Writing for the Christian Science Monitor, Scott Baldauf reports that five Taliban commanders have taken amnesty offers this month.
But the tide appears to be shifting. Fatigue is setting in among Taliban fighters. “We are tired of war; we don’t want to continue with the destruction of our country,” says Rasheid, who used a pseudonym for this interveiw because he continues to cross the border into Pakistan to persuade Taliban members to stop their fighting and support the Afghan government.
President Karzai offered an olive branch to rank-and-file Taliban fighters last year and said all but a core group of 150 militants wanted for human-rights violations would be able to rejoin the political process. “Not only the Taliban but all Afghans who are afraid of their past political affiliation can return home and resume their normal lives,” says Jawed Luddin, a Karzai spokesman. “It is the time to rebuild our country.”
Dr. Rasheid agrees but says “the Taliban are still worried that the government will take revenge on them, or they will send us to Guantanamo. We are trying our best to convince them [to accept the amnesty], but it is very hard work. Even so, we will not stop.”
When Dr. Rasheid turned himself in, he too was afraid that he would be sent to Guantanamo. Here’s wishing him success.
This post was written by...
Nathan Hamm – author of 2974 posts on Registan.net.
Nathan is the Founding Editor and Publisher of Registan.net, which he launched in 2003. He was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uzbekistan 2000-2001 and received his MA in Central Asian Studies from the University of Washington in 2007. Since 2007, he has worked full-time as an analyst, consulting with private and government clients on Central Asian affairs, specializing in how socio-cultural and political factors shape risks and opportunities and how organizations can adjust their strategic and operational plans to account for these variables. Nathan is currently seeking research, analysis, and consulting opportunities. He can be contacted via Twitter or email.
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