Defence reforms may reduce faction fighting

Analysts in Central Asia hope that the newly-reformed Afghan defence ministry will pave the way to genuine disarmament and bring an end to factional fighting that has plagued the north of the country. Plans to reform the Defence Ministry in Afghanistan were finally approved by the country's cabinet this week. "The reforms are intended to create a more equitable ethnic balance within the ministry and encourage national disarmament," Vikram Parekh, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group (ICG), told IRIN from the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Thursday, adding that 22 new appointments had been approved by the cabinet, with defence minister Marshal Fahim retaining his position. "The reforms are intended to suggest diversity within the leadership of the defence ministry, and, in turn, to counter resistance to disarmament and demobilisation among commanders who feel that they lack representation within the current defence ministry structure," Parekh explained. Divisional commanders in several regions, including the Pashtun southeast and the Uzbek regions of the northeast, had said that they would not comply with national disarmament if all of the leadership positions in the defence ministry were held by Panjshiri Tajiks, he said. Since the collapse of the Taliban, ethnic Tajik factions had held the majority of the key ministries, with the majority Pashtuns feeling that they did not have enough representation of power, he added. "Ethnic and regional diversity will not, on its own, produce an effective defence ministry or national army, but professionalism will," Parekh said. "Although Afghanistan has a large number of professional army officers, who could all assist in ensuring national security, the majority are associated with the former communist regime and have been marginalised by the mujahideen parties," he added. Pashtun grievances with their lack of national representation has contributed to the government's instability. It is hoped that the cabinet's decision to approve the reforms will aid the reconstruction process in Afghanistan. "The disarmament programme in the north has suffered because of the lack of an external actor to enforce regional disarmament agreements and to take possession of weapons. As long as Atta Mohammad and Abdul Rashid Dostum remain in competition, there will be little incentive to comply with the disarmament agreements or prevent new arm flows to local commanders," Parekh stressed. Afghan officials and foreign observers have said it would be another three years before the army and new national police force could fully take charge of security in the country. A 5,300-strong International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) under NATO command is helping to ensure security in Kabul while a 12,500-strong US-led coalition is hunting militants, mainly in the southeast border region. The United States is also leading efforts to train the new army. Last month some 1,000 Afghan National Army soldiers backed by US and Italian troops took part in their first major combat operation against suspected Taliban militants in southeast Afghanistan.