From: "Eli Pariser" <bulletin@9-11peace.org>
To: <9-11peace@complete.org>
Subject: The Northern Alliance
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 08:00:11 -0500
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9-11PEACE.ORG BULLETIN: THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE
Read online, subscribe, or unsubscribe at:
http://www.9-11peace.org/bulletin.php3


CONTENTS
---------
1. Introduction: The Lesser of Two Evils?
2. A Brief History of the Northern Alliance
3. Current Events: The Northern Alliance in Power
4. The Future: Towards a Free Afghanistan
5. Featured Action
6. Get Involved
7. About the Bulletin


INTRODUCTION: THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS?
-------------------------------------------------------
The big news this week has been the successful "liberation"
of Kabul and other cities in Afghanistan by the Northern
Alliance.  Pictures show men happily shaving their beards
and women taking off their burqas (full-body veils) in
public for the first time in years.  But the Northern
Alliance is a notoriously media-savvy group, and what we
don't see may be more important than what we do.  Reports
have been coming in from around the country of mass,
race-based killings and other abuses.  The U.S. cautioned
the Northern Alliance against taking Kabul with good reason:
although the Alliance is on "our side," its horrific human
rights record and history of factionalism are only
marginally better than those of the Taliban.

The last time the Northern Alliance took control of Kabul in
1992, Afghanistan quickly plunged into a bloody civil war
which lasted until the Taliban seized control.  With the
Northern Alliance now in control of much of Afghanistan,
only time will tell whether the U.S., the U.N. and other
world leaders will be successful in establishing a new and
better government to fill the  power vacuum left by the
ousted Taliban, or whether the Northern Alliance will
maintain control, possibly leading to another civil war.

The Northern Alliance may be the lesser of two evils, or
Western support of this group may simply be tantamount to
fighting fire with fire.  Either way, it is more important
than ever to take a good hard look at the past actions of
this group in Afghanistan, if we have any hope of preventing
similar atrocities in the future.

Next week: Islam


A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE
--------------------
If you only follow only one link from this week's bulletin,
this should be the one.  Click below to read what is
probably the best summary of the events in Afghanistan that
we have seen. Part of Amnesty International's in-depth
report on human rights in Afghanistan, this section clearly
identifies the conflicts in Afghanistan from 1978 until
2001, including information on the groups we refer to as the
Taliban and the Northern Alliance.  The human rights abuses
perpetrated by both groups are detailed, as is exactly who
we are referring to when we use these names, and what
happened the last time the Northern Alliance took Kabul.
http://www.9-11peace.org/r.php3?redir=23

Why the Afghan people may fear the Alliance as much or more
than the Taliban.  (Please be aware that this article
contains descriptions of some horrific events, especially in
the first couple of paragraphs, which describe the death of
a baby.  You may not want to read it if you would prefer not
to expose yourself to these disturbing mental images).
http://rawa.false.net/na-dan.htm


CURRENT EVENTS: THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE IN POWER
--------------------------------------------------
Despite the calls of the international community to
establish a new broad-based, multi-ethnic, peace-minded
government in Afghanistan, and the apparent commitment of
the United States to this course of action, it already
appears that the Northern Alliance has other plans.

This article argues that the United States has had
difficulty controlling the actions of their Northern
Alliance partners, and that the Northern Alliance is now
taking a larger role in forming the new power structures of
Afghanistan than America had originally counted on.
http://www.9-11peace.org/r.php3?redir=24

A brief explanation of the difficulties facing world leaders
as they scramble to create an acceptable replacement for the
Taliban government.  This article details the various
alliances and concerns of different world leaders, and notes
that the U.S. cannot afford to be seen as backing the
Northern Alliance too much, since this will alienate
Pakistan.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/0111/14/world/world6.html

Why Pakistan is uneasy with fact that the Northern Alliance
is in Kabul.
http://www.9-11peace.org/r.php3?redir=25

An optimistic article focused on the steps that the Northern
Alliance has appeared to be taking towards establishing
peace.  Notes that a broad-based multi-ethnic government
will probably not become a reality if former President
Buhanuddin Rabban returns to power.
http://www.9-11peace.org/r.php3?redir=26

However, the Alliance-backed former president of
Afghanistan, who lost his position when the Taliban seized
control of Kabul away from the Northern Alliance in 1996,
has since returned to the city and reclaimed his former
position of leadership.
http://www.9-11peace.org/r.php3?redir=27

President Buhanuddin Rabban's current message of peace rings
hollow when viewed in the context of his past human rights
abuses, and those of his former ally, Ahmed Shah Massoud.
http://www.yellowtimes.org/creilly/creilly_110901.html


HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES STARTING?
-----------------------------
Groups such as RAWA, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty
International have already expressed concern over the
Northern Alliance taking power, based on past human rights
abuses. It seems that this concern is proving more than
justified, as reports of massacres perpetrated by the
Northern Alliance are now beginning to appear.

Hundreds of Pakistanis are believed to have been massacred
by the Northern Alliance.
http://rawa.false.net/pak-kill.htm

A more detailed look at the two massacres reported to have
been committed by the Northern Alliance.
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=11925

Robert Fisk argues that rather than claiming that these
massacres are out of our hands and to be expected, we should
be taking responsibility for the actions of our allies in
this war -- and question what it means to allow these kinds
of things to happen in our name.
http://www.9-11peace.org/r.php3?redir=28


THE FUTURE: TOWARDS A FREE AFGHANISTAN
--------------------------------------
Based on the history of the Northern Alliance, it seems
obvious that an Afghanistan under Northern Alliance rule is
no more free than an Afghanistan under the Taliban.  Here
are some ideas about how to go about building an Afghanistan
that could be truly committed to peace and human rights.

Read RAWA's appeal to the UN and the world community, asking
that the Northern Alliance not be allowed to maintain power.
http://rawa.false.net/na-appeal.htm

Amnesty International's recommendations on how to make human
rights a priority in Afghanistan.
http://www.amnesty.ca/sept11/asa1102301-4.htm


FEATURED ACTIONS
-----------------
Write to your leaders and ask them to include women's groups
in the decision-making process. For a sample letter from a
Canadian women's group, follow this link:
http://www.mothersarewomen.com/rawa1.htm

To take action online, go to:
http://www.9-11peace.org/r.php3?redir=29


GET INVOLVED
-------------
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bulletin@9-11peace.org and describe your item in the subject
line.

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ABOUT THE BULLETIN
-------------------
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