Narco-terrorism in Afghanistan

The relation between narcotic and terrorism is generally accepted. It is supposed
that narcotics and drugs financially support terrorism. At the same time, terrorism
and narcotics (especially cultivating of poppy) are two major problem of
Afghanistan. Although evidences show that there is close relation between
narcotic and terrorism and insurgency groups (Taliban), but the narcotic problem
seems complicated in Afghanistan. There are different groups of people who
cultivate poppy so different solutions should be held simultaneously. Therefore,
the solution for eradication of poppy should be comprehensive and different. Thus
I suggest some Social and Economical solutions as well as maintaining present
policies and strategies for it.
In Afghanistan different category of people cultivate poppy. We can classify them
in three major groups:
1.Terrorists and Taliban: In some insecure provinces Taliban cultivate poppy
directly or they exploit from poppy cultivation by others. They usually increase the
level of their attacks in order to make the situation more insecure for gathering
their harvest. We can see the relation of narcotics with Taliban and their Terrorist
supporters in provinces that insecurity and narcotic exist to gather, like Helmand
province. Also in other provinces that poppy cultivation is more common, the
insecurity and Taliban’s operation is more common as well. It clearly shows the
tight relation between narcotic and terrorism.
2.Warlords, drug dealers and smugglers: Because of insecurity, administrative
corruption and three decades of war, a mafia of narcotic and illicit trade on it has
been formed in Afghanistan in last years. These groups are a serious threat for
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Afghanistan’s peace and stability and some how for worlds security and stability.
These groups similar to terrorists and Taliban are enemies of peace, rule of law
and development in Afghanistan. Because they can take benefits extremely from
insecure situation so they provoke every threats of security in order to do their
dealing. They have relation with Taliban and they fight with police and National
Army so often.
3.Poor farmers: This group has a high dependency to poppy cultivation. Because
of war, drought and backwardness in agriculture aspects, lots of poor farmer are
desperate to cultivate poppy. So, they have the only choice to do so. They have
expectation from government to support them and provide the possibilities of
cultivating other necessary crop, for instance, they need reformed seeds of plants,
water and marketing facilities for their products. They ask for alternative crops in
order to abandon poppy cultivation.
As mentioned above, the solution for eradication of poppy should be
comprehensive and multi aspectual. The present solution that Afghanistan’s
government has relied on is fighting against cultivating of poppy, destroying its
farms and expanding rule of law. This is good and important solution but it is not
always practical and useful. In some places even it can cause insurgency or at least
raises the dissatisfaction of people from government. In addition the government
has not the capacity to eradicate it from everywhere, therefore peoples cooperation
is a strong necessity. Two other solutions are social and economical solution.
Economic solution is included of helping farmers economically. It means that
alternative crop should be replaced instead of poppy. It also means that other
facilities should be provided for farmers including rebuilding of agriculture
infrastructures and grant marketing for their products. The positive point of this
solution is that we can attract people’s cooperation, something that is very
important in present situation. It is important to take it into consideration that
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alternative crops and ways of attracting people’s cooperation differs from one
place to other. Therefore several research and communications with people is
necessary.
Social solution means that we rely on social powers in this campaign. If we pay
attention to Afghanistan’s sociology, we can find that still there are tribes and
ethnic groups. Still chief of tribes, scholars, elders of ethnic groups and even in
some places feudal have important role in Afghanistan. No plan for removing
narcotics can be successful, without their cooperation. Therefore it is necessary to
think about ways to attract their cooperation. Jirga or local councils are a sample
of gathering of these kinds of people. Government can submit authority to these
councils and encourage them to ban poppy cultivation. This doesn’t mean that
government should make the central government weak by empowering of several
local powers but as a matter of fact they are very strong and parts of Afghanistan’s
facts and customary law. It means that use them in way of peace and development.
A sample of there decision is in southern province of Afghanistan, Paktia. Jirga of
elders and scholars banned cooperating with Taliban and assigned a strict sanction
for breaking of this decision that was setting on fire the wrongdoer’s dwelling. The
result of that was a rapid reduction in cooperating with Taliban. It shows that how
important role those people have in Afghanistan. The positive result of this
solution is that we can make a people coalition against narcotic and when we will
be able to make this coalition, we can talk about coalition against terrorism. This
coalition can be the most effective weapon in destroying and removing of
Terrorists.
In conclusion, narcotic and terrorism is the two most serious problems of
Afghanistan that threats peace and development in country. These two problems
are related to each other and present solutions and strategies are not successful to
counter both problem. This failure is mostly because of not paying attention to
different categories of people who are involved in these activities. According to
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Afghanistan's economical and social situation and features, economical and social
solutions are necessary to be considered in this campaign. The firs solution
includes economical funds in large aspect while the second includes using every
potential social possibility in this (war) like Jirgas.

Conclusion :

Actually the entire system was divided between different chunks. Taliban is Producers, Dawood is Transporter and others are Dealers. Until Dawoods network is not broken the entire system will exist no matter it is from Afghanistan or From Pakistan or From Kashmir.

Security agencies should understand one thing that the movement of containers is backbone of this supply. Dubai and Karachi are major key bases for all type of dealings.