Fr Moretti: the agreement between the US and the Taliban is a 'fragile' first step, not real peace
Despite the signed deal, attacks continue in the country. Yesterday a rocket hit a public ceremony with the head of government was present. For the priest, the deal signed by the US and the Taliban is not final because it "excludes the government". All groups need to me represented. People in the cities fear a return to Sharia.
Rome (AsiaNews) - The agreement signed in Doha by Afghan Taliban and the United States "is a first step towards peace, and is beyond discussion” but on the ground the situation is one of "great fragility" as evinced by recent attacks, this according to Fr Giuseppe Moretti, chaplain at the Italian embassy and responsible for the missio sui iuris of Afghanistan until 2015,
The clergyman was not surprised "by the repeated attacks" by extremist groups "in different parts of the country" after the deal was struck since” it excludes the government in Kabul."
An attack was carried out yesterday morning during a public ceremony in which several political leaders were present, including the head of government Abdullah Abdullah.
The blast, caused by a rocket, hit the crowd, which was assembled to commemorate the Abdul Ali Mazari, a Hazara politician killed by the Taliban in 1995.
Other attacks took place in the last few days with at least 20 deaths among Afghan soldiers and police, highlighting how fragile the situation and the weakness of the agreement which certainly did not end the violence.
For Fr Moretti, the first question is “whether Afghanistan is an independent country or a US colony” because the Doha talks “did not include the Afghan government”. The Americans "wanted to do it alone, while the Taliban don't recognise this government.”
The “peace” with the insurgents is an agreement between NATO and the Taliban, at war since the attack on the Twin Towers in September 2001.
But does the Taliban’s so-called chief leader and co-founder, Abdul Ghani Baradar, who signed the pact, “represent all the groups or only the majority?". It is evident that “the peace deal is fragile”.
A stable and lasting agreement must include, says the clergyman, “the internationally recognised constitutional government as well.” It is also necessary that “all groups be represented at a time of so many divisions.”
This "is not the peace of and by the Afghans” because "those who supported the West in all these years have been excluded from the negotiations".
“It is not the peace of the people, especially those in urban areas who had begun to breathe some freedom and democracy.”
The Barnabite priest, who spent almost 30 years in Afghanistan, noted that many issues remain unresolved issues before peace is truly achieved across the country.
Doha delivers “an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” which represents "a gift from the Americans allowing the Taliban to come back to power.” This wipes away what has been done so far "in terms of rights" and opens the door to “the reintroduction of Sharia, Islamic law.”
In the bid cities, people do not want to give up "after tasting a part of freedom", while in the villages to stop the bombs is enough of a goal.
The Taliban have promised not to take away some rights, like the right to wear the veil or not, but "will they really keep their word and respect the agreement? It’s hard to say.”
Furthermore, the Doha deal has some secret protocols and it is easy to speculate that they are for the benefit of the Taliban, with the government “kept out of negotiations.”
“The government and the Taliban are supposed to meet on 10 March, but the number of prisoners to be released is already proving controversial.” The government is saying that “it is their business and that the Americans shouldn’t interfere.”
“This is why I think we should wait. Only an agreement between the government and the Taliban can bring true peace.”
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