Reconciliation and Integration in Loya Paktia, Afghanistan

In the troubled region of Afghanistan, the Southeast, efforts are underway to promote reconciliation and reintegration among low-level fighters and insurgents. However, the path to peace is fraught with complexities and obstacles.

One of the key issues is the lack of trust between the government and tribal leaders in the region. Association with the government has proven increasingly dangerous for tribal leaders, and the government's reliance on patronage networks rather than merit has made it unpopular. This lack of trust is particularly evident in the relationship between the ulema shuras and government authorities.

To address this issue, any reconciliation and reintegration strategy must happen in consultation with influential tribal representatives and the ulema. The involvement of local mullahs in a reconciliation initiative will be key, as their influence and importance cannot be underestimated. Traditional tribal elders and local jirgas have historically played a crucial role in negotiations between insurgents and the government.

Security is another major concern in the Southeast, with tribes no longer able to guarantee the full security of their communities or land. The minimal presence of Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) in most rural districts, especially the police, exacerbates the poor security environment. Unpopular military and Special Forces counter-insurgency operations often based on inadequate information undermine local government.

The new Afghan Peace and Reintegration Program (APRP) aims to address these issues, but its success is uncertain. The prevailing lack of security and weakness of the ANSF gives little hope that the new program will provide any similar guarantees of safety for newly reconciled insurgents. Under the previous Program Tahkim Sulh (PTS), there was continued fear of arrest by the ANSF and IMF even after insurgents joined the program, with no guarantee they would not be arrested once they handed themselves and their weapons over.

To ensure the success of the APRP, there must be firm guarantees that returning fighters will not be subsequently arrested by Afghan National Security Forces or by the International Military. A process of restorative justice must also be encouraged and take place at the grassroots level to address past rights abuses by government actors and to help avoid built-up resentment from turning into longstanding blood feuds, creating further instability.

Subnational-governance reform is key to improving people's current perceptions of the government as being a self-serving corrupt body. Ensuring fair appointments based on merit as opposed to connections is crucial. The weakness of sub-national governance structures meant that alliances with influential tribal leaders were not capitalized upon after the Bonn Conference. Currently, there are few legitimate interlocutors between the government and the people, as the Provincial Council holds no meaningful role in bridging gaps.

Without taking into consideration the regional dimension of the conflict and marginalized tribes, and without any serious attempts at political reform within the government at both the national and sub-national levels, such a peace initiative will hold little traction. The complexity, breadth, and scope of the APRP could undermine any tangible success unless long-standing underlying causes of the conflict are addressed and a serious public restorative process dealing with past injustices and grievances between rival political groups or tribes gets underway.

In conclusion, the path to peace in Afghanistan's Southeast is a challenging one, but it is not impossible. By addressing the issues of trust, security, and governance, and by working closely with tribal leaders and the ulema, a meaningful reconciliation and reintegration process can take place. The central government must lead and publicly endorse any meaningful reconciliation and reintegration process with the full backing of the International Community. Only then can the people of the Southeast region view the current government as a meaningful partner in governance and security, both in the districts and provincial centres.