The third round of the Vienna Conference has ended. The final declaration of this meeting has renewed commitment to the principles of democracy, human rights, and national unity as the basic foundations of establishing a democratic political system in Afghanistan. The participants of the meeting, while emphasizing the pivotal role of the United Nations, asked this organization to take “practical measures to ensure freedom, peace, stability, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and the continuity and fair distribution of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan.” The fight against terrorism and the registration of human rights violations are among the other demands of the participants of the Vienna meeting. One of the other important issues that the declaration emphasizes is “supporting people’s resistance to the right to self-determination based on the UN Charter.”
In the final declaration of the third round of the Vienna meeting, it is also mentioned that arranging and presenting a “roadmap” to create the umbrella of a political unit to integrate the opposing forces of the Taliban as much as possible. The participants of this meeting asked for international support for this “road map” asking “organizations, personalities, and political parties” to join the process.
However, this plan has not been made public yet, so it is not clear what methods it offers for the political cohesion of the groups opposing the Taliban, but the spirit of preparing the “road map” is a step forward and an optimizing effort to mobilize all the forces that seek to fight against this group. The opposition forces of the Taliban have been scattered for more than two years and thus have not been able to have a promising and effective fight against this group. The two fronts that are engaged in armed struggle with the Taliban have not only become stronger in the past two years but have shown more weakness and shortcomings.
On the political front, the opponents of the Taliban are not in a favorable situation. It is as if these forces have not recovered from the shock of the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban and therefore need more time to reorganize themselves. Part of the opposition forces of the Taliban who have gathered in the Supreme Council of Resistance for the Salvation of Afghanistan have not had any special achievements that can be relied on to be optimistic about the effective and positive role of this group in the game of Afghan politics. They are still waiting for the intervention of foreigners to be favored by them again. This group seems to have realized that they are stuck in the crowded market of Afghan politics to a great extent and therefore, not much work has been done by them. Sometimes they express opinions on several platforms so that they are not completely forgotten among people, and then they disappear again.
The generally younger forces against the Taliban operate with more momentum and perseverance, and therefore, if there is any hope left, we can hope for these forces. The “road map” which is the result of the third round of the Vienna conference, has taken the first step towards the formation of an anti-Taliban political alternative. Although this step is small, if it is accompanied by more concrete and serious measures, it can form the first real political-military front against the Taliban regime. If this front can carry out political activities outside of Afghanistan at the same time as intensifying and expanding military activities inside the country, the resistance against the Taliban will enter a more serious and promising phase.
Recently, due to the increase in dissatisfaction of the countries of the region with the Taliban, we are witnessing the gradual awakening of some of the opposing forces of this group, which previously had a passive and inactive position for any reason. If these forces manage to create a large political umbrella consisting of all anti-Taliban groups and intensify the pressure on this group from inside and outside, we can hope for the formation of a democratic Afghanistan in the immediate future.
