Blinken’s letter to Ghani draws widespread debate

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s letter to President Ashraf Ghani suggesting the establishment of a transitional government and a high-level summit in Turkey has sparked widespread reaction among Afghan officials and politicians – with some in favor of the move and others opposed to it. 

First Vice President Amrullah Saleh said at an event commemorating the 7th death anniversary of Marshal Qasim Fahim on Monday, that Afghanistan will never accept demands that could jeopardize the people’s right to vote. 

He said the letter, which was in fact a proposal for a new political structure in Afghanistan, was “shameful” and that he will “resist it”. 

“Let me be clear I will not sign it,” Saleh said.

He also stated that the people of Afghanistan will not accept what he called a “forced and imposed peace on the people of Afghanistan”.

“One of the articles is to form a supreme council for the enforcement of Sharia [law]. In the county where we have several scholars like Imam Abu Hanifa; now two people who graduated from Haqqania School will hand over a certificate of Islam to us. I will never sign at the bottom of that shameful document,” said Saleh.

“We have the right not to hang the fate of 35 million people on someone else’s schedule,” he said adding that “Americans and their Western allies have every right to decide the fate of 2,500 U.S. and a few thousand NATO troops now stationed in our country.” 

This was in reference to the stipulated May 1 withdrawal of all US troops as per the US-Taliban agreement signed in Doha last year in February. 

Saleh also reiterated government’s position that only elected leaders can govern Afghanistan and Afghan voters should be the ones to freely choose them. 

“If they (Taliban) agree to elections in principle, it is the president’s last term [in office], so then we can talk about a date for an election,” he said.

“We held two days of talks with U.S. officials and told them we will never compromise on the rights of the people of Afghanistan,” he said.

According to Saleh, government’s stance will not change. He also stated he is not worried about the letter.

“We are neither concerned about the letter nor has it changed our position,” Saleh said.

“But we will not accept any deal [sealed] between 20 people in a room; for the dissolution of the Constitution and our achievements; and especially we will not let anyone take the people’s right to vote away – never, never, never!,” he said.

Meanwhile, former president Hamid Karzai also highlighted the diversity in the country and urged Afghans to work hard at preserving unity.

Referring to his time in office he said: “I had one view, Marshal (Qasim Fahim, former first vice president) had another view, and (former vice president Karim) Khalili had another opinion, but it was all about the country’s interests, and that must be preserved.” 

Meanwhile, Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) said he also received a letter, similar to that sent to Ghani. 

Abdullah stated the letter indicates that the international community considers the need for peace as urgent but that this was out of government’s control.

“Today, people of Afghanistan are facing difficult times… When three people (female workers of one media outlet) were martyred in Nangarhar, all employees of the radio station went on leave; no media workers are safe; neither are scholars, civil society activists and no one is safe,” said Abdullah.

Abdullah cautiously said that he does not defend the letter and has no intention of defending the letter, and alluded to the issue that one should not ignore suggestions by foreigners. 

“Today, as in the past, we complain about foreigners. These foreigners are in the world (as decision-makers), they are effective,” he stated.

In the meantime, a number of prominent Afghan politicians said that the letter, outlining Washington’s plan, deprives people of their rights; however, others stated that in order to reach peace, sacrifices need to be made. 

“Afghanistan has reached a very sensitive stage. We are almost losing control of the situation because the international community is in a hurry regarding Afghanistan,” said Mohammad Mohaqiq, Ghani’s Senior Adviser for Security and Politics Affairs.

“Peace needs sacrifices, people lose lives on a daily basis and they are tired of the war,” said Azizullah Din Mohammad, deputy head of the HCNR.

Meanwhile, some politicians consider the new US plan for peace as ambiguous.

They argue that there is no clarity about how to deal with other terrorist groups that operate in the country in a post-peace deal environment – between government and the Taliban.