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Kabul moves to gain provincial control-officials
President Hamid Karzai will attempt to seize the initiative in Afghanistan's lawless provinces this week by sacking regional officials defying his rule. Karzai plans to target civil, military and police officials in several key provinces from governor downwards, said one official. "The government will issue a statement in this regard in the near future. The aim is to improve working procedures and create good co-ordination between the centre and the provinces," a second official said.Afghan downsizing and reorganization normally involves crew-served weapons. Since replacing the fundamentalist Taliban in power in late 2001, Karzai has complained that several regional governors have paid more attention to strengthening their own rule than to the nation's interests and have failed to deliver vital tax revenue to Kabul. In the latest example of this, six people were killed on Sunday in a clash in the north of the country between fighters loyal to two commanders who hold senior positions in Karzai's government. Those killed southeast of Mazar-i-Sharif were all loyalists of Uzbek warlord General Abdul Rashid Dostum. Ahmad Khan, one of Dostum's commanders, blamed the clash on "expansionist moves" by the Ustad Atta Mohammed Jamiat-e-Islami faction. Translation: Ustad is poaching on Abdul's turf, Abdul's boys got wacked, dire revenge promised. The Godfather with turbans. Karzai announced the sacking of some provincial officials late last year but some ignored the order. Some regional rulers have private armies that allow them to defy Kabul and its attempts to re-establish central rule. One is Ismail Khan, governor of Herat province that borders Iran and Turkmenistan. He collects the bulk of Afghanistan's customs revenues but only a small proportion reaches Kabul. He's not going to give that up without a fight. Fighting has broken out between rival commanders in several provinces, southern authorities have failed to curb opium poppy cultivation and Taliban fugitives have stepped up attacks in recent months on government and U.S.-led coalition forces. Just another day in the 'stan. Officials declined to say which provincial rulers might be targeted by Karzai, whose power extends little beyond Kabul, which is protected by about 5,000 foreign peacekeepers. Efforts to establish his authority in the provinces have been hampered by the U.S.-led coalition's use of warlord soldiers in the hunt for Taliban and al Qaeda remnants. Some officials fear Karzai risks creating better conditions for Taliban guerrillas if he alienates regional leaders. Memo to Karzai: Pick the strongest regional leader (warlord) who is opposing you and take him out. The others will notice and get back in line. Posted by: Steve 2003-05-12 |
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