As Afghanistan Calls on Her
Sons and Daughters
By
Dr. G. Rauf Roashan
Abstract: Afghanistan needs trained manpower for its
reconstruction. Many trained and experienced Afghans in the West
are faced with questions like when to go back? Where to go to in
Afghanistan? Where to live and how to live there? Who to help?
How to maintain their basic livelihoods in the West in the form
of supporting their families and meeting their personal
financial obligations? How effective their help could be? Who,
among the policy makers need their help? Add to the list other
questions that come to your own mind. The Interim Authority
could establish a committee to work on a Manpower and Urgent
Investment Programs. Establishment of such a committee is not
difficult, nor does it require, for its launching stage,
enormous sums of money. Should this issue be discussed at the
Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction of Afghanistan and also with
the head of the Interim Authority who is to visit the United
States within a month?
As members of the Interim Authority embark
on their work in different government departments in Kabul, they
find destruction everywhere. Damaged physical structures coupled
with lack of trained personnel are the first two hurdles they
face. One minister had told a newsman he had to begin from
zero, even below zero. And all of this happens when the country
needs stability, security and a restructuring of its social and
political fabric. The task is grave.
Political challenge has to be taken up
seriously in that first a Prime Minister which contrary to
normal practice was chosen by his ministers should not only
attract full cooperation of the cabinet, but also to establish a
national security and military force, deal with the utilization
of foreign peace keeping forces approved by the United Nations
and agreed by his administration, direct international relations
with a world that is watching his country with great interest,
conduct a national administration that wins admiration of the
people who thirst for a strong national authority and to also
pave the way for not only reconstruction, but development of the
country. Furthermore, he has to deal with many other
emergencies including threats of famine and starvation to
millions of his citizens. As he and his ministers look around,
they only see a devastated country, a destroyed infrastructure
and a huge gap in efficient and professional manpower
resources. Obviously, the situation calls for help from the
Afghan elite, that had to escape the country over a period of a
quarter of a century and take refuge elsewhere. Some of these
elite, experienced administrators and professionals landed in
the West. Many prospered there. Others waited and waited for
the day they could return. Some grew families and extended
their roots in the West. But it would seem that there has been
a bond, rather a strong bond that has tied them to the old
country. It may be this bond that makes them listen to the call
for help by Afghanistan.
One of the problems however is that this
call has not been official, nor has it been delivered in a
planned manner. There is no doubt that a majority of the
Afghans living in the West today can play a great role in the
revival of a modern government administration and could
contribute positively to the professional re-establishment of
the departments, services, education and research. But many are
puzzled as to how to go about rendering of this much needed help
to the old country. Many come out and plainly put a series of
pertinent questions on the table. These questions include:
When to go back? Where to go to in Afghanistan? Where to live
and how to live there? Who to help? How to maintain their basic
livelihoods in the West in the form of supporting their families
and meeting their personal financial obligations? How effective
their help could be? Who, among the policy makers need their
help? Add to the list other questions that come to your own
mind.
Considering the above, it would seem timely
that the Interim Authority establishes a committee to look into
attraction and utilization of the talents and experiences of
Afghans living abroad. The committee should analyze questions
like those listed above and provide answers to them. For
example, different departments in the Interim Authority would
come up with lists of government positions with their
requirements and responsibilities and distribute the same among
Afghan circles abroad. The committee would also take up the
responsibility of receiving successful applicants to the
positions advertised, their placement and welcome into the
country and the system. The Authority would at the same time
advertise work and investment opportunities in private sector
and encourage investors to embark on much needed projects in the
country. The Authority could also devise plans where it could
become partner in investment in certain small and large
industries where their immediate development is considered
essential for the rebuilding of Afghanistan.
This study and project to be named Manpower
and Urgent Investment Programs could be undertaken on an
emergency basis. It is not a difficult task to do and does not
require for its launching stage huge sums of money. Perhaps
participants of the Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction of
Afghanistan and the head of the Interim Authority who is
expected to visit the United States within a month should be
advised on the need for making the call of Afghanistan for its
sons and daughters official and treat it as a planned activity.
01/12/02