Alienation of a People

Clift believes that Afghan-Islamic culture and Western culture are vastly different and NGO staff have a part to play in limiting the culture shock between the two groups by reducing offence caused in such a conservative society. However, Clift sees that in many instances this has not happened and what Clift describes as a “clash of cultures” is taking place. NATO, for example, relies on the PRTs to endear the military forces to the local people and Clift believes that all foreigners are seen as part of the same team by the local people and their actions reflect on one another. Specifically, the actions of PRTs reflect on NGO staff, especially when PRTs work with civilian actors such as DFID.

Boswell was asked for his opinion on the possible reasons that the Coalition forces seemed to be losing Afghan local support. The question posed some suggested reasons

for loss of local support such as the disillusionment of the local people due to heavy handed and culturally insensitive military tactics. Barker believes that surveys carried out in Afghanistan show that a major barrier to acceptance of PRTs and troops is the implementation of “rough and culturally insensitive searches” and “mistaken detentions” (Barker, 2004:2). Barker believes if the PRTs moderated that particular behaviour and concentrated more on security than on hearts and minds projects, more local support for the PRTs would be won (Barker, 2004:2). Boswell was asked if these factors were pertinent to the ongoing insecurity in Afghanistan. Boswell, an officer in charge of a PRT whose goal is to spread the reach of the Afghan government, increase security and win the backing of the local people, responded candidly, saying:

“it is quite difficult to kill people with a light touch and in a culturally sensitive way”.

Boswell is making the point that he does not agree with criticism of insensitive military tactics. As he sees it, his job does not offer an alternative approach.

Boswell’s view, however, is the opposite to General Richard’s, the man in charge of the NATO forces in Afghanistan and also that of Paul Barker, the country director of CARE International. According to Richards, the perception of the PRTs and Coalition forces is vital to prevent increased support for the Taliban. Richards argues that to prevent disenfranchising the local people any further that NATO troops have to become “a people friendly force” and that they would “accept more risk” when driving so as to prevent a repeat of the May riots (BBC, 2006c). The contradiction of Boswell’s view with that of General Richards, who is essentially Boswell’s boss, would cause concern to NGOs such as CARE International and HOPE Worldwide. In the news the civilian death toll is rising due to Coalition air strikes and the May 2006 riots in Kabul (BBC, 2006a; BBC, 2006e). The riots in May and the civilian casualties caused by mistakes in strategic bombing are all part of what Barker believes is insensitive and careless treatment of the Afghan people by the military. General Richards agrees and fears that if there is not a change in military tactics, the local population will change to supporting the Taliban (BBC, 2006b). Boswell’s personal opinion on the military tactics pertaining to the sensitive treatment of the local people makes one wonder how successful Richards will be in implementing a people friendly force. It is not just the military who are helping to alienate the local population by their culturally insensitive actions, so too are the NGOs and UN staff.

Joseph expressed his annoyance about the negative impacts of the behaviour of Western NGO and UN workers who, whilst in Kabul, go to restaurants and unmarried men and woman openly drink alcohol together. The consumption of alcohol in Afghanistan is actually illegal and Joseph’s concern is that these un-Islamic acts of the Westerners fuel the feeling that the Westerners are promoting an immoral degradation of society. Although the change of government brought a relaxation of the harsher interpretations of Islamic Sharia Law, the rule of law in is still conservative Islam with no drinking and strict laws regarding women. The Coalition’s self-proclaimed emancipation of Afghanistan from the Taliban not only brought democracy but more interestingly, porn. Joseph and Clift both point out that the Coalition’s democratic freedoms brought other trappings such as the freedom of the press, which included satellite and cable TV channels that are trying to quench the country’s new-found thirst for porn. Johnson argues that in a country where men are comparatively very conservative with their dress and most women are still covered from head to toe with Burqas and live their life by strict moral codes, the apparent moral degradation seen by local people and religious leaders must be overwhelming.

The Taliban’s portrayal of the Coalition and Westerners as evil, Clift and Joseph argue, is not hard to do due to changes in television and the flouting of Afghan laws by the foreign visitors. Clift argues that their actions give credence to the Taliban propaganda regarding the immorality of the government and its allies. Redwood argues that attacks are increasing on Western targets due to the perpetrators perceiving the West as “evil” and if NGOs are perceived as Western then they too are evil. This hypothesis of Clift, Joseph and Redwood’s is the same as that of Johnson et al who have seen the change from pre-to-post Taliban rule (Johnson et al, 2004:23-25). Clift, for example, is critical of the female staff who work at the British embassy in Kabul. He says that they dress “like they are back home”. Clift says the staff justify themselves by saying they never leave the compound and therefore do not see any local people, but Clift argues that they are guarded by Afghans and local people constantly pass the gates. Clift spoke of an attack on a NGO and the group that was attacked had an outspoken American team member who was, according to Clift, “a very Western dresser”. He could not be sure if it was the main contributing factor for the attack but he felt sure it did not help. Clift believes the way foreign troops, NGO workers, UN staff and contractors behave and

dress when they are in Afghanistan gives a perception to the local people of what Westerners are like. Foreigners in Afghanistan, regardless of their role, have to respect the local customs and laws so as not to alienate the local people.

The military’s heavy handed tactics and aggressive driving techniques in Kabul, mounting civilian casualties, creation of a false economy with spiralling rent and commodity prices, Western culture of dress especially in woman, alcohol consumption and perceived risqué media on television will all help to alienate the people of Afghanistan. If the feeling of resentment grows and violence towards humanitarian workers increases at some point NGOs may decide to halt operations, as MSF did, as the danger to humanitarian workers becomes too high. This then raises the question of whether the threshold for acceptable danger increased in recent years due to the more competitive funding competition between NGOs. Is one of the reasons NGO deaths are increasing because NGO workers are prepared to take greater risks in more dangerous environments than previously?