KABUL - A number of Afghan Senators on Sunday have voiced criticisms of the upcoming Loya Jirga and said that they would not participate in the gathering.
The Loya Jirga, which will convene on Thursday, will bring together thousands of government, religious and tribal leaders from around the country to discuss the Kabul-Washington Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA). The agreement, if signed, would ensure close military relations between the U.S. and Afghanistan in the years after the NATO combat mission ends in 2014.
The Jirga and the pact itself have in recent weeks fallen into a crossfire between those in favor of continued military support from the U.S. – in the form of funds as well as troops – and those against the any further American involvement in Afghan affairs.
For some of the Senators on Sunday, the reason for boycotting the event was that it should not be taking place at all.
"The Jirga is not requested by the people, so we will not participate," Senator Mohammad Asif Azimi said.
Many have opposed President Hamid Karzai's decision to defer such a critical and complex decision to the Jirga, despite reassurances from him and Jirga organizers that the gathering's resolution on the BSA would be purely "advisory" and not binding. Ultimately, the National Assembly is said to have authority over whether or not the agreement would be finalized.
Still, others have suggested that the Afghan government has merely been posturing on the agreement, and will be forced to go along with it one way or another.
"Really this Jirga is symbolic, it is just for show," said Senator Belqis Roshan.
Arguably the most controversial element of the BSA, other than the possibility of a contingent of foreign forces remaining in Afghanistan post-2014, is the issue of "troop immunity" – whether or not the U.S. or Afghanistan will have criminal jurisdiction over American troops.
"The immunity for U.S. soldiers under the U.S. constitution would mean sacrificing the people," Senator Roshan said.
With a troubled history of claimed as well as proven crimes and human rights abuses perpetrated by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan over the years, many think conceding jurisdiction over them after the combat mission ends is unacceptable.
The Taliban and Hezb-e-Islami Party condemned the Jirga last week, saying that even considering prolonging U.S. involvement in Afghan affairs was a crime against the country. The Taliban even threatened the lives of Jirga participants who voted in favor of the BSA.
That did not stop Karzai from encouraging the anti-government groups from attending the event and weighing on the issue.
But that went from unlikely to virtually impossible on Saturday when the Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that targeted the Jirga grounds on Kabul Polytechnic University's campus. The incident resulted in the deaths of 10 civilians and three soldiers, along with the injuring of 29 others, including women and children.
Senators on Sunday condemned the attack and voiced suspicions that individuals across the border in Pakistan were involved.
"Our neighbor is trying to disrupt the Jirga," said Senator Hedyatullah Rehaye, who does plan to participate on Thursday. "The government and security forces must be on alert and provide security for the Jirga."
"ISI is behind all the suicide attacks in Afghanistan. How long it will continue?" said Senator Hedayatullah Ahmadzai.
Although officials in Kabul and Islamabad have seen tensions between their nations ease somewhat this year, hostilities are still said to boil beneath the surface while suspicions are voiced publically with frequency.
Pakistani and Iranian officials expressed concerns about the BSA last month, suggesting a continued presence of U.S. troops in Afghanistan would be a threat to their national security.
Many opponents of the accord have argued that allowing U.S. troops to stay post-2014 and continuing to have close military relations with Washington would hamper the reconciliation process with the Taliban. Meanwhile, others have said not doing so would leave the Kabul government and the nation more broadly vulnerable to malefactors.
All of those considerations are sure to come up in deliberations at the Jirga, which are expected to take place separately amongst 50 committees that the 3,000 participants are divided into.
The Jirga organizing commission announced on Sunday that the final list of participants had been approved by Karzai. Given the stance some Senators have taken, however, it looks like there will be some empty seats come Thursday. (Tolo News)