Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Month: November 2014

Thematic Dossier VI: Women, Rights and Politics

AAN Team •

Women’s rights have been high up on the agenda of the international community since the start of its intervention more than 13 years ago. How successful has it been? Where do Afghan women stand in 2014 – and where will they be in just a few years time? Observers, national and international, are worried that […]

Dossiers Read more

Shame and Impunity: Is violence against women becoming more brutal?

Wazhma Samandary •

A father raping his daughter over almost ten years without the family daring to intervene (except to help with abortions); a woman burnt after a family fight; another woman mutilated because her husband enjoyed doing so – these are just some of the cases of violence against women and girls that have been reported in […]

Rights and Freedoms Read more

The ‘Other Guantanamo’ (11): More transfers, a court’s scrutiny and possible redress

Kate Clark •

The United States military spokesman has confirmed to AAN that another detainee has left the detention facility on Bagram Airbase, a ‘German-Moroccan’, Muhammad Abdullawi. A Russian detainee, named by the US military as Irek Hamidullan, has also been flown out – to the US to appear in a federal court on terrorism charges; the first […]

War and Peace Read more

Pace fragile a Kabul

AAN •

La Regione Ticino, 27 November 2014 AAN author Fabrizio Foschini gets a full page for an interview in his regional (Italian Swiss) newspaper, talking about the elections and political transition, the situation of the ANSF, peace negotiations, militants, the new government and the neighbouring countries as well as Afghanistan’s socio-economic situation. On the important latter question, he said: “Paradossalmente, […]

AAN in the Media Read more

President Ghani fosters hope with strong start

AAN •

Khaama Press (Kabul), 27 November 2014 Long quotes from AAN’s Country Director Kate Clark in this article reviewing the start of the Ghani-Abdullah administration: “He started with a lot of energy and apparent determination and with a strong focus on reform, on rooting out corruption. So he reopened the investigation into the Kabul Bank scandal […]

AAN in the Media Read more

Abkommen der Nato mit Afghanistan: Ausländische Truppenpräsenz bleibt

Thomas Ruttig •

Tageszeitung (Berlin), 24 November 2014 Article by AAN’s Thomas Ruttig and Wazhma Samandary about the Wolesi Jirga’s ‘yes’ vote on the BSA and the SOFA that opens a door for the new NATO military mission “Resolute Support”.

AAN in the Media Read more
A sea of green cards of approval in the Wolesi Jirga. Photo: ToloNews

Wolesi Jirga Resolutely in Favour of NATO Support: BSA and SOFA take next hurdle

Thomas Ruttig • Wazhma Samandary •

The Wolesi Jirga today (23 November 2014) approved the long-delayed bilateral security agreement (BSA) with the United States and the Status of Force Agreement (SOFA) with NATO. Although the Afghan Senate’s approval is still pending, this vote opens the door for the start of the ISAF-successor Mission Resolute Support. AAN senior analyst Thomas Ruttig and […]

International Engagement Read more

2015 Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs Overview

AAN •

UNOCHA,/Relief Web, 23 November 2014 UNOCHA lists Afghanistan’s key humanitarian issues: Conflict causes death, injury and displacement 7,965 civilians killed and injured by conflict January-September 2014, 22 per cent of which were children. 105,800 people fled their homes, in the same period, amidst increased fighting in Northern Hilmand and other provinces. 1.2 million children acutely […]

Recommended Reads Read more

One Thousand Dollars for Books per Year: Afghanistan’s undersupplied universities

Christine Roehrs •

Afghan university students still do not have proper textbooks. Their professors give them so-called ‘chapters’ – copies of excerpts from lecture notes or books that are often out-dated. Libraries on the other hand remain underfunded dumping grounds for donated books that mostly do not fit needs, curricula or lecture contents. Why is that still so, […]

Economy, Development, Environment Read more

Hour’s Drive Outside Kabul [in Tagab], Taliban Reign

AAN •

New York Times, 22 November 2014 In this striking reportage about the situation in the district of Kapisa province, author Azam Ahmed writes that “it is the government that operates in the shadows, following the dictates of the Taliban in order to stay alive. Afghan soldiers in Tagab district will not leave their base except […]

Recommended Reads Read more

USA utvider sin rolle i Afghanistan

AAN •

NRK, 22 November 2014 An article on the website of Norwegian TV refers to an AAN dispatch on the situation Helmand, however calling us Afghan Analysts Network and AAA: Den uavhengige organisasjonen Afghan Analysts Network (AAA) tegnet tidligere i høst et dystert bilde av utviklingen i Helmand og dokumenterte hvordan amerikanske styrker bidro til at […]

AAN in the Media Read more

Cult, Culture and the Need for Public Education: Why the National Museum in Kabul has little meaning for Afghans

Jolyon Leslie •

The National Museum has been a powerful symbol in the portrayal of Afghanistan’s recovery since 2002 and focus of intense international attention. However, the ‘narrative of loss’ that runs through portrayals of the museum’s recent history tends to displace serious discussion as to its role as an institution in today’s Afghanistan. After more than a […]

Context and Culture Read more

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