• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
Adrienne HarreveldDr. Jervis/ JSA session II The UN’s efforts and plans towards rebuilding Afghan infrastructureBackground
 
In 328 B.C.E Alexander the Great entered what we know asAfghanistan and created a Hellenistic state. In 642 C.E, Arabs entered theregion introducing the area to Islam. In 1919 through the Treaty of Rawalpindi, Great Britain relinquished its control over Afghanistan. The newKing Amanullah intended to increase diplomatic relations with the rest of theworld and modernize Afghanistan. He built schools and abolished the lawthat forced women to wear a head veil. After several other incompetentleaders, the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan overthrew thegovernment in a coup. Nur Muhammad Taraki, Secretary General of thePDPA, became President of the Revolutionary Council and Prime Minister of the new Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. Taraki engaged in severeMarxist reform. A revolt ensued and Hafizullah Amin, who had earlier beenand Minister of Defense, seized power from Taraki. The Soviet Union tookadvantage of this coup. In 1978 Moscow signed a treaty that offered militaryassistance to Afghanistan. Afghanistan became dependent on the Sovietmilitary for assistance. However, Amin refused to take advice from theSoviets on how to establish government and Karmal became Prime Minister.After Amin, Karmal was not able to establish a strong central government
 
due to rebellion from the mujahedeen. Najibullah, who replaced Karmal, washighly ineffective and dependent on Soviet support. By the mid-1980s, theAfghan resistance movement, which was aided by the United States, SaudiArabia, and Pakistan, was extracting a lot of effort and resources from theSoviets, both within Afghanistan and by weakening the U.S.S.R.'s relationswith much of the Islamic and Western world. Negotiations for a Sovietwithdrawal from Afghanistan had been underway since 1982. In 1988 theGeneva accords were signed, which incorporated a timetable thatguaranteed full Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan by February 15, 1989. The mujahedeen refused to accept these accords so civil war continued afterSoviet withdrawal. Seeking to resolve differences, the mujahedeenestablished an interim Islamic Jihad Council in mid-April 1992 to assumepower in Kabul. The Taliban rose to power in the 1990s and occupied Kabul in 1996. The Taliban provided a sanctuary for Osama Bin Laden. The United Statesexpelled the Taliban regime and Osama Bin Laden form Kabul in November,2001. Afghanistan is currently led by a democratically elected leader: HarmidKarzai. In 2001, with the overthrow of the Taliban, Afghan women were ableto enjoy some of their previous freedoms. They have been able to reenterschools and universities. Girls composed a third of the nearly six millionchildren who returned to school in 2008. However Afghanistan is currentlyfaced with a fair amount of problems. Only 15 percent of births inAfghanistan are attended by qualified health professionals. Afghanistan has
 
the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world (one pregnantwoman dies for every 6 live births) (State Department). A lack of sanitationand potable water has led to outbreaks of tuberculosis and other diseases(State Department). Afghanistan is now a country with more than half of itspeople living in absolute poverty (State Department). The United Nationsfound it necessary for an international effort to become involved inAfghanistan to help with re-building infrastructure which will help reduce thethreat of the Taliban. On December 15
th
, 2001 the United Nations expressedthey were “determined to end the tragic conflict in Afghanistan and promotenational reconciliation, lasting peace, stability and human rights for thecountry”. Some of the elements the United Nations is focusing on are:agricultural development, building and securing schools, improving securityand improving health.Probably the most important goal the United Nations has inAfghanistan is developing varied agriculture which will provide an alternativeto growing and selling opium. Imagine you are in this situation: you arepoverty-stricken, you have a family to feed, and you have the option of growing opium and making 15 dollars a day or choosing any other professionand making an average of seven dollars a day (Williams). It seems logical togrow opium because your income will more than double. However, when youare choosing opium, you are choosing to support the Taliban. Afghanistancontinues to be the largest producer and exporter of opium. Over 20% of the Taliban’s income comes from Afghan opium sales; the Taliban comprises a
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...