The dilemma of silence of Council of Religious Scholars

by : Habib Sangar
Monterey, CA
          

       While the number of suicide attacks, in which most of the time innocent civilian get injured or killed, is increasing, the silence of the Council of Religious Scholars in response to this chronic atrocity has remained Afghan people doubtful and concerned about the council’s leanings towards Taliban radical ideology. Past couple months have been the bloodiest months, with an unprecedented amount of violence and bloodshed. The recent acts of violence and terror have contributed to the anger and frustration of public to question the silence of this council. 

One week after the religious clerics, in an unprecedented move, labeled one of the musical events of an Afghan singer, Shafiq Mureed, as an “immoral" act against Islamic values and ended up their bid in successfully canceling the event, in Kajaki village of Musa Qala district of unstable Helmand province, 17 people, including two women, were beheaded by Taliban for attending a mixed-gender party where there was music and dancing, reportedly. Under the hard-line regime of Taliban,  music, dancing, and mixed-gender parties were strictly forbidden. The Talibans' "Amr Bil Maroof Wa Nahi Anil Munkar" (Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice), which was created to brutally execute and implement strict Sharia law, usually ordered decrees similar to those of the Islamic clerics. The administration for promotion of virtue and prevention of vice punished and executed people for watching TV, listening to music, shaving beard, and committing adultery. While denouncing and condemning the attack on civilians in Helmand, president Karzai called the killing of 17 innocent people "inhuman and against all Islamic principles". The international community condemned the attack as well. Targeting and killing innocent people by Taliban is not a new thing; however, it is surprising that the council of religious scholars, along with Islamic clerics, have bluntly remained silent and had not condemned such attacks taking innocent people's life on daily basis until their leadership was called by President Karzai to denounce such attacks and preach against killing of Afghan people. The silence of religious scholars and Islamic clerics against killing of innocent civilians in Helmand as well as in Spozhmai hotel of the lake Qargha area has shown a common religious and ideological platform that the council and clerics share with Taliban.

The Taliban's reaction to the killing of innocent people and the Council of Religious scholars:

            Looking at the killing of people in Helmand province and the capital, Kabul, the Taliban targeted civilians in these areas because they thought there were "immoral" activities, which according to them, contradict Islamic values and ideals. Likewise, when Taliban attack and destroy schools and hospitals,  kill teachers and medical doctors, disrupt and demolish on-going development projects in different parts of the country, neither the Council nor Islamic clerics raise their voice to condemn such attacks. 

The council of religious scholars within Karzai's administration persistently advocates imposing strict rules on women's participation in Afghan society. Like Taliban and other advocates of radical sharia law, in March of 2012, the council purposed a five point "code of conduct" which emphasis on segregation of women in various social situations including education, shopping, work places and at other similar social settings. The code also insists on complete adherence and observance of the Hijab, which was mandatory during the hard-line regime of Taliban. Moreover, it is stressed that women obey and respect the orders about polygamy under any circumstances. Although the suggested points in the purposed "code of conduct" which are similar to those strictly enforced during the Taliban regime, seem to be a clear violation of Afghan women's constitutional rights and the universal declaration of human rights, the president warmly welcomed and was about to endorse it. In fact, the president stressed that “their [council of religious scholars] knowledge on religious issues matters,  and claiming that their code was not discriminatory”. 

Motives Behind Keeping the Council of Religious Scholars: 

            To president Karzai, the council of religious scholars is considered as important as the Council of Ministers in his government. The council is comprised of about 3,000 members from all over the country, with around 150 meeting the president on bi-weekly basis. While about 60 percent of the Afghan expenditure budget is still sustained through foreign aid, the council members receive a considerable amount of money in their salaries and other enumerations. With the suicide attacks sky-rocketing and killing of Afghan civilians by Taliban mounting, many Afghans have questioned the very existing of this council lately. Despite the very controversial position of the council on some vital political and social matters which usually cause political tension between Afghan government and its international allies and the civil society of Afghanistan, there are a few motives behind keeping and supporting the council by the president and his close aids. 

            It is believed that president Karzai has usually used the council as a means to achieve his political goals under tough circumstances. The president has benefited from the council to mobilize people in a form of a force to protest and pressure the international community, especially the United States, to accept his proposals on the most contentious issues which would be otherwise too difficult to agree upon through diplomacy. For instance, president karzai has always criticized the NATO allies and the United States for conducting night raids. He several times argued that the night raids by foreign troops jeopardized the sovereignty of his nation and caused killing of innocent Afghans. He continuously demanded U.S. forces to end the night raids. Although American-led combat night raids were the most effective tactic for searching and hunting down Taliban and other insurgents, the council of religious scholars constantly backed president and sharply criticized U.S. forces for their night raids, which according to councils, have been explicit violation of women's privacy. 

            Funding the council has also been an attempt to benefit president Karzai to win over the hearts and minds of those who are currently fighting his government and his international allies. As a clever attempt to bring some of the Taliban and Hezbi-Islami insurgent to the table of negotiation, the president assured and appeased Taliban and insurgents by rallying around the  council of the religious scholars whose members have radical views similar to those of the Taliban and Hezbi-Islami. In the past, Taliban had constantly refused to hold direct peace talks with Mr. Karzai's government. They, on the other hands, have insisted on negotiating led by the U.S. or other foreign allies of Kabul. When the Taliban agreed to open an office in Qatar to pursue peace talks with the U.S., president Karzai, to have a key and dominated role in the negotiation, insisted on Afghan- led process which his proposal was backed by the Council. In effort to make peace talks more of an Afghan-led process, in addition to the involvement of Saudi and Turkey as potential mediators between the Taliban and the Afghan government, president Karzia's government has also heavily relayed on the council of religious scholars. One of the most important perquisites to create trust to successfully initiate peaces talks is releasing some of the Taliban prisoners from U.S-based prison facilities. After burning copies of Koran by the U.S. troops in Bagram, president Karzai cautiously used the council to condemn the act and demand an immediate transfer of prisoners from U.S-based prison facility to Afghan-led and based facilities. The transfer of prisoners gives president Karzai more power and flexibility to fulfill the requirement for a direct, entirely Afghan-led peace talk with the Taliban and Hezbi-Islami insurgents. Pro-Taliban peace brokers have always complained about the lack of trust between Afghan government and the Taliban. They think releasing prisoners will ensure a steady progress in peace talks.

The Composition of the Council:

            The council of religious scholar has a very heterogeneous composition, with members from extremely radical to moderate and to pro-Western views. Given its heterogeneous nature, the members of the council have their own motives and positions when it comes to dealing with political and social matters concerning Afghanistan and its international allies. The council of religious scholars can mainly be embodied into four distinct categories of members. 

            The first category is mainly comprised of people, who had active role under the Taliban regime and were either detained by the Afghan government or its international allies. These people were lately released from the prison and have been an important part of the council. The position of these members towards dealing with fundamental human rights, especially women's right, are as same as the Taliban's. Some of these members still calls mullah Omar their leader and live by the beliefs and values that they were taught long time ago. Compromising over their beliefs and values seems impossible, given many Taliban insurgents have been still fighting for the same sort of beliefs for over a decade now. 

            The second category is consisted of former Mujahideen, warlords, who fought the Soviets and later the Taliban. The warlords seems strongly irreconcilable with Taliban insurgents. They have always doubted and criticized the on-going peace talks with the Taliban. They have also been critical of president Karzai calling Taliban his "brothers". Recently, in a public gathering,  Abdul Rab Rassol Sayyaf, one of the most prominent war-lord ,who is also a key member of the council of religious scholars and Afghan parliament, strongly denounced recent suicide attacks by the Taliban and demanded severe punishments for those attackers who are caught by the Afghan police. Mr. Sayaaf called on Afghan government to not let those who are captured in charges of carrying suicide or similar attack on Afghan people. Unlike the first category of members, like the United States, Mr. Sayaaf stresses on fighting the Taliban and insurgents until they are forced to submit to the peace process as an only available option to survive. Looking at historic rivalries between Mujahideen and Taliban and considering their stands on issues, their existence in the council of religious scholars portraits "Tom and Jerry".

            The third category of the members presents those people who are influenced by Iranian regime, and mainly belong to Shia sect. These are also former warlords, who were strongly affiliated with Northern Alliance fighting the Taliban. Like Pakistan, Iran sees a long-term U.S. presence in Afghanistan as a threat to its national security. In many occasions, Iranian regime has attempted to use a variety of means to create anti-U.S. Semitism among Afghan people. In addition to helping Taliban by arming and providing them with needed financial resources, Iranian regime has also usually interfered in internal affairs of Afghanistan. In fact, the former Iranian ambassador to Afghanistan, Abul Fazel Zuharawand, alongside other exhausting channels, asked the chairman of Afghan senate to not approve the strategic agreement between Afghanistan and the U.S. 

            The fourth category of members comprised of people who are moderate and respecting women's right, and women's role in Afghan society. These members are also considered "pro-West" , who are believed to buck up U.S. interests through the council of religious scholars. However, these members of the council have too little power and influence when it comes to deal with issues.  

            Looking at the motto and composition of the council of the religious scholars, it is inferred that the council is a part of the problem, not part of the solution. The council's stands on implementing radical version of Sharia law and women's right will hamper land mark achievements of Afghan government and international community in terms of empowering women, civil society, and media in the country. The council will also rise tension between Afghan government and its much needed international allies. Afghanistan needs its international allies in order to maintain a steady progress in terms of building its institutions, securing its territory, and fighting the terrorism. The council, which is created to achieve several political goals of the president and his allies, will undermine national interests of Afghan people in long-term. Like many Afghan people who lately questioned the council, it is time for president to put interests of Afghans ahead of his political goals, and work towards strong civil society in Afghanistan.