Eastern Afghanistan provinces host regional peace Jirga call for peace

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Four provincial governors and 21-member executive committee from the eastern Afghanistan peace and development jirga met in the Nangarhar governor’s compound to discuss the group’s charter and its top priorities, Nov. 10.

Provincial governors, elders and mullahs from Nangarhar, Kunar, Nuristan and Laghman provinces gathered to lay out their home-grown plan to improve security and development in the four eastern most Afghanistan provinces.

The groups top priority is to find ways to reconcile with Taliban and other Afghans who do not support the central government.

“Today is a day of happiness because we are working for future peace and development,” said Gul Agha Sherzai, Nangarhar provincial governor. “The main purpose today is to discuss the problems and work for the reconciliation in the eastern zone. We want to bring our brothers back to peace.”

Sherzai told the group there were lots problems the jirga must work to solve, and he called on the executive committee to rise to the challenge.

The committee’s main objective is to support President Hamid Karzai’s decree of national reconciliation.

“We’re ahead of what is happening elsewhere in Afghanistan and it’s being noticed in Kabul,” said Fazlullah Wahidi, Kunar provincial governor. “We must reconcile with our brothers because the fighting isn’t working.”

Lutfullah Mashal, Laghman provincial governor, told the committee that the regional jirga does not conflict with the laws or will of the national government.

“I believe what we do here is in agreement with the Afghan Constitution and will bridge the gap between the mullahs, the government and the people,” Mashal said. “The jirga will have a strong relationship with Kabul.”

According to Mashal, the long-term use of the jirga will help address many of the economic, security and social problems in the eastern provinces.

U.S. Army Col. Randy A. George, Task Force Mountain Warrior commander from Alden, Iowa, who attended the meetings as an observer, expressed support for the group.

“We're pleased to see Afghan-led initiatives at the regional and sub-regional level that can help connect traditional structures to the government, and pursue local opportunities for progress,” George said. “We’re here to help and support such endeavors, where Afghans work together for greater prosperity and peace.”

The executive committee discussed their charter and mission statement, and voted in agreement on each tenet. Included in their charter is handling reconciliation, fighting narcotics and smuggling, rooting out corruption, helping with employment and social justice programs and coordinating on development projects.

It was also agreed that the jirga executive committee would be financial supported by the governors to execute their charter. After the meeting, a new office for the executive committee near the Nangarhar governor’s compound was dedicated by the four governors with much fanfare.

The executive committee was told by Sherzai to return in a week and bring their ideas, information and plans from their communities on what it will take to reconcile with “our sad brothers.”