Afghans Turn to Taliban ‘Government’

CANBERRA — As the Afghan government is failing to maintain a rapport with local people, the Afghans are turning to the Taliban, which are running courts and hospitals, to fill in the gap.

"A government that is losing to a counter-insurgency isn't being outfought, it is being out-governed,� David Kilcullen, a senior adviser to US commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal, told Australia’s National Press Club, reported Reuters on Monday, August 31.

“And that's what's happening in Afghanistan."

Kilcullen said the Afghan government of Hamid Karzai was failing to respond to the needs of the local Afghans.

Therefore, local Afghans are increasingly turning to the Taliban to solve their disputes, he said.

Afghanistan has been in a state of political limbo since the August 20 disputed elections, who saw widespread fraud.

Partial results have placed incumbent Karzai in the lead, but not enough to avoid a second round against his main challenger, Abdullah Abdullah.

Allegations of fraud during the vote gathered more momentum on Monday.

Afghanistan’s Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) said it is investigating more than 2,500 fraud allegations during the ballot.

"We have received 691 complaints which are priority A," said EEC spokesman Ahmad Muslim Khuram.

He said 2,097 complaints had been received since election day, with the total since campaigning began in mid-June at 2,564.

The flood of complaints has heightened concerns that the legitimacy of the final results and any Karzai victory will be compromised.

"It's too early to say it (the result) will change because somehow we didn't finish our investigation,� Khuram said.

“Priority A means these complaints are serious enough and have evidence."

Election officials are expected to announce results from around 52 percent of polling stations later Monday, which will include results from 35 percent of polling stations already made public.

Shadow Govt

Kilcullen said that the Taliban are running shadow governments in many Afghan districts.

"It's a direct challenge to the international security forces," added Kilcullen, an Australian military officer and adviser to former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The Taliban are now running a network of 15 Shari`ah courts in the south to solve disputes between the locals.

The Afghan group has also set up an ombudsman’s office near Kandahar to hear complaints from local Afghans.

"If the Taliban do something that offends you, you go to the ombudsman and you complain, and they hear the case,� said Kilcullen.

“Sometimes they fire or even execute Taliban commanders for breaking the code of conduct."

The Taliban were ousted by the US, which invaded Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks.

Since their ouster, the group has been engaged in protracted guerrilla warfare against foreign forces and the West-backed Karzai government.

A recent report by the Senlis Council said Taliban has permanent presence in more than half of Afghanistan.