Indonesia’s role in facilitating the peace process in Afghanistan has gained positive response from the international community. Indonesia will hold a tripartite forum in Jakarta this month.
By
SUHARTONO
·3 minutes read
Setwapres
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani (left) embraces Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Wednesday (28/2) during the second Kabul Peace Conference in Afghanistan.
KABUL, KOMPAS – Indonesia’s role in facilitating the peace process in Afghanistan has gained positive response from the international community. Apart from the country’s involvement in the second Kabul Peace Conference, which Vice President Jusuf Kalla and a number of high-ranking state officials attended, Indonesia is also following up on the conference with a tripartite forum in March between Indonesian, Pakistani and Afghan clerics in Jakarta. The forum aims to embrace the Taliban and welcome it into the fold of the Afghan government.
At the Kabul Peace Conference held on Wednesday (28/2) at Kabul’s Haram Sharai Palace, Kalla – who sat beside Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and High Peace Council chairman Karim Khalili – said that the 40-year conflict in Afghanistan was highly complex.
However, Kalla said that he was certain there was a solution that would please everyone. With strong support from neighboring countries and the international community, peace in Afghanistan would be achievable through several phases.
“Without the support from neighboring countries and the Afghan people, the peace process will be difficult. The Afghan people must have a real commitment to live in peace and prosper,” said Kalla, who spoke after President Ghani and Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani.
The second Kabul Peace Conference, attended by the representatives, leaders and clerics of 25 countries, was a platform for peace in Afghanistan. In his speech, delivered in English and translated into Pashtun, Ghani called for the Taliban to unite with other Afghans to live in peace and harmony under a unified government.
One of Ghani’s peace proposals for the Taliban is to recognize the group as a political party. Ghani called for a ceasefire and, afterwards, the Taliban could be transformed into a political party and participate in the elections.
"A ceasefire should be held, the Taliban should be recognized as a political party and trust-building process should be initiated. Now the decision is in your hands, accept peace … and let\'s bring stability to this country," Ghani said.
As a political party, the Taliban could set up offices in Kabul or any other location they wished.
The proposal also included the release of prisoners and a new election. Ghani added that the Taliban would also be excluded from the international list of terror groups. Former militia members and refugees would be assimilated and jobs would be offered. There would be no punishment for who seek peace.
In return, the Taliban militia must recognize the government and the constitution. In past peace talks, discussions on these issues always resulted in deadlocks.
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Embracing the Taliban
Kalla said that one of the complex issues in Afghanistan was how to welcome the Taliban into the government’s ranks. “In order to embrace the Taliban, we will involve clerics in Afghanistan and also in Pakistan. They will meet in the tripartite forum in Jakarta between Indonesian, Pakistani and Afghan clerics,” he said.
“We hope that, with the clerics’ help, the government and the Taliban can sit down together,” said Kalla.
Vice President special staff Azyumardi Azra said that the United Nations had welcomed Indonesia’s good will in facilitating the Afghan peace process. “Indonesia is the right choice for bridging the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan,” he said.
Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said that the international community had responded positively to Indonesia’s initiative in assisting the Afghan peace process. Indonesia’s efforts would be followed by initiatives to develop the human resource capacity in Afghanistan.
