KABUL : In the frigid winter air in Kabul, there is a deeper sense ofanxiety that things are out of control, that the government is failing toserve the public and consumed by political power struggles. People fear thedestructive menace of the Taliban and the Islamic State, but their anger isdirected at leaders, especially President Ashraf Ghani, who many feel haveabandoned them, Washington Post reported on Monday.
“People did not suddenly become afraid, but this time the violence hasadded to their frustrations with the government. It showed a total failureof institutions and leadership,” said Haroun Mir, an independent analystand former government security adviser.
Like several observers, Mir said Afghans feel increasingly frustrated withthe National Unity Government, which they see as preoccupied with combatingdomestic political opponents and courting international favor, while manyordinary citizens can’t find jobs or feel safe walking the streets.
“Security has become the privilege of the elite,” he said. “The rest of usare in the hands of God.”
The insurgents have continued to gain far-flung territory and launchdevastating urban attacks, even as the U.S. government embarks on a newinitiative to strengthen and expand the Afghan defense forces, bringing inthousands of new U.S. military trainers in close cooperation with Ghani andhis security advisers.
In west Kabul, where so many mosques have been attacked in the past yearthat some are now guarded by local militiamen and others have closed,people are especially nervous and disillusioned.
“This government is destroying itself and the country,” said KhudadadAllahyar, 65, a resident of Dasht-e-Barchi, a district of west Kabuldominated by Shiite ethnic Hazaras. “When we leave home to go and pray, weare not sure we will come back safely.”
Ghani has responded swiftly to the recent spate of terrorist attacks,although with mixed results. He visited survivors in hospital wards andannounced the removal of numerous police and military officials. But healso offered contradictory remarks by giving an emotional speech at amosque about “avenging” the violence followed by a televised lecture aboutthe urgency of seeking reconciliation with the Taliban.
Several of Ghani’s aides said he remains focused on his other toppriorities as well as the insurgent threat. One priority is reforming apublic sector known for bloat and corruption; another is preparing forlocal, parliamentary and then presidential elections in the coming months.But that process has been marred by technical and political problems, andlast week officials announced that the first polls slated for July probablywill be delayed until October.
The other issue challenging Ghani’s authority is public fights between thepresident and current and former officials that have dominated headlinesfor weeks. Such power struggles, instead of being handled throughnegotiations, have threatened to politicize intelligence agencies, pitregional strongmen against the central government and potentially dividethe national defense forces.
“These political distractions are becoming more dangerous than theTaliban,” said Javid Faisal, a senior aide to the government’s chiefexecutive officer, Abdullah Abdullah, who ran against Ghani in 2014 butlater agreed to share power with him after a fraud-plagued and inconclusiveelection. “You expect the Taliban to act like terrorists, but you don’texpect friends to behave like enemies.”
The most potentially destabilizing quarrel is with Atta Mohammad Noor, awealthy former militia leader and longtime governor of Balkh province inthe north. After months of negotiations in which Atta demanded moreofficial perks and power, Ghani abruptly fired him in December. Attarefused to resign, and the president threatened to dislodge him by forceuntil he was dissuaded by the White House.
Critics blame Ghani for needlessly humiliating a powerful and vengefulrival whom he could have appeased with blandishments, while his supportersblame Atta — who threatened to lead violent protests when Ghani claimedvictory in 2014 for behaving like a warlord while reaping the benefits of amodern democratic order.
The second, newer brouhaha is between Ghani and another high-profileopponent, Rahmatullah Nabil, who quit as head of the national intelligenceagency two years ago in a policy dispute with Ghani and since then hasco-founded an opposition party. Nabil, who recently accused Ghani offraudulently manipulating the 2014 election, suddenly was barred fromreturning to Afghanistan while visiting the United States last month.
These fights, while providing endless talk show fodder, also have added toconcern that Afghan leaders are more worried about undermining each otheras potential electoral rivals than about restoring public confidence andstrengthening a democratic system that still is floundering badly after 17years. Many Afghans fear presidential elections will not be held at all bynext year, defying the constitution and public demand.
“Ghani is trying to divide and rule, when what Afghanistan needs is to beunited. It might help him for now, but it could destroy the country”Analyst Haroun Mir said.