Afghan cleric on a mission
Praises Canadian role in Kandahar
But urges troops to get to know locals
Feb. 20, 2006. 04:44 AM
MITCH POTTER
MIDDLE EAST BUREAU
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan—He is a friendly neighbourhood mullah who wants nothing more than to shake hands with a Canadian soldier. And Haji Kari Saeed Ahmed says most Afghans feel the same.
But even Ahmed, an Islamic scholar from Kandahar's Ghus-e-Saqlin Mosque, recognizes the handshake may not come anytime soon. Not until newly arriving Canadian troops get their heads around the rejectionist bombs blocking the way.
"There are two types of scholars in Kandahar. There are the ones like me, who understand the foreigners have come here to help us, to support us, to give us peace," Ahmed, 30, said yesterday. "The other type of scholar tries to poison the ears of people around them, calling the foreigners infidels and telling people to fight them."
The soft-spoken cleric said he expects the newcomers to be jumpy, given the hostility that awaits Canada's security presence in Kandahar province, part of a wider NATO deployment across volatile southern Afghanistan.
"The Americans, when they first came, were afraid. They didn't know anything about Kandahar," said Ahmed.
"The same thing is happening with the Canadians. Right now they look afraid. The Afghans of Kandahar are also afraid. Everyone has a family. Many of us are threatened. We all worry.
"But understand, not everyone is Taliban or Al Qaeda. Most people just want to meet the Canadians to shake their hands."
Ahmed, 30, has endured wars of one kind or another almost continuously since childhood. He sees this month's deployment of nearly 2,200 Canadians as reaffirmation that his native Kandahar may yet emerge as a peaceful city with something to offer its young.
Ahmed was blunt in assessing the size and shape of the growing insurgency and the complex circumstances feeding it. Though "enemies from the neighbouring countries" are actively backing a campaign of attacks on coalition forces and fledgling institutions, Ahmed said the violence would not be possible without substantial support and sympathy within.
The embittered remnants of the ousted Taliban who made Kandahar their capital have used mosques to sow holy war in the minds of locals, Ahmed said, exploiting the Pashtun pride of the largely uneducated and deeply tribal populace. Moderates such as Ahmed risk intimidation and violence when they speak out, urging Afghans to see their situation rationally.
Ahmed believes the struggle for Afghanistan ultimately will tilt against the insurgents because the memory of the regressive Taliban era is simply too fresh for a revival to take hold.
"Our young generation doesn't want the Taliban because they already spent six years in power and nothing happened," he said. "The education system, the economy, the way they made up their own laws — there was nothing. Now we have something. The Afghan people want to go forward, not backward."
What price Canadian and other NATO troops will pay in advancing the cause is now a subject of some debate in Afghan security circles. At least one senior government official suggested on the weekend that the recent surge in suicide attacks — at least 22 bombings since last September — could be aimed specifically at countries such as Canada, which may be seen as weak links in the efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.
"I think the rise of attacks in Afghanistan nowadays is aimed at the weak forces, such as Canada and others, and that is because these countries can easily be threatened," Akbar Ansari, a senior prosecutor in Afghanistan's anti-terrorism courts," told the Los Angeles Times.
"The terrorists want the Americans to be alone in Afghanistan, so that they can deal with them later. Al Qaeda doesn't want to leave its nest in Afghanistan," Ansari said.
Canadian troops traded their first fire in the field yesterday in a minor skirmish at a forward camp 60 kilometres northeast of Kandahar. There were no casualties, but the rocket-propelled grenade attack served as a stark reminder that Project Afghanistan is no longer a theory.
In a final piece of advice, Mullah Ahmed suggested that when the Canadians adjust to the initial shock of deployment, they would do well to take the time to say hello. And perhaps help him explain the NATO presence to other Afghans.
"The Canadians should sit down with the scholars and elders in every village" to explain why they are here, he said. "Some people will still reject it. But the Canadians are a gift to Afghanistan. At least if you explain it, people will realize why you are here."
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1140390609883&call_pageid=1140433364397&col=1140433364286
Taken from Toronto Star-20 Feb 06 - Front Page
Praises Canadian role in Kandahar
But urges troops to get to know locals
Feb. 20, 2006. 04:44 AM
MITCH POTTER
MIDDLE EAST BUREAU
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan—He is a friendly neighbourhood mullah who wants nothing more than to shake hands with a Canadian soldier. And Haji Kari Saeed Ahmed says most Afghans feel the same.
But even Ahmed, an Islamic scholar from Kandahar's Ghus-e-Saqlin Mosque, recognizes the handshake may not come anytime soon. Not until newly arriving Canadian troops get their heads around the rejectionist bombs blocking the way.
"There are two types of scholars in Kandahar. There are the ones like me, who understand the foreigners have come here to help us, to support us, to give us peace," Ahmed, 30, said yesterday. "The other type of scholar tries to poison the ears of people around them, calling the foreigners infidels and telling people to fight them."
The soft-spoken cleric said he expects the newcomers to be jumpy, given the hostility that awaits Canada's security presence in Kandahar province, part of a wider NATO deployment across volatile southern Afghanistan.
"The Americans, when they first came, were afraid. They didn't know anything about Kandahar," said Ahmed.
"The same thing is happening with the Canadians. Right now they look afraid. The Afghans of Kandahar are also afraid. Everyone has a family. Many of us are threatened. We all worry.
"But understand, not everyone is Taliban or Al Qaeda. Most people just want to meet the Canadians to shake their hands."
Ahmed, 30, has endured wars of one kind or another almost continuously since childhood. He sees this month's deployment of nearly 2,200 Canadians as reaffirmation that his native Kandahar may yet emerge as a peaceful city with something to offer its young.
Ahmed was blunt in assessing the size and shape of the growing insurgency and the complex circumstances feeding it. Though "enemies from the neighbouring countries" are actively backing a campaign of attacks on coalition forces and fledgling institutions, Ahmed said the violence would not be possible without substantial support and sympathy within.
The embittered remnants of the ousted Taliban who made Kandahar their capital have used mosques to sow holy war in the minds of locals, Ahmed said, exploiting the Pashtun pride of the largely uneducated and deeply tribal populace. Moderates such as Ahmed risk intimidation and violence when they speak out, urging Afghans to see their situation rationally.
Ahmed believes the struggle for Afghanistan ultimately will tilt against the insurgents because the memory of the regressive Taliban era is simply too fresh for a revival to take hold.
"Our young generation doesn't want the Taliban because they already spent six years in power and nothing happened," he said. "The education system, the economy, the way they made up their own laws — there was nothing. Now we have something. The Afghan people want to go forward, not backward."
What price Canadian and other NATO troops will pay in advancing the cause is now a subject of some debate in Afghan security circles. At least one senior government official suggested on the weekend that the recent surge in suicide attacks — at least 22 bombings since last September — could be aimed specifically at countries such as Canada, which may be seen as weak links in the efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.
"I think the rise of attacks in Afghanistan nowadays is aimed at the weak forces, such as Canada and others, and that is because these countries can easily be threatened," Akbar Ansari, a senior prosecutor in Afghanistan's anti-terrorism courts," told the Los Angeles Times.
"The terrorists want the Americans to be alone in Afghanistan, so that they can deal with them later. Al Qaeda doesn't want to leave its nest in Afghanistan," Ansari said.
Canadian troops traded their first fire in the field yesterday in a minor skirmish at a forward camp 60 kilometres northeast of Kandahar. There were no casualties, but the rocket-propelled grenade attack served as a stark reminder that Project Afghanistan is no longer a theory.
In a final piece of advice, Mullah Ahmed suggested that when the Canadians adjust to the initial shock of deployment, they would do well to take the time to say hello. And perhaps help him explain the NATO presence to other Afghans.
"The Canadians should sit down with the scholars and elders in every village" to explain why they are here, he said. "Some people will still reject it. But the Canadians are a gift to Afghanistan. At least if you explain it, people will realize why you are here."
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1140390609883&call_pageid=1140433364397&col=1140433364286
Taken from Toronto Star-20 Feb 06 - Front Page
