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'Warlords are an obstacle to peace'

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Oct. 9 . Amid information of rapid re-grouping of Taliban in parts of Afghanistan, a report has warned that the domination of Afghanistan's political landscape by warlords is still the principal obstacle to the implementation of the political process that was agreed at the Bonn conference in late 2001. As per tentative estimates, there are over five lakh private militia.

The report was prepared by the International Crisis Group — a Brussels-based non-governmental organisation specialising in studies in conflict areas around the globe. It has produced several credible reports on Afghanistan and South Asia, especially in the context of the Indo-Pak tensions and the Kashmir imbroglio. In its report `Disarmament and reintegration in Afghanistan', the ICG has said that without a credible process of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of former commanders and fighters into society, it is inconceivable that any of the key elements of that political process could be implemented. These include the adoption of a new constitution, judicial reform, and elections.

It has also advocated the need for more international engagement across the country — in the form of both security contributions and economic assistance. While the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) remains confined to Kabul, not even one-fourth of the financial commitments made at Tokyo conference for reconstruction of Afghanistan has materialised.

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