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Afghanistan Offers Amnesty to Wanted Taliban Rebels
By CARLOTTA GALL
05/09/05 "New
York Times" - - The head of Afghanistan's peace and reconciliation commission held out an amnesty today for all rebels fighting American and government forces, including the most wanted men, the Taliban leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, and a renegade commander, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.
Sebaghatullah Mojadeddi, recently appointed to head the Independent Afghan National Commission for Peace in Afghanistan, is encouraging members of the Taliban and other militants to lay down their arms and return home in peace.
"This peace that we want is for all, there is no exception," Mr. Mojadeddi said. "Those who are armed, they should lay down their weapons when they come, accept the constitution and obey the government. When they come, we will accept them with an open heart."
The Afghan government had changed its policy that formerly excluded people like Mullah Omar and Mr. Hekmatyar, Mr. Mojadeddi said. As head of the commission, he noted that he had been granted independence to act as he saw fit on the matter.
"They should respect the constitution, obey the government and lay down their weapons, and then we don't have very big conditions," Mr. Mojadeddi said, adding "We are announcing it today, let us give them time to discuss and think about it, and let's see what is God's favor," he said.
The amnesty announcement came as the American military reported further high casualties in fighting with suspected Taliban members in eastern Afghanistan.
Two United States marines were killed when they searched a cave where militants had taken refuge on Sunday evening after a fierce battle with a marine unit. Some 23 insurgents were killed in the fighting when American air support was called in, the military said in a statement.
The clash came after heavy battles in two separate areas in southern Afghanistan in the last few days, in which the United States military reported dozens of insurgents were killed. The insurgents have surprised the military leadership with the strength of their numbers and their determination to stand and fight, showing that they are still a force to be reckoned with.
Until now, the government of President Hamid Karzai has said that 100 to 150 members of the Taliban regime and other antigovernment rebels who have committed crimes would be excluded from the reconciliation program.
The United States military has also talked of a blacklist, excluding the most wanted members of the government that harbored Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda network for five years until October 2001 and those who have been fighting American forces since. Mr. Hekmatyar, the renegade commander, is also wanted for terrorist activities against United States forces, American commanders have said.
A spokesman for the United States military in Kabul, Col. James Yonts, said the military supported the Afghan government's reconciliation program and the commission. He added, however, that those guilty of terrorism or other serious crimes would not be allowed to join the amnesty.
Those Taliban members or other fugitives who wanted to return to Afghanistan and give up the fight would be screened by the National Security Council before being allowed to join the program, Colonel Yonts said. Once accepted, they could return home with a guarantee for their safety from the government, he added, noting that the screening would be coordinated with the United States military.
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