Over the centuries, trying to understand the Afghans and their country was turned into a fine art and a game of power politics by the Persians, the Mongols, the British, the Soviets and most recently the Pakistanis. But no outsider has ever conquered them or claimed their soul.
Since the establishment of modern Afghanistan in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani (Abdali) in Kandahar, tribes have played an important role in installing and in deposing their rulers. The tribes have also played an equally important role in establishing order in the country, especially in those areas where the reach of government, in terms of security and governance, was low or non-existent. The "qawm", which can be loosely translated to mean "solidarity group" has had a dual effect in Afghanistan’s history. On the one hand it has prevented the central government from promoting modernity, while on the other hand, it has provided crucial "social capital" for the resilience of the Afghan society to external shocks, such as war, drought and failed governance. Absent of a functioning government since 1978, in most parts of Afghanistan, the tribal and district structures, the qawn, have played a strong role in keeping security and ensuring governance. In most parts of Afghanistan, tribal structure or locally established Shuras (councils) and Jirgas (meeting to solve problems) have been the only source of social justice in the last thirty years, and to some extent, even before than that.
The tribal structures or Pakhtun code of conduct (Pakhtunwali/Pashtunwali) is very strong among Pakhtun majority and plays a significant role in the population which comprise of more than 50 percent of Afghanistan. In those areas where the government has no presence or is very weak, Pakhtuns solve all their disputes through Jirgas or Shuras. The rules of dispute resolution are called Narkh. Narkh are unwritten rules and are based on precedent. Literally, Narkh means "price" because each decision involves certain costs. Narkhis are people in society or in tribes who understand or at least have the reputation for understanding these rules. Elders of the Ahmadzai tribe are well known for their understanding of Narkh. In the absence of a functional government in the last three decades in Afghanistan, due to occupation and civil war, the people of Afghanistan ruled themselves on the basis of these traditional codes through local Jirga or Shuras. They were able to solve their day to day problems and receive social justice.
Presently, in the rural areas of Afghanistan, most people solve their disputes and problems through Jirga or Shuras because the formal judicial system is weak, inaccessible, expensive, lacking in capacity and is viewed as being very corrupt. Because of this lack of confidence in the formal judiciary, formal rulings are generally considered invalid and cannot prevent the possibility of future revenge. It is imperative to understand that the only way that the majority of the people in Afghanistan will participate in security, governance and development is through cooperation with local authorities on the district level.
Considering the complexity of the relationships, it may appears to be difficult to build consensus easily. But once done, you will have the full support of the tribes and villagers. No one will feel left out from participation and decision-making. It ensures fair and equal participation and decision making powers regarding all issues. It is the Afghan form of democracy. So if we are to have peace in Afghanistan, we must forget about Western values and democracy and instead respect their way of life and culture.
