Kabul – A Dilemma

Afghan government is really in dillematic problem due to the Korean hostage crisis

Yesterday, in the party in the embassy, an Indonesian friend told me about the new announcement that foreigners in Kabul are requested not to do any unnecessary journey inside the city. Attack towards foreigners may occur, says the guy who is close to the American embassy. “Oh…ya…, if you believe American warning you will go nowhere. Even they put Bali in the travel warning,” said a guy. But I also believe Kabul is not Bali. Here, after the several kidnappings in just order of days, the security situation is tightening. It should be something behind it, and this time I prefer to believe announcement ‘from the intelligence source’.

Today, there was a press conference held. Here, the presidential spokesman expressed the government commitment to do the best to free the Korean hostages. The details can not be unveiled yet, but the promise is for sure. The 23 Korean hostages, 2 males among which had been killed, now is the main topic in the country. Taliban did not demand anything but prisoner exchange. You set free our people from your jail, and we will deliver these 23 foreigners back. That was the deal. No dollar, no euros. Just fresh Taliban from the filthy jails. But will Afghan government fulfill this barter?

Not that easy, I bet. Earlier this year, an Italian kidnapped reporter was exchanged with 5 Taliban prisoners. Karzai saved the life of the girl but ripped critics from all directions. The hostage was saved by barter of freeing insurgents, which is likely to be the best reason for the Taliban to kidnap other foreigners. Fulfilling the kidnappers’ wish of prisoners swap for hostages is likely to make kidnapping a shortcut to reach their goal. No, no. Will Afghanistan turn to be Iraq where kidnappings become a fashion, along with suicide bombing?

No detail was declared by the government spokesmen, whether to fulfill the demand or attempt other possibilities. One for sure, Karzai has pledged not to repeat prisoner swap for hostages, and this is government commitment. This is a sign from the government that Taliban demand is unlikely to be fulfilled. We have to understand the dilemma of Afghan government. At one side they have to act fast for the safety of the 21-left Koreans, the biggest number of single kidnapping in post-Taliban history, at the other side, there is a huge pressure from insurgence activities in the country and wrong decisions will bring worse capitulation from the enemy. The hardliners threatened they would kill the hostage one by one if their demand not fulfilled on deadline. An Afghan friend of mine says that it is very much believed that Taliban will not kill the Korean woman hostages, as it is Afghan culture to respect women and guests. But who can guarantee anything at this critical moment?

The travel restriction for foreigners to travel outside Kabul was conducted to reduce the risks of other foreigners to be kidnapped. If this happen, the bargaining position of the Afghan government will be even weaker. But the restriction has brought also problems to the NGO missions, as projects can be finished as visits are impossible.

Meanwhile, attacks to the US-backed government are getting more frequent and closer. Today, another bomb blasted near a US convoy in terrorist-favorite spot of Kabul-Jalalabad main road. A suicide motor bomber saw his martyred day, but nobody else accompanied him to heaven (or to hell?). The explosion injured some people, mostly civilians. It was not the suicide bomber, but the US convoy, who then sent a poor soul to the other world.

It is said, Alishah Paktiawal, the head of police criminal investigations in Kabul, arrived on the scene with his men. Suddenly, the US troops opened fire to the Afghan police group. Lucky for Paktiawal but unfortunate for one of his bodyguards – the bodyguard police died of bullets. A witness said, “When they were about to reach the blast site, suddenly the Americans opened fire on the police convoy.” He mentioned that people were frightened (of the fire) and everybody ran away to escape the shooting. The Ministry spokesman stated this incident as merely a ‘misunderstanding’ between the convoys.

Taliban spokesman says they are responsible on this attack. Kidnappings and suicide attacks now getting frequent in the country, Afghanistan is getting more like Iraq, both in term of attack style and equipments. Even Iraq-style bombs are now used by Afghan bombers.

Will Afghanistan be the next Iraq?