As the world watches on in horror of what transpired over the past few days in Afghanistan, we cannot help but feel indignant, helpless and dejected for what happened and cannot help but feel concern on the fate that awaits the former International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)-Afghan workers and security members of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) trained mainly by the United States (US) military once the Taliban completely took over the entire country. Reports are coming in all over although Taliban promises not to harm any locals that cooperated with the ISAF and former government workers during the 2001-2021 period (part of the 2020 Taliban-Trump deal), the Taliban did exactly on the contrary by beginning to summarily executing former ASNF personnel, family members and former government workers and leaving no quarter including executing a local comedian, Nazar Mohammad in Kandahar for not adhering to the “Taliban values” when they took over the country end of July.
Malaysia albeit a small country as we might be seemed, but in 2010 had one of the biggest hearts among regional states in Southeast Asia by deciding to actively take part in the reconstruction program of Afghanistan. The decision was made by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak to send a small contingent of Malaysia Armed Forces (MAF) personnel that would play a part in the reconstruction program mainly to offer medical assistance to locals at what was supposed to be the safest region in Afghanistan which was the Bamiyan valley. The MAF involvement was made after much persuasion by President Barack Obama to Najib Razak himself in the hope to see more regional and neighbouring states of Afghanistan taking an active part under the ISAF banner. Ideals would be the prospects and anticipation of success through a benevolent intention of rebuilding the war-torn country, but the reality part it was just not possible in the case of Afghanistan.
The invasion of Afghanistan by the US Forces in 2001 were initially seen as a very un-popular move from the eyes of Muslim nations. The recent horror and war crimes endured by the Afghans when the Soviet forces went for a full-scale war with the Mujahideen in the 1980s period had instigated a strong belief that the American war in 2001 had the similar objective of revenge and oppression towards our Muslim brothers despite the 9/11 attack in New York. To have a progressive Muslim country such as Malaysia taking an active role in the reconstruction agenda of Afghanistan after a long-protracted war was seen as a plus point by the US Government, moreover the instability of that particular region has been a breeding ground for militant activities and did actually affected Malaysia in a negative way with the problems of returning fighters. Suffice to say, to be in Afghanistan served Malaysia’s national security interest as well.
The involvement of a small Malaysian contingent (approximately around 30 members) deployed on an annual rotational basis in Bamiyan with close cooperation and understanding that the Kiwis (a company strength) will provides security protection (New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team – NZPRT) was an apt strategy since both countries had benefited from a long close partnership under the Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA). Apart from that, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) also extends their regular assistance to the Malaysia team with regular transportation of needs as Australia was also part of the ISAF all over Afghanistan and flew their Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C17s regularly from Australia to Kabul with a transit at the Subang Air Base.
Malaysia’s area of responsibility – the Bamiyan region was a unique place. Located at the north-western side of Kabul with what seems to be a near distance of 130KM and the most central region of Afghanistan, the valley was famous for its rich historical culture of ancient civilisation and the largest Buddha statues infamously blown to bits by the Taliban in 2001. It has had the most potential as a major tourist attraction if Afghanistan ever become stable and safe for a tourist destination. MMT mission in Afghanistan was simple, they were there to rebuild Bamiyan and to work in tandem with the reconstruction government. Although the distance between Bamiyan and Kabul seems near, the MMT and NZPRT had to go through an arduous and hazardous journey for replenishment cycles using the heavily modified and fortified Land Cruisers via the Kabul-Bamiyan extremely harsh road conditions and bad weather, not to mention their vulnerability to ambush and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) threats planted by the Taliban along the traversed road.
MALCON ISAF 2 assessing the situation of the Afghan National Police (ANP) who were ambushed by the Taliban in Bamiyan, 2011 (Credit: fatbidin.com)
Since the governor of the Bamiyan at that time was also a woman (Habiba Sarabi, 2010-2013), MMT was warmly welcomed by the local government and its populace as half of the MMT personnel that were deployed were women gender. This offers local population what the other ISAF team cannot, which were a team of female doctors and nurses (strict rules and custom adhered by the Muslim locals that only women can treat other women). The MMT comprised of two sections (medical and dental) of which their objective was primarily to provide medical assistance to the local populace such as midwifery, dental treatment and various other medical assistance including small surgery and operations. Apart from that, Malaysia also provided assistance to local government in a form of civil military cooperation program (CIMIC) such as building schools, water points, basic amenities and repairs job such as the drainage system, roads, electricity, etc.
While the MMT provided village to village and house to house medical services too, our Kiwi friends guaranteed a close protection to our team from threats emanating especially from the Taliban. However, when there was an increase of attacks by the Taliban from the period of 2010 to 2013 through an IEDs, anti-tanks and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) which resulted in an increased number of deaths and casualties of the Kiwi soldiers, the NZPRT were under immense pressure by their concerned citizens to pull out from ISAF and return home for good. Logic has it, if the NZPRT which comprises mainly from the crème de la crème – Special Air Services (SAS) branch of servicemen and still could not withhold the threats that keep arising from the Taliban, what more can MMT hold on to since most of our team members comprises mainly from the medical personnel of army doctors and nurses. Hence, this change instigates a review of the Malaysia precarious position in the Bamiyan valley.
The decision by the NZPRT to pull out from Afghanistan by October 2013 would leave the MMT vulnerable with no protection whatsoever. In realising that, MINDEF Malaysia managed to get our government’s approval albeit reluctantly to pull out from Bamiyan by late 2013. We however did maintain our liaison officer in Bagram Air Base to continue assisting the ISAF should there be a requirement for future involvement of Malaysian team in Afghanistan. We keep our option open at that time in lieu with our strong commitment to rebuild Afghanistan to become a better nation if the security situation ever improves. Unfortunately, it never did.
The MMT left Bamiyan on a high note in 2013 with several completed CIMIC projects, locals’ know-how and women nurses, midwifes, schoolteachers that was trained by our MMT. We also left a working school for children and a working hospital with much of the equipment donated by the Malaysian taxpayers. Looking back in retrospect, the MMT was sent to Afghanistan with an ideal prospect and a strong belief that it was possible to rebuild a nation that was marred by decades of war. For a short while, democracy and market economies seemed possible and positive aspiration started to materialize. The overall situation in Bamiyan did actually improve and the pinnacle of it, they even appointed a women Governor there with foreign and local trained archaeologist started excavating and researching the ancient UNESCO site of Bamiyan. Bamiyan was seen as a success story for a while, but truth is far from the final reach.
As the present situation in Afghanistan continue to unfold in the coming days, we can’t help but feel sorry and regret especially towards the Afghans that bought into the idea that change, freedom and market economies was once possible there. Even though most of the security scholars failed to see that US wasn’t imperialistic in nature and their main interest are only to spread the freedom agenda and democracy, but the truth that they had tens of thousands of Afghans starting to believe in the democratic prescription offered by the US government with a strong belief that US military were there to stay and defend them until the Afghan democratic experiment are able to stand on its two feet. Afghans bought the idea and defend it even for a short while, but the very exact democratic preacher decided to abandon their patient halfway to success. Until that SEAL Team 6 managed to avenge the 9/11 attack of New York by killing Osama bin Laden in 2011, the accomplished mission changes the whole perspectives of necessity for US troops to remain in Afghanistan. Moreover, with the new Great-Power Competition between US-China and Russia, it is no longer viable for the US government to maintain their military presence in Afghanistan and continue putting their soldiers at risk at the expense of their taxpayers. Malaysia too once as an active participant of the democracy and freedom circus lead by the US must now think deep about the poor Afghan souls that bought into such quixotic idea when they gave everything while working for the MMT/ NZPRT in Bamiyan. Since they are now the most vulnerable and at the great peril for the Taliban onslaught and revenge, we must provide every avenue for the ISAF interpreter and former MMT workers and partners to seek refuge in Malaysia.
At the moment of this article is penned down, Malaysia is yet to have an official position with regards to Afghanistan recent developments. With Malaysia are yet to be the signatory of the UNHCR 1954 Convention, we can only hope our leaders would have a moral fibre to do what’s right to save and protect our former Afghan partners that cooperated so well with the MMT while we served there under the ISAF flag. Malaysia too needs to re-examine our future roles and bilateral relation with Afghanistan under the Taliban rule. It should not be a zero-sum game and Afghanistan cannot be left to be a hermit Kingdom that it was once was that could invite future security problems to the region.
This tragedy will be a lesson learned not only for Malaysia but also for world governments to not be too eager in taking part in the future freedom agenda propagated by the US. What had happened in Vietnam during the fall of Saigon in 1975 will surely to re-occur in the next few months in Afghanistan. Innocent people will be summarily executed under the name of religious ideology and there could be re-education camps set up by the Taliban for selected Afghans that had once tasted how democracy, freedom and market economies felt like so they can “repent” and return to the “true” Sharia teachings propagated by the Taliban. With most technocrats, academicians and intellectuals being whisked away by the international governments for their own protection, Afghanistan will be left to bigots and simple-minded “caveman-fighters” that know nothing about running a country but are more eager to pledge allegiance to warlords holding AK-47s and RPGs for their survival. Quoting an apt script from the movie Fury, 2013 uttered by the protagonist played by Brad Pitt, “Ideals are peaceful, history is violent”, precisely explain the current situation faced by the Afghan people. We can only pray that God will have mercy and protect those Afghan women and girls from thereon.
[Photo credit: fatbidin.com]
