 Warlords, former communists, Taliban defectors and women activists were sworn in on Monday as members of the first Afghan parliament in more than 30 years amid hopes of national reconciliation after decades of bloodshed.
| I'm so proud of them, it's like I invented them myself. I've been watching events unfold in Afghanistan on and off since 1979, and as recently as a couple years ago I never would have believed they could do it without the extensive use of explosives. |
The inauguration, which passed peacefully despite Taliban threats, was greeted with tears of emotion despite widespread disappointment at a parliament filled with factional leaders blamed for serious human rights abuses. President Hamid Karzai thanked God for giving Afghanistan the chance to take control of its destiny again after swearing in the 249 members of the Wolesi Jirga, or lower house, and 102 members of the upper house, or Meshrano Jirga.
| They had to get those digs in at the "factional leaders" and their human rights abuses. The country's not perfect, and neither are the men who beat the Sovs and then, with a lot of our help, beat the Talibs â disregard the myth that the Talibs are the ones who beat the Sovs, by the way. I keep seeing it rear its ugly head. But even while they were abusing all those human rights they were still holding out. I actually regard some of them â Dostum, Ismail Khan, Rabanni, and a few others â with a certain amount of (long distance) affection. For all their faults, they held out, and their personal bravery is beyond question. They're flawed, but unlike most of their critics, they're men. |
âThis meeting is a sign of us regaining our honour,â he said âWe have the right to tell those who are after the destruction of this water and soil that this homeland will exist for ever!â he declared. Afghanistan has risen from the ashes of invasion and conflict with the opening Monday of its first parliament after three decades of war, Karzai said. âLet me tell the world that Afghanistan is rising from the ashes of invasion and will live forever,â he said, prompting applause from the new MPs, many in tears.
| And I'm sure that when the crack of doom sounds they'll still be arguing. As long as they're not shooting at each other that's okay. |
âParliament is crucial for the establishment of a safe and secure country,â he said, paying his respects to people who âlost their souls for the freedom of Afghanistan.â
| There are a lot of corpses on the way to their own parliament. I hope they don't forget them. |
âThe Afghan nation will never forget the blood that these people have given,â he said.
| Hamid was almost one of the corpses. The Talibs reported early in the war that they had caught him and hanged him. I'm sure he looks toward Peshawar each and every day and says something witty, like "Thhhhhhp!" |
âThis is not the end of the game. We still have a long duty,â he said. âThere should be competition, struggle and coordination between the parliament and the government.â Karzai thanked the international community, in particular neighbouring Pakistan, for help with reconstruction and counter-terrorism. The destitute country is reliant on international aid and military power.
| And Pakland, for the moment, is strong enough to throw its weight around... |
The Afghan president urged national reconciliation and reiterated a call to the Taliban to abandon their insurgency, which has intensified in the past year despite his efforts to encourage defections. The opening of parliament was the culmination of a UN-backed plan to bring democracy drawn up after US-led forces overthrew the Taliban in 2001. âIt means a lot,â Karzai told reporters afterwards. âIt means progress, it means achievement and it means togetherness.â |