All stakeholders in Afghanistan have clarified their relations with the Afghan government. None of these countries supports the collapse of the government and the return of the Taliban to power by force. At the same time, they are working to persuade the Afghan government and the Taliban to reach a viable peace agreement through dialogue. These countries also seek to facilitate such an agreement between the two sides. This is the clearest map of the world’s relationship with Afghanistan.
Following the Taliban’s advance into government-controlled areas, most Afghans attributed their allegiance both to the government and to the Taliban. They stood up to the Taliban in the form of popular uprisings (voluntary forces) forces and exposed their hatred of the group. They also backed government forces, saying they would not tolerate the Taliban returning to power by force. This means that the voluntary forces are loyal to the current order and government, and are not in favor of its collapse.
What is worrying in the meantime is the lack of political unity at the level of elites and political figures. Many elites and political figures are still silent and have not said anything about the current and future situation of the country. The heads of the republic have not yet succeeded to unite to manage the current situation and determine the future of the government. This political turmoil has worried not only the people of Afghanistan but also the countries of the world.
In a letter to Ghani and Abdullah, the US Secretary of State described the political turmoil in Afghanistan as a serious threat to the survival of the government and its future. According to him, if the political division is not eliminated, the collapse of the government and the fall of Afghanistan in the wake of another civil war is not far-fetched.
Deborah Lyons, UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, also recently expressed concern at the UN Security Council about the lack of political unity among Afghan leaders. Lyons stressed that the existing political divisions that pave the way for the Taliban to advance must be resolved.
In a meeting with Ghani and Abdullah, US President Joe Biden also emphasized the political unity of Afghanistan’s political community. This underscores the fact that the world is concerned about divisions and hatred at the level of Afghan political community and sees it as a potential cause of future collapse. However, no effective and serious work has been done so far for political unity in the country.
Political unity does not come about just by holding a few ceremonial meetings. The government must lay the groundwork for political unity in the country by observing the principles of justice and fairness and the equal application of the law. Discriminatory treatment of ethnic groups, selective enforcement of the law, and unequal distribution of opportunities and resources are the main causes of political divisions. Political unity requires that everyone be treated as equal before the law and that what causes political divisiveness be eliminated.
What is most divisive at the moment is the difference of opinion on the subject of war and peace. The Afghan political community was to be united by forming the High Council of State as the supreme decision-making body on important national issues, including war and peace. Unfortunately, this was not done and there has been no news about this council for weeks.
Given that the international community and a large section of the Afghan people have confirmed their support for the government in the face of the Taliban aggression, our political community needs to unite. At present, there is no greater threat to the Afghan government than political division. The Taliban can bring the government to its knees when elites and political figures fail to agree on how to confront the group or to map out the future of Afghanistan. Therefore, in order for the government to survive and maintain the existing order, it is necessary for the elites and political figures to stand united with the government. Otherwise, it is natural that Afghanistan will not recover despite the cooperation of the international community and the support of millions of people for the government, and this country will again see the collapse of the government.
