teams to “move past procedure and into substantive negotiations.”

The United Nations warned Tuesday that the Afghan peace process had failed to slow the number of civilian casualties in the conflict. It said nearly 6,500 Afghan civilians had been killed and wounded in the country since the start of 2020, although the figures represented a 30 percent drop compared with the same period last year.

Ancient Minaret in Herat City on Verge of Collapse

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Tolo News: An ancient minaret in the city of Herat is on the verge of destruction as less attention has been paid to its maintenance, local officials and residents said on Friday. The minaret is one of the five remaining minarets of former Musallah complex, each of them 55 meters tall. The complex initially had 20 minarets built by Queen Gawhar Shad in 1417. Click here to read more (external link).

66 New Cases of COVID-19, 1 Death Reported in Afghanistan

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Tolo News: The Ministry of Public Health on Friday reported 66 new positive cases of COVID-19 out of 169 samples tested in the last 24 hours. According to the Public Health Ministry’s data, the cumulative number of total cases is now 41,334, the number of total reported deaths is 1,533, and the total number of recoveries is 34,258.  Click here to read more (external link).

Top Afghan Movies and TV Shows Streaming Online

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James Dorian
October 30, 2020

What’s your idea of perfect relaxation? For most people, it means spending an evening with high-quality cinema and TV programs. Are you in the mood for Afghan production? 

The film industry in the country is growing, and the newly produced films show that progress. It’s nice to see themes that tackle current social and political upheavals. Afghan film-makers are part of a local tradition that’s worthy of being explored and celebrated. 

If you figured out how to download Netflix movies on Mac, you’ll be able to watch great shows and movies offline. Now, the big question is: what should you watch?

We created a diverse list of Afghan movies and TV shows that suit different tastes. They tell great stories, and they cover different eras of local cinema. All suggestions are available for online streaming, so it will be easy for you to watch them. 

Best Afghan Movies and TV Shows to Stream Online

  • Osama (2003)

It’s a story of a young girl, who has no other choice but to find work and support her family. As women are restricted from working, she decides to present herself as a boy. The plot is interesting; it will surely keep your attention. However, it’s a movie that shows a deep perspective of Afghan society, and makes you think about what’s right and wrong. 

Marina Golbahari is an excellent young actress, who will certainly trigger emotions with her performance in the movie. 

  • Earth and Ashes (2004)

If you read the online critiques, you’ll find a common opinion: “It’s just an old man and his grandson, walking.” 

Yes; this is a simplistic plot that could be described with a single sentence. But when you scratch its surface, you see a remarkable presentation of the despair and horror of war. It’s one of those movies that leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth, especially if you are acquainted with the terror and consequences of that war. 

The movie gained international acclaim, and it was the country’s submission to the 77th Academy Awards in 2004. 

  • No Woman (2005)

If you’re into arthouse movies that experiment with the traditional format of storytelling, you’ll love No Woman. It’s a story about two women trying to cross a desert road that they are forbidden to cross. 

It’s a short film that makes a big point in only three minutes. It won several international awards and gained extraordinary critical acclaim. 

  • Eagle Four (2010)

There aren’t many Afghan series that attracted the audience’s attention, but this one is pretty decent. It’s about the way Afghan Police solves crimes. You’ll quickly binge-watch the 13 episodes; they are fun and packed with action. 

Crime and corruption in society are always interesting to explore through the TV industry. Can the Rule of Law always win? Can all cases be solved in accordance with the regulations that are already set? 

  • Faceless (2016)

How about a modern movie that combines action, romance, fantasy, and social circumstances in one? Sammeer is a lovable lead character with a big dream: fight crime and contribute towards a better world. Since he has a learning disability, he tries to make up for it by becoming as skilled as possible in martial arts. But he lacks focus for that, too. A magical necklace solves the problem and turns him into a superhero. 

It’s rare to see Afghan movies with such a fun, yet valuable theme. That’s why we’re sure that you’ll enjoy Faceless. The best part is that you can watch the full movie for free directly through its IMDb page. 

What’s the First Afghan Movie You’ll Watch?         

The list above is versatile enough to suit different tastes. You’ll surely find something interesting to watch. 

Afghan cinema is becoming more popular because it’s raw and far less commercialized than the movies we’re used to seeing. Not many movies come out of the country on a yearly basis, but the film industry is thriving. It will become more productive in the future. 

Thanks to online streaming services, you have access to any movies that you’d like to watch. So what will your first choice be?

Author Bio:
James Dorian is a technical copywriter. He is a tech geek who knows a lot about modern apps that will make your work more productive. James reads tons of online blogs on technology, business, and ways to become a real pro in our modern world of innovations.

Afghanistan, Pakistan Singled Out For ‘Entrenched’ Impunity In Killings Of Journalists

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Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
October 29, 2020

Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Russia remain near the top on the list of countries where the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says “impunity” in cases of murdered journalists is “entrenched.”

The New York-based watchdog’s 2020 Global Impunity Index highlighted a total of 12 countries where “journalists are singled out for murder and their killers go free.”

Somalia, Syria, Iraq, South Sudan, and Afghanistan occupy the worst five spots in a ranking based on deaths as a percentage of each country’s population, as “war and political instability perpetuate the cycle of violence and lawlessness.”

In war-torn Afghanistan alone, 13 unresolved killings of journalists over the 10-year index period have been recorded, according to the CPJ.

The country was followed by Mexico, the Philippines, Brazil, and Pakistan, which ranked ninth in the index with 15 unresolved slayings of journalists.

The CPJ welcomed a decision by Pakistan’s Supreme Court this year to accept an appeal challenging a lower court’s ruling overturning the murder convictions of four men accused in the killing of American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002.

The “surprise” legal development, although not directly affecting the 2020 Impunity Index, showed that “even murder cases that were long thought to be resolved can be upended,” the watchdog noted.

Pakistan is followed in the raking by Bangladesh, Russia — which was in 11th place with six unresolved killings of journalists — and India.

Illustrating the “entrenched nature of impunity,” the 12 countries on the index account for 80 percent of the global total of unsolved murders of journalists over the past 10 years, according to CPJ.

It said that in these 12 countries, powerful actors such as criminal and political groups, politicians, and business leaders “resort to violence to silence critical and investigative journalists,” while corruption, weak institutions, and lack of political will to thoroughly investigate murder cases are all factors behind impunity there.

During the period ending on August 31, a total of 277 journalists were killed for their work worldwide and no perpetrators have been successfully prosecuted in 83 percent of those cases.

CPJ noted that the rate of “complete impunity has inched lower” in recent years.

The number of journalists killed in reprisal for their work was the lowest in 2019 that CPJ had recorded in any year since 1992, and while the number of killings in 2020 has already exceeded last year it is “not on track for a major increase.”

However, the group warned that “incremental progress toward reducing the murders of journalists worldwide is fragile and could be thwarted by legal appeals and lack of political leadership.”

It cited the case of a Serbian court that overturned in September the convictions of four former state security officers involved in the 1999 killing of journalist Slavko Curuvija and ordered a retrial.

And in Slovakia, a court acquitted a business tycoon suspected of ordering the 2018 killings of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee.

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.

Afghan Peace Talks: What’s At Stake For You?

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As Afghan government and Taliban negotiators try to broker a peace deal in Doha, RFE/RL’s Gandhara is asking Afghans: “What’s at stake for you in the Afghan peace talks?” For Ahoo Shahidi, it’s all about the freedom of pursuing her passion as a tattoo artist.

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Afghan National Sought In 2008 Kidnapping Of Journalists To Face Trial In U.S.

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Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
October 29, 2020

U.S. federal authorities have announced that an Afghan man has been brought to the United States to face trial for the 2008 kidnapping of a journalist for The New York Times and two other men in Afghanistan.

The six-count indictment against Haji Najibullah was unsealed in a New York court on October 28.

Federal authorities said the 42-year-old Afghan national had been transferred from Ukraine to face charges including hostage taking, kidnapping, and using a gun to commit violence. He was scheduled for an initial hearing on October 28.

Each count faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The kidnapping victims were not mentioned in the indictment, but the description of events matched the kidnapping of New York Times journalist David Rohde and an Afghan journalist, Tahir Ludin. Their driver was the third kidnapping victim.

Both journalists escaped from Taliban-controlled parts of Pakistan’s tribal regions after seven months in captivity. They were originally captured at gunpoint in Afghanistan and forced to walk five days across the border into Pakistan.

“Journalists risk their lives bringing us news from conflict zones, and no matter how much time may pass, our resolve to find and hold accountable those who target and harm them and other Americans will never wane,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers said in a statement. “The defendant, like many others before and surely others to come, will now face justice in an American courtroom.”

With reporting by The New York Times and AP

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.

Afghan Probe Uncovers Scandal In D.C. Embassy Reconstruction

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Roya Rahmani

Radio Free Afghanistan
October 28, 2020

A fact-finding team for the Afghan parliament has alleged that a construction project at the country’s embassy in Washington was rife with corruption.

The parliamentary probe was launched after an exposé in the Afghan media in July reported that the total cost for a 70-meter wall around the Afghan Embassy in northwestern Washington ended up at $1.8 million — multifold times the market rates for such a construction project. However, Roya Rahmani, the Afghan ambassador in Washington, denies any wrongdoing.

Lawmaker Javid Safi, the head of the fact-finding team in Kabul, accused officials at the Afghan Embassy of misappropriation of funds while rebuilding the wall.

“The [Afghan] law has been violated in the reconstruction of the wall,” Safi told Radio Free Afghanistan, while accusing diplomatic officials of not following Afghan procurement laws. “This wall was built at a high cost while the embassy rejected the initial offer, which had a much lower cost.”

Safi, who presented his findings to the parliament this week, accused Rahmani of awarding the contract to the highest bidder. “The contract was awarded by the ambassador to a company over the telephone,” he said. “We talked to other companies and surveyed the market; it should have cost less.”

He says that when inspecting the red-brick wall, which ranges in height from 2 to 3 meters, he found that no special materials had been used. He estimates the project should have cost no more than $300,000, while the construction contract cost nearly $1.6 million. Pajhwok, the Afghan news agency that first broke the story, reported that with additional related contracts for surveys and technical advice the project totaled more than $1.8 million.

Radio Free Afghanistan reached out to the Afghan Embassy in Washington, but no one would comment, including Rahmani, who has repeatedly denied allegations of corruption. While the ambassador and her mission have not commented on the findings of the fact-finding team, Rahmani wrote an op-ed in July in which she rejected Pajhwok’s exposé and pledged to be accountable for the project. “I will account for every dollar,” she wrote.

The Afghan Embassy also issued a detailed statement in July denying the accusations and responding to questions raised by the Pajhwok report.

“The Embassy has requested a complete audit of the project and will provide more information as available,” the statement said. “The entire process was handled in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, in compliance with Afghan laws, and in accordance with American procurement laws.”

The statement explained that the Afghan diplomatic mission had been forced to rebuild the wall after it collapsed due to heavy rainfall and routine wear over a 91-year period.

“It caused extensive damage to embassy grounds and damaged the structure and foundation of a neighboring building,” the statement said. “In addition to the near total collapse of one of four embassy border walls, the integrity of two additional walls [was] compromised and needed to be restored during the course of repairs.”

In Kabul, however, many are not convinced. Ezatullah Adib, a member of Transparency International Afghanistan, an antigraft watchdog, says the Afghan judiciary should investigate the allegations.

“This issue must be seriously investigated, and no one should be excused,” he told Radio Free Afghanistan. “The attorney general must inform the people about this case step by step,” he added. “When this case goes to court, the courts must also do the same.”

Over the past decade, Western allies have consistently urged Afghan officials to make the fight against pervasive corruption a top national priority. For its part, the Afghan government has emphasized that anticorruption measures continue in earnest.

“Each and every dollar donated and assisted to Afghanistan is precious and must be accounted for,” Afghan First Vice President Amrullah Saleh tweeted in July. “Neither Afghan government, nor facilitating partners, NGOs or contractors should be exempt or immune from accountability.”

Transparency International ranked Afghanistan 176th out of 180 countries on its Corruption Perception Index last year. In a report last released week, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), a U.S. watchdog, said Washington has lost $19 billion in Afghanistan since 2002.

The oversight organization noted that the U.S. Congress has appropriated nearly $134 billion for Afghan reconstruction projects over the past 19 years. “Of that amount, SIGAR reviewed approximately $63 billion and concluded that a total of approximately $19 billion, or 30 percent of the amount reviewed, was lost to waste, fraud, and abuse,” the report noted.

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.

How Afghanistan political crisis derailed payments to war victims

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File photo

INTL NYT: Under the compensation program, which remains heavily funded by international donors, the Afghan government pays roughly $1,300 for every civilian killed in action by Afghan, US or insurgent forces, and $650 per wounded. The payments had become one of the few forms of justice an Afghan family could hope for when caught in the crossfire. Even so, the payments were sparse, with families often not knowing how or where to press their claims. Now the payments are simply jammed up altogether, with no public explanation. Click here to read more (external link).