Afghans call for ceasefire as "Loya Jirga" Peace Summit wraps up

Afghanistan on 29 April 2019 convened rare “Loya Jirga”, a four day long grand assembly or massive meeting for delegates from across country to discuss war and efforts of United States to forge a peace deal with Taliban. At the end of huge peace summit in Kabul, Afghan officials called for immediate and permanent ceasefire.

Loya Jirga

• It is a centuries-old tradition in Afghanistan which is usually convened at times of national crisis or to settle national issues.
• It means “grand council” in Pashto. It is a 4 day long grand assembly held at Kabul, Afghanistan.
• Participants include ethnic, religious and tribal leaders, politicians and representatives from all over the country.
• In past it has been used to approve new constitution, declare war, choose a new king, or to make social or political reforms.
• In Loya Jirga 2019, more than 3,000 participants gathered under tight security to discuss possibility of peace, cease-fire and women’s rights in keeping with tenets of Islam.
• Several committee leaders favored an immediate pause in violence, which still continues across Afghanistan even after various peace summits taking place.

Recent Developments

The Taliban, who were earlier not at talks, are meeting separately with US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Doha in May 1^st week. It is seen as an effort to make a deal with US that could see withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.
Issue:

• The Taliban has frequently refused to talk to Afghan government, as it views government as a puppet regime. This means that even if US and Taliban agrees on deal to end war and set timetable for eventual withdrawal of troop, the insurgents may still forge some kind of an accord with Afghan politicians and tribal elders before an enduring ceasefire could start.
• Most people of Afghan society worry that if US does make a deal with Taliban, then militant Islamists would try to seize power and undo advances in women’s rights, media freedoms, and legal protections.

Note: Taliban is a Sunni Islamic fundamentalist political movement and military organization in Afghanistan currently waging war within the country.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2019