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Afghan forces take over security charge in southern town
TRINKOT, Afghanistan, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- In the continuation of security transition process, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) handed over the security responsibility of Deh Rawad district in Uruzgan province 370 km south of capital city Kabul to Afghan government on Thursday, an Afghan army officer in Uruzgan province said Friday. "Afghan Security forces formally took over the security responsibility of NATO-led ISAF in Deh Rawad district yesterday," Brigadier Abdul Qahar told Xinhua.
He also said that from now on all the security operations and security patrols will be conducted by the Afghan law enforcing agencies including army and police in the district and adjoining areas.
The district governor Aminullah Khaliqi also said that Afghan forces are able to ensrue security in Deh Rawad and adjoining areas.
All the foreign troops served in Deh Rawad had moved to the provincial capital Trinkot, the army official, Qahar added.
Troops mostly from U.S. and Australia have been serving in Uruzgan province within the framework of NATO-led ISAF to help stabilize peace and security there.
The security transition process from NATO-led ISAF which began in mid 2011 is scheduled to complete by the end of 2014 when the NATO-led force complete withdrawal from Afghanistan.
NATO: 2 international troops die in Afghanistan
Associated Press – Fri, Nov 9, 2012
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Two service members with the U.S.-led military coalition died Friday in Afghanistan, NATO said.
One service member was killed in an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan. Another died as a result of a non-battle related injury in the country's south.
NATO did not release any other information about the deaths pending notification of family members.
So far this year, 371 international troops have died in Afghanistan.
Fighting is winding down with the advent of cooler weather but the Taliban still continue to target coalition and Afghan forces, especially with roadside bombs.
Land mines and a suicide bomber killed 20 people in a spate of attacks across Afghanistan on Thursday.
Kabul int'l agriculture fair shows resiliency of the Afghan people
by Farid Behbud
KABUL, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- In efforts to promote agriculture and attract investments in the field in the war-hit country, the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock kicked off on Wednesday an annual agriculture exhibition here.
Afghan Second Vice President Mohammad Karim Khalili was among the first visitors to the Kabul International Agriculture Fair which, organizers said, would show that despite the sporadic fighting, the country's farmers continue to produce agricultural products.
The agriculture fair was scheduled to will wrap up Friday evening.
Traders and businessmen from Dubai, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Palestine and Germany have visited the fair. Some 160 local and a few foreign companies, including importers, exporters, wholesalers, producers and service providers, have displayed their products in the fair.
"This fair is helping us a lot to find clients. You see, all these products are grown and packaged by women in northern Parwan province, particularly by widows who lost their husbands in the war," said a female seller Shikiba Hashimi.
Hashimi said the fair was a welcome event because it shows the resiliency of the Afghan people, particularly Afghan women.
"The fair could help us sell our products and help improve the living standards of the women in our province," she said.
"I am encouraged by today's fair. We have very good vegetables and fruits, however, due to the war and conflicts I cannot go to far-flung provinces to see our farms and gardens at close range and buy the products," Ahmad Zahir told Xinhua at the Kabul International Agriculture Fair.
"I cannot make a trip around the country. I am not able to go to the Badakhshan province since it is far from here and the roads are dusty. But this exhibition brings fruits, vegetables and other products here from the province which is more than 300 km north of Kabul," he said.
Zahir said that what he liked most was Badakhshan's honey. "It 's the best honey in the world," he said.
The three-day event was the 13th agricultural fair held in Kabul since the overthrow of the Taliban regime in late 2001.
"There were lots of succulent fruits and green vegetables. I have been encouraged to drink saffron of Herat province instead of tea. I plan to buy as much as I can to give some to my friends as gifts," Zahir said.
"It is a nice fair. Particularly, I think this show is an occasion for introducing and marketing home-grown products to foreign and local businessmen. I am calling on government and concerned authorities to hold such exhibition at least twice a year instead of just once," said another Afghan, Mohammad Qasim.
The 47-year-old Qasim said the fair would give the opportunity for Afghan farmers and agriculture cooperatives to display their products and to familiarize themselves with modern agriculture machinery.
"We have juicy apples, sweet grapes, wonderful pomegranates, watery melons and watermelons but we do not have massive refrigerators to keep them fresh all the time. We still lack refrigeration facilities and this hampers our desire to export our fruits and other agricultural produce to neighboring countries," said Qasim, who comes from the eastern province of Kapisa.
He said the government and its international backers must help people to invest in agricultural sector in the country to further create job opportunities for people and to boost economy in the landlocked central Asian state.
The overall agricultural production, the backbone of the national economy, dramatically declined over the past couple of years due to drought as well as persistent fighting and instability in rural areas.
Only 12 percent of Afghanistan is arable and less than 6 percent is currently being cultivated.
Three decades of war had a devastating impact on the agriculture sector in a country where over 80 percent of population relies on agriculture.
Indonesia, Afghanistan invigorate relationship
By Desy Nurhayati in Nusa Dua/The Jakarta Post | Asia News Network
Nusa Dua (The Jakarta Post/ANN) - Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai reaffirmed the long-standing bonds of friendship between the two nations and expressed their commitment to promote bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual benefit.
During bilateral talks on the sidelines of the fifth Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) in Nusa Dua, Bali, Yudhoyono expressed Indonesia's commitment to support Afghanistan in various fields, including technical vocational training, infrastructure, as well as in women's empowerment, higher education and mid-career diplomat training.
"We have asked relevant ministries to identify and work on concrete programmes," Yudhoyono told the press after the meeting.
The two countries welcomed the new treaty of friendship and cooperation to replace the previous friendship treaty, which concluded on April 24, 1955. The new treaty promotes political cooperation, economic and trade cooperation, in addition to academic and cultural cooperation.
Karzai underlined the positive economic prospects of his country and invited Indonesia to explore the possibility of direct trade and investment in Afghanistan.
"Indonesian businesses are welcomed to Afghanistan to participate in the development of Afghanistan and in the expansion of business between two countries," Karzai said.
The value of trade between the two countries was at US$37.78 million as of August this year.
Both leaders welcomed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Capacity Building for Law Enforcement Personnel, signed last September in Jakarta. The MoU stipulates that Indonesian National Police will train 50 Afghanistan National Police officers on traffic management, police community services and crime investigation. Both leaders instructed the training to commence as soon as possible.
To promote good governance, the meeting encouraged closer cooperation between the corruption eradication agencies of the two countries. Both leaders also underlined the importance of promoting bilateral cooperation on counterterrorism and transnational organised crimes as well as a commitment to combating people smuggling and trafficking.
"We will also explore cooperation in the fields of culture through a cultural exchange programmes and cultural mission," Yudhoyono said.
Following the talks, both leaders witnessed the signing of four agreements, respectively on friendship and cooperation, on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and service passports, on bilateral consultations and on cultural exchange programmes.
Previously, Yudhoyono also held bilateral talks with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.
With Ahmadinejad, Yudhoyono discussed problems in the Middle East area, especially in about conflict in Syria. Both leaders shared similar views that the international community should step in to prevent further humanitarian tragedies and let political process take place in the country.
Yudhoyono also discussed the same issue with Erdogan, as Turkey is also affected by the conflict, the two leaders also talked about how to promote economic and defence cooperation.
With Papua New Guinea, Indonesia is looking forward to building cooperation for the exploration and production of natural gas in the border area between the two country. Indonesia will also support the opening of direct flight route from Port Moresby to Bali and to Jakarta.
Afghan, Turkish Leaders Criticize UN Security Council Structure
November 8, 2012 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has criticized the structure of the United Nations Security Council.
During a democracy forum in Indonesia on November 8, Karzai said the current structure was "undemocratic."
He told the forum in his address that the Security Council, made up of five permanent members, "did not represent us all."
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also criticized the power of the council, citing its inaction over the Syria conflict.
He said the structure of only five countries holding veto power meant that the "fate of humanity" was in their hands.
Erdogan said disagreement between the permanent members on Syria had "encouraged the Syrian regime to kill its people."
Russia and China, both permanent members, have blocked several resolutions calling for the UN to take action in Syria.
Based on reporting by AFP and Tolo News
National Coalition Calls for 2014 Election Date Change
TOLOnews.com By Abdul Wali Arian Thursday, 08 November 2012
Afghanistan's National Coalition party wants the date of the 2014 presidential election, set for April 5, to be pushed back in order to avoid the risk that a long winter will make voting impossible for many residents in remote areas.
The Independent Election Commission (IEC) revealed its decision last week for the presidential election to be held in spring, but it has already been met with critisicm from lawmakers and political leaders for having it too soon after winter.
In an exclusive interview with TOLOnews, National Coalition chief Abdullah Abdullah reiterated these concerns, stressing that the election campaign would be difficult during winter time and called for a revision of the IEC plan.
"In this case it is for the all sides including the IEC , the Law of Independent Commission for Overseeing the Implementation of the Constitution, the government organs, political parties and coalitions to gather together and choose a proper date in which most of the people would be able to vote," Abdullah said, adding that conducting elections in the remote areas of Afghanistan in early spring will be almost impossible if election officials cannot travel there.
However, Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan executive director Jandad Spinghar disagreed.
Spinghar believes that there is enough time for the candidates to campaign and that with the air support of the foreign forces, all necessary supplies and documents will be provided to remote areas.
"There is enough time for the campaigns and the foreign forces can supply those areas by air. It is fair to have the elections according to date mentioned in the constitution," Spinghar said.
Lawmakers have criticised the IEC decision to have the poll early April for the same reasons put forward by Abdullah. They also claimed that the IEC decision to have the provincial council elections on the same day as the presidential election was against Afghanistan's constitution.
Donkeys replace helicopters in Afghanistan
Nov. 9, 2012 at 5:22 PM
PECH VALLEY, Afghanistan, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Afghan troops, tasked with defending outposts without high-tech equipment such as helicopters and jets, are relying on donkeys, a military official said.
Hundreds of donkeys are sustaining bases built and defended by U.S. troops and are in use as modern air power and transport equipment are being withdrawn, The Washington Post reported Friday.
"Donkeys are the Afghan helicopter," said Col. Abdul Nasseeri, an Afghan battalion commander in Konar province.
While U.S. military officials hope the use of donkeys is an "Afghan-sustainable" approach that can endure as Western support tapers off, Afghanistan's security leaders are displeased. After a decade of exposure to cutting-edge technology, they want their military to look like the U.S. army, an approach the U.S. government considers unfeasible and unrealistic, the newspaper said.
With U.S. helicopters on their way home, the donkey trade has risen steadily, transporting soldiers' needs from food to ammunition, and key fighting positions are being maintained by donkeys and their handlers.
One of the handlers, a 16-year-old named Qamuddin in Pech Valley, Afghanistan, said: "You are the richest and most powerful countries in the world. Of course you can afford helicopters. Without donkeys, there would be no Afghan army."
The future of Afghan women
Washington Post By Afghani Barakzai Friday, November 9, 2012
Afghani Barakzai is a Rumsfeld visiting fellow at the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. In Afghanistan, she manages the office and special projects at the Central Asia Development Group. The group, which is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, employs villagers to build and repair critical irrigation and municipal infrastructure in Afghanistan’s southern and eastern provinces.
Afull withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces from Afghanistan appears inevitable. Reading and watching news here in Washington, I can appreciate the intense focus on the military mission and on the men and women who have sacrificed to help my country. I worry, however, what will happen to Afghanistan after the U.S. military departs.
I have found little discussion of Afghanistan’s future or of what will become of U.S. civilian and military efforts to help us make our country a better place to live. Like many of my countrymen, I fear that Afghanistan will once again fall prey to civil and political discord, through either an expansion of the insurgency or a return to warlordism and widespread criminality. I also worry that the slow progress in women’s rights will falter and may even revert to the norms that existed before 2001.
Afghanistan observers are familiar with the litany of depressing facts and statistics that describe the lives and struggles of Afghan women: a 1-in-10 chance of dying during childbirth, chronic poverty, forced starvation for widows and their children, widespread domestic violence, lack of protection in tribal courts, and a staggering number of attempted suicides each year. Women in my country are still bought and sold in specialized markets.
With international help, we have achieved significant milestones over the past 10 years: More than 10,000 women are estimated to have started small businesses. Sixty-five women represent constituents in parliament. A few dozen women have even joined the military. Moreover, an estimated 2.4 million girls are receiving some degree of schooling; several hundred have made it into college. These steps are all critical — but equality remains far from inevitable.
Tragically, these modest gains and other advances are likely to be lost if the United States completely disengages from Afghanistan. Women’s rights will be among the first gains revoked as tribal courts reassert their power. Girls who are working toward college will be pulled out of school. Women’s businesses will be forced to close, first in the provinces and then in Kabul. Female political leadership will disappear.
Much can and needs to be done to promote civil, gender and human rights in Afghanistan. My country needs a strong central government that represents all Afghans. We need civic participation at the village level that promotes respect for the rule of law. We need strong leaders committed to and able to implement democratic practices and equal rights for women, promote universal education, and strengthen border control while stopping trade in drugs. Our government institutions must mature. To develop popular respect for national laws, we need strong courts and a justice system that promotes fair outcomes at the local level.
All of these things would help improve the security situation in Afghanistan, and our economy will grow as the country becomes more secure.
But to achieve any of this, we need continued support from the United States.
The international community has already helped us a great deal. Our constitution enshrines many of these universal, democratic values. I hope that as foreign forces withdraw, development groups will remain engaged. As U.S. and coalition military power decreases, a commensurate increase of “civilian power” is necessary to sustain the modest advances of the past decade.
Development programs such as those run by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the United Nations Development Program could focus on recruiting aid from Afghans abroad. Such measures could help provide the skills and capacity that Afghanistan desperately needs, while speaking to women’s rights — and human rights — with a compelling Afghan voice.
In Afghanistan, most people I have encountered in research and in my daily life are thankful for U.S. and international efforts to modernize our country. We realize that the nature of foreign engagement will change. To evolve toward a society that respects the rights of women and all minority groups, we hope that the United States will increase support and incentives for programs geared toward civil and human rights and for those who can come from abroad and set positive examples while speaking with an Afghan voice.
During my time in the United States, I have seen the promise that a civil society can hold. I hope that when I return to Afghanistan, citizens of my country will be able to work with U.S. partners to reflect this promise on our own soil.
India approves project worth 100 million dollars in Afghanistan
The Economic Times 8 Nov, 2012
NEW DELHI - India today approved small-scale projects worth 100 million dollars for implementation in strife-torn Afghanistan.
The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved the third phase of the Small Development Projects (SDP) in Afghanistan. The outlay for the third Phase of the Small Developmental Projects is 100 million dollars or approximately Rs 540 crore, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters here.
The Cabinet decision comes ahead of the visit of Afghan President Hamid Karzai here next week. The SDP directly impact local communities and support social-economic development and facilitate community life through creation of infrastructure in various sectors including education, health, agriculture, Small Development Projects said.
"Local communities of Afghanistan would directly benefit from the Small Development Projects which will cover all 34 provinces of Afghanistan," he said.
The Small Development Projects were earlier implemented in two phases--the first in July 2006 comprising 50 projects worth $11,216,179 and the second in June 2008 comprising 51 projects worth $8,579,537. Most of the projects in the two phases have been completed, Chidambaram said.
Karzai, who will be in India from November 9-12, will hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on regional security situation and safety of Indian nationals and Indian projects on November 12.`
Having committed a USD 2.3 billion aid programme, India is one of the largest donors to Afghanistan, investing in the economy, humanitarian aid, education, development, construction and electrical projects.
Viewpoint: Obama's second chance to secure Afghan peace
BBC News By Ahmed Rashid 8 November 2012
Lahore - It will take a lot of persuading to convince the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan that the re-election of President Barack Obama is on the whole a positive development for the South Asian region.
Few countries in the world have been so hostile to the president during his first term in office.
The rebuilding of a relationship between the US and Pakistan and Afghanistan is going to require more than just deft footwork by President Obama if peace and stability is to be restored in this strategically important region.
Just look at the present day reality.
Pakistan is emerging from a nine-month breakdown of all dialogue with the US - the lowest point in their relationship for 60 years.
Many in Islamabad think the US under President Obama has no strategy in Afghanistan, is hostile to Pakistan and is aiming to reduce its nuclear potential.
Anti-US anger
The US thinks Pakistan is lying as it continues to harbour extremists and is escalating global nuclear tensions by increasing its arsenal despite a severe economic crisis.
President Obama has frequently called Pakistan his biggest headache, but he has been unable to come up with a satisfying remedy.
There is little doubt that Pakistan has been paralysed by the continuation of the three-way fight between the army, the judiciary and the government.
It has stymied decision-making to the extent that nobody in the establishment is prepared to commit to an offensive against the Pakistani Taliban after the shooting of Malala Yousafzai, the girl student in the Swat valley who generated such enormous public loathing for the Taliban.
Now whatever military operation occurs will be a cosmetic rather than a serious attempt to deal with the problem - and will inevitably lead to continuing US pressure to do more.
However, one hopeful sign is that a few weeks before the US elections a new dialogue started between the military and senior US officials on the extremist threat as well as Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, in Afghanistan a war of words persists between President Obama's officials and those of President Hamid Karzai - recently Washington told the Afghan president to refrain from criticising the US and be grateful for the sacrifices that the US is making.
For his part President Karzai keeps reminding everyone that he enjoyed better days with former President George W Bush and that President Obama is constantly trying to undermine him.
But there are other reasons why President Karzai and President Zardari view President Obama's first term so negatively.
Both take exception to his periodically-used carrot or stick tactics to drag Islamabad and Kabul into line and both are upset by what they see as unilateral US moves taken without prior consultations.
The killing of Osama Bin Laden was a shining example of this from the Pakistani viewpoint, as was the start of the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and the refusal to provide the Afghan army with heavy weapons from Kabul's viewpoint.
In Washington the problems have been magnified by internal rivalries. President Obama had allowed the US military to run his policies towards Pakistan and Afghanistan - starting with the surge in Afghanistan in 2009 and then planning for the US withdrawal in 2014.
Taliban talks
More important political strategies such as talking to the Taliban, promoting free and fair elections in Afghanistan and Pakistan and trying to revive relations with Islamabad have been run by what some argue is a weak State Department held back by lack of presidential support.
But with his re-election, the president now has a second chance.
If the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014 is high on his agenda than he should prioritise talks with the Taliban which would aim for a ceasefire between all sides before US troops depart and before Afghan presidential elections are held in April 2014.
Many Taliban leaders are advocates of a political settlement rather than a bloody power grab for Kabul - because they fear a multi-dimensional civil war after 2014 which they know they cannot win when non-Pashtun groups in northern Afghanistan are now much stronger compared to the late 1990s when the Taliban last wielded power.
Last year's US-Taliban talks broke down because critics say they were undermined by the military and the CIA in Washington.
Now US officials say all parts of the administration are on board for talks. The president needs swiftly to compose a high-level team of experts and diplomats and enlist the help of some European countries - who have better relations with Iran and Pakistan - to talk to the Taliban with the aim of reducing violence and securing an Afghan ceasefire.
The regional diplomacy pursued by former US diplomat Richard Holbrooke - subsequently abandoned - needs to be revived by the US, which also needs to promote the idea of a non-interference regional pact that would protect Afghanistan from the machinations of its powerful neighbours.
Pakistan role
In the same way a clear US strategy to talk to the Afghan Taliban leaders based in Pakistan would also be attractive to all parts of the Pakistani establishment.
That is especially so for the military, which is now feeling the heat from the growing threat posed by the Pakistani Taliban.
A US dialogue to achieve a ceasefire in Afghanistan that includes Pakistani participation may act as a glue to help bind the bickering Pakistani establishment and help it to take the tough decisions required to secure peace.
With that in mind the new administration needs to re-engage with Pakistan on all fronts - particularly in helping it deal with the growing internal jihadist threat.
That includes helping Islamabad devise a comprehensive policy to disarm anti-Indian extremist groups that inhabit the strategically-important province of Punjab.
On its own and without financial help Pakistan is incapable of devising any such strategy. And if left out of any peace equation in Afghanistan, its intelligence agencies will be tempted to act as spoilers rather than healers.
The withdrawal from Afghanistan is going to remain critical for US foreign policy in the next four years - but even more so for a region where war and peace for the future decade could well be decided in the next few months.
Ahmed Rashid's book, Taliban, was updated and reissued recently on the 10th anniversary of its publication. His latest book is Pakistan on the Brink: The future of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the West.
Britain 'would support resumption of Taliban peace talks'
William Hague has suggested that Britain would support the resumption of US-Taliban peace talks in Qatar that broke down last year, ahead of the 2014 pullout of Afghanistan.
Telegraph.co.uk By Rahul Bedi 08 Nov 2012
New Delhi - Speaking during a three-day visit to India, Mr Hague said: "We should not exclude (talks in) Qatar."
But he declined to elaborate on the controversial talks aimed at a settlement in Afghanistan ahead of planned withdrawal of Nato troops from the war-ravaged country.
Mr Hague added that next year was an important one in which to push forward political reconciliation in Afghanistan, a move the UK strongly supported.
Peace talks between US officials and Taliban representatives began in Qatar in January to build mutual trust ahead of the military pullout.
But negotiations broke down two months later after the Taliban refused to agree to a deal in which their commanders released from Guantánamo Bay would not be returned to Afghanistan, but instead be incarcerate in Doha, the Qatari capital.
Mr Hague declined to comment directly on whether this would be a negotiating point in new talks but added that he would be open to suggestions.
Mr Hague declared that there would now be a "new momentum" in consultations with Washington over Afghanistan as the US presidential elections were over.
He also said he supported "constructive ties" between Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan in order to usher in peace in the highly volatile region.
On Syria Mr Hague said that the longer its internal turmoil continued the greater was the danger of extremist and radical groups securing a foothold in that country.
He said it was important for Syrian opposition groups to unite on a common platform to resolve the crisis and that the British government was actively encouraging them to do so.
Britain was also stepping up the supplies of humanitarian aid like communication equipment and water purification equipment to Syrian opposition groups.
A Kickstarter campaign for an ancient site in Afghanistan
Washington Post By Olga Khazan November 8, 2012
The crowd-funding platform Kickstarter has become a popular avenue for enterprising individuals to raise money to create everything from funky furniture to indie films. Now, one documentarian is using it to try to save an ancient city in Afghanistan.
Mes Aynak, a 2,600-year-old Buddhist site in Logar province, Afghanistan, is important for two reasons: It’s a 100-acre monastery complex filled with Buddhist temples, statues, relics and manuscripts, and it’s also home to one of the largest copper deposits in the world.
After discovering the latter trait, in 2007 a Chinese company paid $3.5 billion to lease Mes Aynak for 30 years and plans to extract more than $100 billion worth of copper from the area. It’s one of the largest foreign investments in Afghanistan and is part of China’s broader plan to exploit Afghanistan’s mineral wealth. The Afghan government stands to reap a potential $1.2 billion a year in revenues from the mine.
In 2009, the Chinese company gave archaeologists three years to excavate and move the artifacts before work starts on the copper mine. Ever since, archaeologists have been scrambling to save what they view as a major religious site, lest Mes Aynak’s relics meet the same fate as the Buddhas of Bamiyan, which were dynamited in 2001 by the Taliban.
In his Kickstarter profile, Brent Huffman, a documentary filmmaker and professor at Northwestern University, said he visited Mes Aynak in June 2011 “and immediately fell in love with this incredible site. I felt I needed to do everything in my power to save this cultural heritage for future generations of Afghans and for the international community.”
Huffman describes being in awe of the “massive walled-in Buddhist city featuring massive temples, monasteries, and thousands of Buddhist statues that managed to survive looters and the Taliban,” in a piece for CNN.
If he meets his $30,000 goal, Huffman plans to make a film detailing the imminent destruction of the ancient Buddhist city, arguing that the archaeologists have made little progress on salvaging the remaining artifacts.
The ruins, including the monastery and domed shrines known as “stupas,” will probably be destroyed once work at the mine begins, The Washington Post’s Heidi Vogt reported.
“That site is so massive that it’s easily a 10-year campaign of archaeology,” Laura Tedesco, an archaeologist working in Afghanistan, told the Post.
Huffman’s film, “The Buddhas of Mes Aynak,” “will follow several main characters to tell this dramatic and multi-layered story,” and will include a “well-rounded cast of supporting characters including Buddhist scholars, Afghan politicians and citizens in support of Chinese investments, U.S. military strategists, and Chinese veteran businessmen living and working in Afghanistan.”
Huffman writes that he hopes the film will raise awareness to both save Mes Aynak and “prevent similar destruction from happening to other cultural sites in Afghanistan located on or near mineral resources.”
www.afghanistannewscenter.com
TRINKOT, Afghanistan, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- In the continuation of security transition process, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) handed over the security responsibility of Deh Rawad district in Uruzgan province 370 km south of capital city Kabul to Afghan government on Thursday, an Afghan army officer in Uruzgan province said Friday. "Afghan Security forces formally took over the security responsibility of NATO-led ISAF in Deh Rawad district yesterday," Brigadier Abdul Qahar told Xinhua.
He also said that from now on all the security operations and security patrols will be conducted by the Afghan law enforcing agencies including army and police in the district and adjoining areas.
The district governor Aminullah Khaliqi also said that Afghan forces are able to ensrue security in Deh Rawad and adjoining areas.
All the foreign troops served in Deh Rawad had moved to the provincial capital Trinkot, the army official, Qahar added.
Troops mostly from U.S. and Australia have been serving in Uruzgan province within the framework of NATO-led ISAF to help stabilize peace and security there.
The security transition process from NATO-led ISAF which began in mid 2011 is scheduled to complete by the end of 2014 when the NATO-led force complete withdrawal from Afghanistan.
NATO: 2 international troops die in Afghanistan
Associated Press – Fri, Nov 9, 2012
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Two service members with the U.S.-led military coalition died Friday in Afghanistan, NATO said.
One service member was killed in an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan. Another died as a result of a non-battle related injury in the country's south.
NATO did not release any other information about the deaths pending notification of family members.
So far this year, 371 international troops have died in Afghanistan.
Fighting is winding down with the advent of cooler weather but the Taliban still continue to target coalition and Afghan forces, especially with roadside bombs.
Land mines and a suicide bomber killed 20 people in a spate of attacks across Afghanistan on Thursday.
Kabul int'l agriculture fair shows resiliency of the Afghan people
by Farid Behbud
KABUL, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- In efforts to promote agriculture and attract investments in the field in the war-hit country, the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock kicked off on Wednesday an annual agriculture exhibition here.
Afghan Second Vice President Mohammad Karim Khalili was among the first visitors to the Kabul International Agriculture Fair which, organizers said, would show that despite the sporadic fighting, the country's farmers continue to produce agricultural products.
The agriculture fair was scheduled to will wrap up Friday evening.
Traders and businessmen from Dubai, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Palestine and Germany have visited the fair. Some 160 local and a few foreign companies, including importers, exporters, wholesalers, producers and service providers, have displayed their products in the fair.
"This fair is helping us a lot to find clients. You see, all these products are grown and packaged by women in northern Parwan province, particularly by widows who lost their husbands in the war," said a female seller Shikiba Hashimi.
Hashimi said the fair was a welcome event because it shows the resiliency of the Afghan people, particularly Afghan women.
"The fair could help us sell our products and help improve the living standards of the women in our province," she said.
"I am encouraged by today's fair. We have very good vegetables and fruits, however, due to the war and conflicts I cannot go to far-flung provinces to see our farms and gardens at close range and buy the products," Ahmad Zahir told Xinhua at the Kabul International Agriculture Fair.
"I cannot make a trip around the country. I am not able to go to the Badakhshan province since it is far from here and the roads are dusty. But this exhibition brings fruits, vegetables and other products here from the province which is more than 300 km north of Kabul," he said.
Zahir said that what he liked most was Badakhshan's honey. "It 's the best honey in the world," he said.
The three-day event was the 13th agricultural fair held in Kabul since the overthrow of the Taliban regime in late 2001.
"There were lots of succulent fruits and green vegetables. I have been encouraged to drink saffron of Herat province instead of tea. I plan to buy as much as I can to give some to my friends as gifts," Zahir said.
"It is a nice fair. Particularly, I think this show is an occasion for introducing and marketing home-grown products to foreign and local businessmen. I am calling on government and concerned authorities to hold such exhibition at least twice a year instead of just once," said another Afghan, Mohammad Qasim.
The 47-year-old Qasim said the fair would give the opportunity for Afghan farmers and agriculture cooperatives to display their products and to familiarize themselves with modern agriculture machinery.
"We have juicy apples, sweet grapes, wonderful pomegranates, watery melons and watermelons but we do not have massive refrigerators to keep them fresh all the time. We still lack refrigeration facilities and this hampers our desire to export our fruits and other agricultural produce to neighboring countries," said Qasim, who comes from the eastern province of Kapisa.
He said the government and its international backers must help people to invest in agricultural sector in the country to further create job opportunities for people and to boost economy in the landlocked central Asian state.
The overall agricultural production, the backbone of the national economy, dramatically declined over the past couple of years due to drought as well as persistent fighting and instability in rural areas.
Only 12 percent of Afghanistan is arable and less than 6 percent is currently being cultivated.
Three decades of war had a devastating impact on the agriculture sector in a country where over 80 percent of population relies on agriculture.
Indonesia, Afghanistan invigorate relationship
By Desy Nurhayati in Nusa Dua/The Jakarta Post | Asia News Network
Nusa Dua (The Jakarta Post/ANN) - Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai reaffirmed the long-standing bonds of friendship between the two nations and expressed their commitment to promote bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual benefit.
During bilateral talks on the sidelines of the fifth Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) in Nusa Dua, Bali, Yudhoyono expressed Indonesia's commitment to support Afghanistan in various fields, including technical vocational training, infrastructure, as well as in women's empowerment, higher education and mid-career diplomat training.
"We have asked relevant ministries to identify and work on concrete programmes," Yudhoyono told the press after the meeting.
The two countries welcomed the new treaty of friendship and cooperation to replace the previous friendship treaty, which concluded on April 24, 1955. The new treaty promotes political cooperation, economic and trade cooperation, in addition to academic and cultural cooperation.
Karzai underlined the positive economic prospects of his country and invited Indonesia to explore the possibility of direct trade and investment in Afghanistan.
"Indonesian businesses are welcomed to Afghanistan to participate in the development of Afghanistan and in the expansion of business between two countries," Karzai said.
The value of trade between the two countries was at US$37.78 million as of August this year.
Both leaders welcomed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Capacity Building for Law Enforcement Personnel, signed last September in Jakarta. The MoU stipulates that Indonesian National Police will train 50 Afghanistan National Police officers on traffic management, police community services and crime investigation. Both leaders instructed the training to commence as soon as possible.
To promote good governance, the meeting encouraged closer cooperation between the corruption eradication agencies of the two countries. Both leaders also underlined the importance of promoting bilateral cooperation on counterterrorism and transnational organised crimes as well as a commitment to combating people smuggling and trafficking.
"We will also explore cooperation in the fields of culture through a cultural exchange programmes and cultural mission," Yudhoyono said.
Following the talks, both leaders witnessed the signing of four agreements, respectively on friendship and cooperation, on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and service passports, on bilateral consultations and on cultural exchange programmes.
Previously, Yudhoyono also held bilateral talks with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.
With Ahmadinejad, Yudhoyono discussed problems in the Middle East area, especially in about conflict in Syria. Both leaders shared similar views that the international community should step in to prevent further humanitarian tragedies and let political process take place in the country.
Yudhoyono also discussed the same issue with Erdogan, as Turkey is also affected by the conflict, the two leaders also talked about how to promote economic and defence cooperation.
With Papua New Guinea, Indonesia is looking forward to building cooperation for the exploration and production of natural gas in the border area between the two country. Indonesia will also support the opening of direct flight route from Port Moresby to Bali and to Jakarta.
Afghan, Turkish Leaders Criticize UN Security Council Structure
November 8, 2012 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has criticized the structure of the United Nations Security Council.
During a democracy forum in Indonesia on November 8, Karzai said the current structure was "undemocratic."
He told the forum in his address that the Security Council, made up of five permanent members, "did not represent us all."
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also criticized the power of the council, citing its inaction over the Syria conflict.
He said the structure of only five countries holding veto power meant that the "fate of humanity" was in their hands.
Erdogan said disagreement between the permanent members on Syria had "encouraged the Syrian regime to kill its people."
Russia and China, both permanent members, have blocked several resolutions calling for the UN to take action in Syria.
Based on reporting by AFP and Tolo News
National Coalition Calls for 2014 Election Date Change
TOLOnews.com By Abdul Wali Arian Thursday, 08 November 2012
Afghanistan's National Coalition party wants the date of the 2014 presidential election, set for April 5, to be pushed back in order to avoid the risk that a long winter will make voting impossible for many residents in remote areas.
The Independent Election Commission (IEC) revealed its decision last week for the presidential election to be held in spring, but it has already been met with critisicm from lawmakers and political leaders for having it too soon after winter.
In an exclusive interview with TOLOnews, National Coalition chief Abdullah Abdullah reiterated these concerns, stressing that the election campaign would be difficult during winter time and called for a revision of the IEC plan.
"In this case it is for the all sides including the IEC , the Law of Independent Commission for Overseeing the Implementation of the Constitution, the government organs, political parties and coalitions to gather together and choose a proper date in which most of the people would be able to vote," Abdullah said, adding that conducting elections in the remote areas of Afghanistan in early spring will be almost impossible if election officials cannot travel there.
However, Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan executive director Jandad Spinghar disagreed.
Spinghar believes that there is enough time for the candidates to campaign and that with the air support of the foreign forces, all necessary supplies and documents will be provided to remote areas.
"There is enough time for the campaigns and the foreign forces can supply those areas by air. It is fair to have the elections according to date mentioned in the constitution," Spinghar said.
Lawmakers have criticised the IEC decision to have the poll early April for the same reasons put forward by Abdullah. They also claimed that the IEC decision to have the provincial council elections on the same day as the presidential election was against Afghanistan's constitution.
Donkeys replace helicopters in Afghanistan
Nov. 9, 2012 at 5:22 PM
PECH VALLEY, Afghanistan, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Afghan troops, tasked with defending outposts without high-tech equipment such as helicopters and jets, are relying on donkeys, a military official said.
Hundreds of donkeys are sustaining bases built and defended by U.S. troops and are in use as modern air power and transport equipment are being withdrawn, The Washington Post reported Friday.
"Donkeys are the Afghan helicopter," said Col. Abdul Nasseeri, an Afghan battalion commander in Konar province.
While U.S. military officials hope the use of donkeys is an "Afghan-sustainable" approach that can endure as Western support tapers off, Afghanistan's security leaders are displeased. After a decade of exposure to cutting-edge technology, they want their military to look like the U.S. army, an approach the U.S. government considers unfeasible and unrealistic, the newspaper said.
With U.S. helicopters on their way home, the donkey trade has risen steadily, transporting soldiers' needs from food to ammunition, and key fighting positions are being maintained by donkeys and their handlers.
One of the handlers, a 16-year-old named Qamuddin in Pech Valley, Afghanistan, said: "You are the richest and most powerful countries in the world. Of course you can afford helicopters. Without donkeys, there would be no Afghan army."
The future of Afghan women
Washington Post By Afghani Barakzai Friday, November 9, 2012
Afghani Barakzai is a Rumsfeld visiting fellow at the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. In Afghanistan, she manages the office and special projects at the Central Asia Development Group. The group, which is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, employs villagers to build and repair critical irrigation and municipal infrastructure in Afghanistan’s southern and eastern provinces.
Afull withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces from Afghanistan appears inevitable. Reading and watching news here in Washington, I can appreciate the intense focus on the military mission and on the men and women who have sacrificed to help my country. I worry, however, what will happen to Afghanistan after the U.S. military departs.
I have found little discussion of Afghanistan’s future or of what will become of U.S. civilian and military efforts to help us make our country a better place to live. Like many of my countrymen, I fear that Afghanistan will once again fall prey to civil and political discord, through either an expansion of the insurgency or a return to warlordism and widespread criminality. I also worry that the slow progress in women’s rights will falter and may even revert to the norms that existed before 2001.
Afghanistan observers are familiar with the litany of depressing facts and statistics that describe the lives and struggles of Afghan women: a 1-in-10 chance of dying during childbirth, chronic poverty, forced starvation for widows and their children, widespread domestic violence, lack of protection in tribal courts, and a staggering number of attempted suicides each year. Women in my country are still bought and sold in specialized markets.
With international help, we have achieved significant milestones over the past 10 years: More than 10,000 women are estimated to have started small businesses. Sixty-five women represent constituents in parliament. A few dozen women have even joined the military. Moreover, an estimated 2.4 million girls are receiving some degree of schooling; several hundred have made it into college. These steps are all critical — but equality remains far from inevitable.
Tragically, these modest gains and other advances are likely to be lost if the United States completely disengages from Afghanistan. Women’s rights will be among the first gains revoked as tribal courts reassert their power. Girls who are working toward college will be pulled out of school. Women’s businesses will be forced to close, first in the provinces and then in Kabul. Female political leadership will disappear.
Much can and needs to be done to promote civil, gender and human rights in Afghanistan. My country needs a strong central government that represents all Afghans. We need civic participation at the village level that promotes respect for the rule of law. We need strong leaders committed to and able to implement democratic practices and equal rights for women, promote universal education, and strengthen border control while stopping trade in drugs. Our government institutions must mature. To develop popular respect for national laws, we need strong courts and a justice system that promotes fair outcomes at the local level.
All of these things would help improve the security situation in Afghanistan, and our economy will grow as the country becomes more secure.
But to achieve any of this, we need continued support from the United States.
The international community has already helped us a great deal. Our constitution enshrines many of these universal, democratic values. I hope that as foreign forces withdraw, development groups will remain engaged. As U.S. and coalition military power decreases, a commensurate increase of “civilian power” is necessary to sustain the modest advances of the past decade.
Development programs such as those run by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the United Nations Development Program could focus on recruiting aid from Afghans abroad. Such measures could help provide the skills and capacity that Afghanistan desperately needs, while speaking to women’s rights — and human rights — with a compelling Afghan voice.
In Afghanistan, most people I have encountered in research and in my daily life are thankful for U.S. and international efforts to modernize our country. We realize that the nature of foreign engagement will change. To evolve toward a society that respects the rights of women and all minority groups, we hope that the United States will increase support and incentives for programs geared toward civil and human rights and for those who can come from abroad and set positive examples while speaking with an Afghan voice.
During my time in the United States, I have seen the promise that a civil society can hold. I hope that when I return to Afghanistan, citizens of my country will be able to work with U.S. partners to reflect this promise on our own soil.
India approves project worth 100 million dollars in Afghanistan
The Economic Times 8 Nov, 2012
NEW DELHI - India today approved small-scale projects worth 100 million dollars for implementation in strife-torn Afghanistan.
The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved the third phase of the Small Development Projects (SDP) in Afghanistan. The outlay for the third Phase of the Small Developmental Projects is 100 million dollars or approximately Rs 540 crore, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters here.
The Cabinet decision comes ahead of the visit of Afghan President Hamid Karzai here next week. The SDP directly impact local communities and support social-economic development and facilitate community life through creation of infrastructure in various sectors including education, health, agriculture, Small Development Projects said.
"Local communities of Afghanistan would directly benefit from the Small Development Projects which will cover all 34 provinces of Afghanistan," he said.
The Small Development Projects were earlier implemented in two phases--the first in July 2006 comprising 50 projects worth $11,216,179 and the second in June 2008 comprising 51 projects worth $8,579,537. Most of the projects in the two phases have been completed, Chidambaram said.
Karzai, who will be in India from November 9-12, will hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on regional security situation and safety of Indian nationals and Indian projects on November 12.`
Having committed a USD 2.3 billion aid programme, India is one of the largest donors to Afghanistan, investing in the economy, humanitarian aid, education, development, construction and electrical projects.
Viewpoint: Obama's second chance to secure Afghan peace
BBC News By Ahmed Rashid 8 November 2012
Lahore - It will take a lot of persuading to convince the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan that the re-election of President Barack Obama is on the whole a positive development for the South Asian region.
Few countries in the world have been so hostile to the president during his first term in office.
The rebuilding of a relationship between the US and Pakistan and Afghanistan is going to require more than just deft footwork by President Obama if peace and stability is to be restored in this strategically important region.
Just look at the present day reality.
Pakistan is emerging from a nine-month breakdown of all dialogue with the US - the lowest point in their relationship for 60 years.
Many in Islamabad think the US under President Obama has no strategy in Afghanistan, is hostile to Pakistan and is aiming to reduce its nuclear potential.
Anti-US anger
The US thinks Pakistan is lying as it continues to harbour extremists and is escalating global nuclear tensions by increasing its arsenal despite a severe economic crisis.
President Obama has frequently called Pakistan his biggest headache, but he has been unable to come up with a satisfying remedy.
There is little doubt that Pakistan has been paralysed by the continuation of the three-way fight between the army, the judiciary and the government.
It has stymied decision-making to the extent that nobody in the establishment is prepared to commit to an offensive against the Pakistani Taliban after the shooting of Malala Yousafzai, the girl student in the Swat valley who generated such enormous public loathing for the Taliban.
Now whatever military operation occurs will be a cosmetic rather than a serious attempt to deal with the problem - and will inevitably lead to continuing US pressure to do more.
However, one hopeful sign is that a few weeks before the US elections a new dialogue started between the military and senior US officials on the extremist threat as well as Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, in Afghanistan a war of words persists between President Obama's officials and those of President Hamid Karzai - recently Washington told the Afghan president to refrain from criticising the US and be grateful for the sacrifices that the US is making.
For his part President Karzai keeps reminding everyone that he enjoyed better days with former President George W Bush and that President Obama is constantly trying to undermine him.
But there are other reasons why President Karzai and President Zardari view President Obama's first term so negatively.
Both take exception to his periodically-used carrot or stick tactics to drag Islamabad and Kabul into line and both are upset by what they see as unilateral US moves taken without prior consultations.
The killing of Osama Bin Laden was a shining example of this from the Pakistani viewpoint, as was the start of the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and the refusal to provide the Afghan army with heavy weapons from Kabul's viewpoint.
In Washington the problems have been magnified by internal rivalries. President Obama had allowed the US military to run his policies towards Pakistan and Afghanistan - starting with the surge in Afghanistan in 2009 and then planning for the US withdrawal in 2014.
Taliban talks
More important political strategies such as talking to the Taliban, promoting free and fair elections in Afghanistan and Pakistan and trying to revive relations with Islamabad have been run by what some argue is a weak State Department held back by lack of presidential support.
But with his re-election, the president now has a second chance.
If the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014 is high on his agenda than he should prioritise talks with the Taliban which would aim for a ceasefire between all sides before US troops depart and before Afghan presidential elections are held in April 2014.
Many Taliban leaders are advocates of a political settlement rather than a bloody power grab for Kabul - because they fear a multi-dimensional civil war after 2014 which they know they cannot win when non-Pashtun groups in northern Afghanistan are now much stronger compared to the late 1990s when the Taliban last wielded power.
Last year's US-Taliban talks broke down because critics say they were undermined by the military and the CIA in Washington.
Now US officials say all parts of the administration are on board for talks. The president needs swiftly to compose a high-level team of experts and diplomats and enlist the help of some European countries - who have better relations with Iran and Pakistan - to talk to the Taliban with the aim of reducing violence and securing an Afghan ceasefire.
The regional diplomacy pursued by former US diplomat Richard Holbrooke - subsequently abandoned - needs to be revived by the US, which also needs to promote the idea of a non-interference regional pact that would protect Afghanistan from the machinations of its powerful neighbours.
Pakistan role
In the same way a clear US strategy to talk to the Afghan Taliban leaders based in Pakistan would also be attractive to all parts of the Pakistani establishment.
That is especially so for the military, which is now feeling the heat from the growing threat posed by the Pakistani Taliban.
A US dialogue to achieve a ceasefire in Afghanistan that includes Pakistani participation may act as a glue to help bind the bickering Pakistani establishment and help it to take the tough decisions required to secure peace.
With that in mind the new administration needs to re-engage with Pakistan on all fronts - particularly in helping it deal with the growing internal jihadist threat.
That includes helping Islamabad devise a comprehensive policy to disarm anti-Indian extremist groups that inhabit the strategically-important province of Punjab.
On its own and without financial help Pakistan is incapable of devising any such strategy. And if left out of any peace equation in Afghanistan, its intelligence agencies will be tempted to act as spoilers rather than healers.
The withdrawal from Afghanistan is going to remain critical for US foreign policy in the next four years - but even more so for a region where war and peace for the future decade could well be decided in the next few months.
Ahmed Rashid's book, Taliban, was updated and reissued recently on the 10th anniversary of its publication. His latest book is Pakistan on the Brink: The future of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the West.
Britain 'would support resumption of Taliban peace talks'
William Hague has suggested that Britain would support the resumption of US-Taliban peace talks in Qatar that broke down last year, ahead of the 2014 pullout of Afghanistan.
Telegraph.co.uk By Rahul Bedi 08 Nov 2012
New Delhi - Speaking during a three-day visit to India, Mr Hague said: "We should not exclude (talks in) Qatar."
But he declined to elaborate on the controversial talks aimed at a settlement in Afghanistan ahead of planned withdrawal of Nato troops from the war-ravaged country.
Mr Hague added that next year was an important one in which to push forward political reconciliation in Afghanistan, a move the UK strongly supported.
Peace talks between US officials and Taliban representatives began in Qatar in January to build mutual trust ahead of the military pullout.
But negotiations broke down two months later after the Taliban refused to agree to a deal in which their commanders released from Guantánamo Bay would not be returned to Afghanistan, but instead be incarcerate in Doha, the Qatari capital.
Mr Hague declined to comment directly on whether this would be a negotiating point in new talks but added that he would be open to suggestions.
Mr Hague declared that there would now be a "new momentum" in consultations with Washington over Afghanistan as the US presidential elections were over.
He also said he supported "constructive ties" between Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan in order to usher in peace in the highly volatile region.
On Syria Mr Hague said that the longer its internal turmoil continued the greater was the danger of extremist and radical groups securing a foothold in that country.
He said it was important for Syrian opposition groups to unite on a common platform to resolve the crisis and that the British government was actively encouraging them to do so.
Britain was also stepping up the supplies of humanitarian aid like communication equipment and water purification equipment to Syrian opposition groups.
A Kickstarter campaign for an ancient site in Afghanistan
Washington Post By Olga Khazan November 8, 2012
The crowd-funding platform Kickstarter has become a popular avenue for enterprising individuals to raise money to create everything from funky furniture to indie films. Now, one documentarian is using it to try to save an ancient city in Afghanistan.
Mes Aynak, a 2,600-year-old Buddhist site in Logar province, Afghanistan, is important for two reasons: It’s a 100-acre monastery complex filled with Buddhist temples, statues, relics and manuscripts, and it’s also home to one of the largest copper deposits in the world.
After discovering the latter trait, in 2007 a Chinese company paid $3.5 billion to lease Mes Aynak for 30 years and plans to extract more than $100 billion worth of copper from the area. It’s one of the largest foreign investments in Afghanistan and is part of China’s broader plan to exploit Afghanistan’s mineral wealth. The Afghan government stands to reap a potential $1.2 billion a year in revenues from the mine.
In 2009, the Chinese company gave archaeologists three years to excavate and move the artifacts before work starts on the copper mine. Ever since, archaeologists have been scrambling to save what they view as a major religious site, lest Mes Aynak’s relics meet the same fate as the Buddhas of Bamiyan, which were dynamited in 2001 by the Taliban.
In his Kickstarter profile, Brent Huffman, a documentary filmmaker and professor at Northwestern University, said he visited Mes Aynak in June 2011 “and immediately fell in love with this incredible site. I felt I needed to do everything in my power to save this cultural heritage for future generations of Afghans and for the international community.”
Huffman describes being in awe of the “massive walled-in Buddhist city featuring massive temples, monasteries, and thousands of Buddhist statues that managed to survive looters and the Taliban,” in a piece for CNN.
If he meets his $30,000 goal, Huffman plans to make a film detailing the imminent destruction of the ancient Buddhist city, arguing that the archaeologists have made little progress on salvaging the remaining artifacts.
The ruins, including the monastery and domed shrines known as “stupas,” will probably be destroyed once work at the mine begins, The Washington Post’s Heidi Vogt reported.
“That site is so massive that it’s easily a 10-year campaign of archaeology,” Laura Tedesco, an archaeologist working in Afghanistan, told the Post.
Huffman’s film, “The Buddhas of Mes Aynak,” “will follow several main characters to tell this dramatic and multi-layered story,” and will include a “well-rounded cast of supporting characters including Buddhist scholars, Afghan politicians and citizens in support of Chinese investments, U.S. military strategists, and Chinese veteran businessmen living and working in Afghanistan.”
Huffman writes that he hopes the film will raise awareness to both save Mes Aynak and “prevent similar destruction from happening to other cultural sites in Afghanistan located on or near mineral resources.”
www.afghanistannewscenter.com