The Troubled History of the E-tazkera (Part 2): Technical stumbling blocks The introduction of electronic ID cards – or e-tazkera – in Afghanistan remains haunted by delays, obstacles and poor planning. Although CEO Dr Abdullah approved the e-tazkera pilot phase on 3 August 2015, the process has yet to begin. Since then, President Ghani has questioned the very feasibility of this oft-delayed project, while main donors […] 26 Jan 2016 Jelena Bjelica • Martine van Bijlert • Rights and Freedoms
The Troubled History of the E-tazkera (Part 1): Political upheaval There is a fairly broad consensus among Afghans and donors alike that the introduction of an electronic ID card – or e-tazkera – would be a good thing; it would provide accurate population data, standardised ID documents and the possibility of, in the case of elections, drawing up reliable voter lists. The project, however, has […] 25 Jan 2016 Jelena Bjelica • Martine van Bijlert • Rights and Freedoms
Casting a Very Wide Net: Did Ghani just authorise interning Afghans without trial? A recent decree by President Ghani on how to deal with terrorist crimes has introduced the prospect of detaining, without trial, Afghans (and foreigners in Afghanistan) suspected of planning acts of terrorism. The relevant article allows the Afghan authorities to detain suspects indefinitely on very little evidence and with little or no opportunity to defend […] 21 Jan 2016 Kate Clark • Lenny Linke • Rights and Freedoms
AAN’s Thomas Ruttig on the need of a comprehensive talks for stability in Afghanistan– January, 2016 Thomas Rutig, co-director of Afghanistan Analysts Network, told Radio Sputnik that in order to end the 14 year-old war, there is a need of comprehensive talks, which would involve major players in the region. 19 Jan 2016 Thomas Ruttig • Podcasts
The IEC Announces 2016 Election Date – but what about electoral reform? In a brief press conference on Monday 18 January 2016, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) announced the date for Afghanistan’s next vote: 15 October 2016. But the preparations for the elections – for the lower house of parliament and, for the first time, district councils – are complicated by ongoing controversies over the legitimacy of the […] 18 Jan 2016 Martine van Bijlert • Political Landscape
Ghazni Jailbreak: Where the government failed and its enemy succeeded Taleban fighters broke into the Ghazni jail and freed hundreds of inmates, including key Taleban commanders, in the early morning of 14 September 2015. It was the ninth spectacular jailbreak since 2001, but the Ghazni jailbreak was different than most of them: better planned and with more fighters. The government forces, on the other hand, […] 15 Jan 2016 Fazl Rahman Muzhary • War and Peace
On the Cultural History of Opium – and how poppy came to Afghanistan Mention drugs or Google the word ‘opium’ and the link to Afghanistan will never be far away. No wonder, since over the last few decades, Afghanistan has become the largest opium producer in the world. But where did opium come from, how did it spread and what are its cultural expressions? AAN co-director Thomas Ruttig […] 11 Jan 2016 Doris Buddenberg • Context and Culture
A Happy and Peaceful New Year! Dear friends and readers, Here at the Afghanistan Analysts Network we would like to wish you all a Happy New Year. May it be filled with good surprises and may it bring peace, in Afghanistan and in the wider world, closer. We will be here, together with you, closely following what is happening and hoping for a […] 1 Jan 2016 AAN Team • Context and Culture
Lahndi Season: a delicacy and a feast in rural Afghanistan Many find the arrival of fall and the beginning of winter depressing, but Lahndi, a traditional food feast in Afghanistan, makes the season something to look forward to. In certain ways, the anticipation of Lahndi can be compared to the way people around the world prepare for Christmas, with happiness; with one major difference, that […] 30 Dec 2015 Fazl Rahman Muzhary • Context and Culture
Political Cleavages over Pakistan: The NDS chief’s farewell Rahmatullah Nabil, the chief of the country’s intelligence service, submitted his resignation on 10 December 2015. This now leaves two of the Afghan government’s four major security positions filled by acting officials (the second vacancy, for more than a year, is the defence minister’s position). Nabil’s position had presumably become untenable, after he publicly criticised […] 23 Dec 2015 Thomas Ruttig • Political Landscape
