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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| 34 arrested in Wana |
| 2004-05-30 |
| The government invoked on Saturday the territorial responsibility and collective punishment clauses of the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) to punish Ahmedzai Wazir tribes for failing to act against foreign terrorists in South Waziristan Agency and arrested 34 tribesmen, including seven elders. FATA Security Chief Brig (r) Mehmood Shah told Daily Times that the political administration had launched an operation under FCR 21 and did not rule out a military operation as a follow-up to Saturdayâs political action. Under FCR 21, the administration would arrest tribesmen suspected of allowing foreigners to live in their areas and seize their properties and vehicles. Sources in Wana said Malik Khanzada, Malik Sarwar Khan, Malik Anwar, Malik Noor Ali, Malik Zardalah Khan, Malik Abdullah and Malik Atlas Khan were taken into custody immediately after talks between them and officials of the political administration failed. The administration has warned that the arrested elders would not be released unless the foreign militants holed up in the area were turned over to them. Brig (r) Shah warned that the operation would continue unless the Ahmedzai Wazir tribesmen met their obligations under the territorial responsibility clause. Asked to explain their obligations, he said, âThese tribes are responsible to ensure no foreigners stay in their areas.â The political administration arrested 14 Ahmedzai Wazir tribesmen at the Jandola entry point and impounded 13 of their vehicles. The rest of arrests were made in Tank city, a source in the political administration confirmed. âThere is a complete ban on the transportation of all kinds of goods to and from South Waziristan Agency and no food items are being allowed into the agency,â the source said, ending speculation about an economic blockade of the Ahmedzai Wazir tribesmen to force them into submission. A journalist in Wana said tribesmen had started stocking food due to the economic blockade to avoid food shortages in the coming days. âPrices have shot up already,â the journalist added. Tribal sources said the government suspected that the eight arrested tribal elders had âAl Qaeda linksâ. The foreign terrorists in the agency chose Malik Khanzadaâs home as a registration centre, which the government did not accept. The Wana administration also served notices to the Yargulkhel and Zalikhel sub-tribes, warning that their shops in Wana bazaar might be shut down or even bulldozed. The notice did not demand anything, but charge-sheeted them with allegations that a bank was robbed in their area, a tribal police vehicle was bombed, foreign terrorists were roaming around freely and drugs were being sold. With Saturdayâs operation, prospects of any significant results on part of the tribal lashkar (army) appeared to have vanished. âHow can it work now when there is an operation underway and our senior elders are behind the bars?â asked one tribal leader. But Malik Janan, a member of the 36-member advisory committee of the lashkar, told Daily Times that the committee would meet Nek Muhammad (leader of the pardoned group that had allegedly sheltered foreign terrorists) and his group today (Sunday) in Wana and ask them to force the foreign terrorists to meet the governmentâs demands. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 the political administration ... did not rule out a military operation as a follow-up ... It looks to me like the situation really is building up to another invasion if the tribes do not comply with the principle that all foreigners must officially register their presence. . |
| Posted by: Mike Sylwester 2004-05-30 2:11:31 AM |