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| pakistan dilemma |
I am not interested in Hate mail, I am looking for people who have intelligent, interesting, philosophical, philanthropic feed back. These are people! People caught between a rock and a hard place. It is a fragile situation that could, no, IT WILL effect the whole region and the world.
Who controls the nuclear power in this fragile region is at stake.
I have heard all sides of people who are involved, I now need outside feed back. Apolitical views, Wholistic ideas.
I am in Pakistan and have been for sometime looking at the deteriorating situation here. I am confused and need your in put! Please!
Please bare with me as I set the scene. For those who know more please forgive me.
The northwestern province of Pakistan known as NWFP incooporates an area known as FATA, or tribal areas, administered by tribal leaders. This is a very mountainous and wild area bordering South Eastern Afghanistan. The perception, and probably the truth, is that the FATA area and NWFP is the birthing place of Taliban, Al Qaeda, militant radicals, and general criminal elements all intent on disrupting the peace of the middle east and all intent on the Jihad movement.
9/11 probably originated here. Mumbai attacks probably originated here. The bombings of UK were probably concieved here. etc.
Please bare with me as I put another face on the area.
Since the international forces drove out the Taliban from Afghanistan and pushed them out of the country. They took refuge in the FATA area. The poverty of the FATA people became a perfect recruiting and indoctrination tool for the Radical Islam elements. Offering income and freedom. Offering eternal heaven for the entire family of people fighting for Islam to an un educated, illiterate and vulnerable people,. Offering Madras schools with full board and lodging for children that attended, parents accepted the offer, it meant that their children could eat and there would be food in the pot for the others in the family. The Madrasa schools indoctrinated young boys and tuned them in to believing the cause for Jihad.
In 2006 the US military, based in Afghanistan started Drone (Unmanned Arial bombings) attacks in to the FATA area. They were targeting militant bases and hide outs. Women and children started to get killed, houses destroyed. Homes raised. Family units broken. Creating sad, lost and angry people. Perfect for militant recruitment. One militant recruiter said " I have spent 6 months recruiting from FATA and in that time I managed to recruit 15 people, even though I was offering $150/month. (A lot of money in the area) One drone attack on a village and I had 120 volunteers in less than a week!"
After the Mumbai attacks the pakistan army moved in to the FATA on an intensive campaign to root out the militant groups responsible. The attacks are violent, from the ground and the air.
I want you please to imagine the scenario. The NWFP is a very narrow strip of mountainous terrain. To the north is Afghanistan with American forces attacking; To the South is the Pakistan army attacking. Villages are obliterated, districts are obliterated. One eye witness told me that he went in to a once fertile farming valley, he said that it was empty, not a building, not a person. Total and absolute destruction. There is no escape route, the communities are squeesed in to a terrifying strip of land
In the past 3 months over four hundred thousand (400 000) people have been displaced. They have all moved to refugee camps outside Peshawa the capital of the NWFP, refugee camps recently occupied by Afghan refugees. These camps are full of disillusioned youths. Boys who have lost everything. Boys who feel betrayed by their own Government. Boys angry at the USA.
Young boys who dream of one day joining the Jihad movement!
3 - 400 000 displaced people who want to go home and get on with their lives. But there is no home. There is no work! There is nothing left but desolation and violence!
My Dilemma: I can go in to these destroyed areas. I can ride on the backs of the Pakistan Military and rebuild the destruction left behind. Re build destroyed homes, irrigation channels, rebuild schools (Madrasas) offer free education and board and lodgings to poor people. But try to put less radical teachers in the Madrasas. Lure the desperate people back to their homes. Propose to offer them security if they comply with a moderate Islam.
(Point of note: This is in contemplation not a reality, yet. There is a long way to go before it can be activated a lot of negoting!)
What will the result of this be? Will these people go back home and grow up to become Jihad activists? Will they return home and build up a terrifying strategy in revenge? Will the Jihad leaders infiltrate and threaten them, recruit them? Will the US continue to bomb and destroy everything that has been rebuilt?
Will anything change? Would it do any good?
Remember these communities harboured and married in to the people who are destuctive by nature. They are the people who orchestrated the Mumbai attacks.
But they are people! They are vulnerable, poor illiterate women and children. Their lives are in chaos. They are homeless. They are caught between all evils. There is no way out for them.
They are totaly confused and full of hatred!
I don't think that their hatred and philosophy will change by reconstruction, it is too late for that! But may be, just may be by helping, in time peace could be resumed in the region. This is a big may be!
I need to hear from you! Your opinions! Before we begin to negotiate and plan the reconstructrion of their lives.
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Posted by Chomwedzi on 2009-01-29 22:15:07 | Rating: | Views: 107
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