One of the sub-themes of the Afghanistan Conference in The Hague is the issue of a 'comprehensive approach'. This means using military power, diplomatic activities, and development aid in a coordinated manner.
Our reporter Bette Dam came across a typical example of this comprehensive approach in the province of Uruzgan, where the Netherlands is leading the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
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This time it was not only heavy artillery, air support and Special Forces that were being deployed to drive the Taliban out of a valley in the Afghan province of Uruzgan. In January it was the turn of the diplomats. They set out to do business with a local tribal leader in a contested area of the province. Via him they aimed to 'conquer' the Baluchi Valley north of the provincial capital of Tarin Kowt.
"What are we going to do in terms of governance?" the military commander asked at the start of an exercise to prepare for the operation.
"The political adviser's palms were sweating,"
says Peter Mollema, a Dutch diplomat who until recently headed the civilian section of the ISAF operations in the province.
For years, the Baluchi Valley has been a hotbed of tribal conflict, one the Taliban has been eager to exploit. Local government performs particularly poorly in the area, which over the past two years has repeatedly seen heavy fighting.
Commander Task Force Uruzgan Colonel Kees Matthijsen
and Civil Representative Peter Mollema
Operation Spin Ghar
In 2007 there was a full-blown 'Battle of Baluchi' - Operation Spin Ghar, as the offensive involving over a thousand Afghan, British and Dutch troops was officially called. However, the unrest continued and the northern part of the area - which is no larger than 12 kilometres by 1,500 metres - was not under the permanent control of the Afghan government and international troops.
A year ago, an Afghan from the Baluchi Valley came knocking at the door of the Dutch. The man, whose name has been withheld to protect his identity, had fled Uruzgan. He wanted to cooperate. According to the Dutch, the man had heard that in his area the fighting was continuing. Furthermore, he had seen how another leader in the neighbouring Deh Rafshan area had benefited from the Dutch efforts. Talks with the man gradually got underway. They also spoke with him in the Pakistani city of Quetta.
It took a while before the two sides began to trust one another. At the end of last year, talks were being held on a daily basis.
"It was the first time we had such intensive talks,"
Mr Mollema explains. The talks between Dutch diplomats and the Afghan provided the Dutch-led Task Force Uruzgan with a useful picture of the key players in the valley.
Clan conflict
Mr Mollema admits that working with this man could have led to a break in relations with other clans. However, the new contact had also agreed to convince other groups in the valley to cooperate. The military would then move in to deal with the remaining diehards in the region.
"There was a lot of suspense,"
he adds. They realised that they were relying on one man who could change his mind any time, while there was also the possibility that the local population could rebel. The Dutch command decided to send 800 soldiers to the valley. The contact stayed out of sight during the first day of Operation Tura Ghar. When he saw that things were going well he made an appearance. Several enemy 'spotters' in the mountains were eliminated and, as Mr Mollema recounts, the operation proceeded without incident.
"We do not know whether it was thanks to our Afghan contact that things went so smoothly,"
Mr Mollema says. He says the Taliban may have simply decided to flee upon seeing the size of the Dutch operation. The Dutch military held a meeting (shura) with local leaders and it was decided to build a military base in the north of the area.
Reconstruction efforts
Development aid organisations were invited to take part in reconstruction efforts. Preparations are being made to start paving a road to Chora, after years of delays.
A non-governmental organisation has delivered the first sewing machines. A dam is also being built. The Afghan representative of another relief organisation notes how quiet the area is. He says the main issue now is how to get rid of corrupt and violence-prone local officials.
"They are the ones who cause the local population the most grief." I asked Mr Mollema if this kind of cooperation could have taken place sooner. And whether the large-scale military engagements which cost many lives were really necessary? Mr Mollema says he cannot provide answers because he does not have a complete picture of events in the region in recent years. "Perhaps the situation as regards violence was different back then." But it seems certain that progress made elsewhere in Uruzgan has had an indirect effect on the leaders in the Baluchi Valley.
* RNW translation (fs)
More on the mediation effort in the Baluchi valley
Tags: Afghanistan, Baluchi valley, development, diplomacy, ISAF, Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan