INSIDE AFGHANISTAN

October 2001
		Afghanistan after the Taliban: Two experts responded to your questions.

Forum introduction Would a Western-style democracy be best for Afghanistan? How do we prevent a repetition of the power vacuum after the Soviets left? Would a new Afghan government commit to freedom of religion? What is happening to commerce in Afghanistan? What do we know about the Northern Alliance? How can we endure the voices of women will be heard? Is there a feasible solution for a multi-ethnic Afghan state?     Online Special: The Response Online Special: Afghanistan Sept. 28, 2001: Two experts discuss the battle between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance. Sept. 20, 2001: A look at Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network.

Jacqueline Taylor of Princeton, New Jersey asks: What would be the best way for the United States and the United Nations to ensure that educated and politically informed women in Afghanistan can get their voices heard and participate in the discussion and debate about new political leadership in the country? Patricia Gossman responds: If a Loya Jirga, or Grand Council, is convened as a means to begin a process of deciding on the future government, there should be representation from Afghans women’s organizations and others advocating for women’s concerns in the areas of education, political participation etc. Obviously, building national consensus around some areas of reform, particularly in some rural parts of Afghanistan, could take time.   Thomas Gouttierre responds: That's going to be a difficult issue, but I think that what has gone on over the last 10 years might have convinced numbers of Afghans that this is a very important thing. There's a very outstanding organization called RAWA – the Revolutionary Association of Woman of Afghanistan – and it, I'm sure, will be moving to have some credible proportional representation at any grand national assembly. In other words, that women have as much of a role as they should, not just in the way that they have been incorporated into these kinds of things in the past. And there are a many progressive Afghan women and many progressive Afghan males who will be involved in convening such a grand national assembly. I think they are going to have to be courageous, stand up; the women we know will do that. The males we have to wait to see – and be insistent that they have a meaningful voice and a voice that is proportionately represented to the degree that is credible for Afghanistan in terms of real representation of women.