Youth Contact Group for Peace

ۤNangrahar Youths and New Generation Peace Jirga

The Youths and Peace Generation Peace Jirga of Nangarhar Province was held on April 5, 2021 with the presence of hundreds of young people from Nangarhar Province and a number of youths from Nuristan, Laghman and Kunar provinces. The Jirga was organized by the youths of Nangarhar in cooperation with the YCGP in three parts; the inauguration, the work of the committees; the presentation of the decision of the working committees and the presentation of the resolution were developed.

Iqbal Sakhi, Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Youth Parliament and a member of the leadership of the YCGP, spoke about how the Jirga is held and the activities of the commission.

Mohammad Sangar Amirzadeh, chairman of the YCGP, provided information from other Jirgas, the outcomes of the talks, target killings and maintained security forces, adding that the war was not won and this war has no winner, and that the Afghan people were the victims of war on both sides (the Afghan Government and the Taliban).

Khalil Ahmad Matin, Vice chairman of the YCGP, spoke about the role and position of the new generation and youths in peace talks, adding that the role of youths in peace meetings (Doha, Moscow, and Istanbul) has not been considered so far.

Ustad Latifullah Qhamari, Ustad Javid Masroor, Fatemeh Saba Ahmadzai, Ustad Hazrat Jafar Arab, Hosna Ahmadzai, Najmuddin Nuristani and Ferdows Basharmal spoke regarding the need to ensure a ceasefire and end the war, stop the offensive activities by the Taliban and Afghan Government and achieve lasting peace. They spoke about the damage caused by the war in the province, the end of target killings, the resolution of problems through negotiations and the agreement on a future political system based on the advice and approval of the people.

Then, the members of the Jirga, who were divided into ten committees, talked about 7 issues and drafted and read the final resolution of the Jirga.

Nangrahar Youths and New Generation Peace Jirga resolution

The Youths and New Generation Peace Jirga of Nangarhar Province was held on April 5, 2021 with the presence of hundreds of young people. The Jirga was organized by the youths of Nangarhar province in cooperation with YCGP in which representatives from all the administrative units of this province, participated and expressed their decisions and demands from the government of Afghanistan, the Islamic Movement of Taliban and the International Community, especially the US, as following:

1. We call on the Afghan Government and the Taliban to end the war, or at least end their aggressive attacks.

2. The peace process must break free from the monopoly of the powerful groups and individuals and should not emphasize on individuals and groups demands. Also, the engagement opportunity at the peace process should be given to the people who have lost their family members in recent years due to the war.

3. We call on the Afghan Government and the Taliban to protect the national interests and institutions of the country.

4. The Afghan Government must work with patience, ensure a ceasefire and sacrifice its red lines for national interest of the country. The existing factions in the country must put aside their political, groups and party`s conflicts, should be committed for the peace and should take a unit approach.

5. We call on the Afghan Government to remain committed to all its commitments in the peace process and should put efforts for its implementation.

6. We call on the Afghan Government and the Taliban to stop field trials and should not punish anyone without court orders. We call on both sides to prevent target killings, especially the killing of women and youths.

7. We call on the Afghan Government to involve impartial youths in the peace process. We call on Afghan Government and the Taliban to protect the rights of women and all other Afghans.

8. The Afghan Government must involve civil society in the peace process and build a national consensus. The Afghan Government should use the policies and schemes which have been made by youths.

9. We call on the Taliban Movement to present their strategy and solution for peace, show their flexibility and strive for the Afghanistan’s interest.

10. We call on both sides of the conflict to prevent the destruction of public institutions and national infrastructures. They should respect national, cultural and Islamic values.

11. We call on the Taliban to use political, civil and negotiation channels to gain power after the peace agreement.

12. We call on the International Community, the US, our neighbors and Islamic countries to not make Afghanistan as a center of proxy war and make this country the center for their economic cooperation, support the peace talks, and be honest to its successful conclusion.

13. We call on the International Community to do their withdrawal from Afghanistan responsibly and after peace agreement. We also call on the countries of the region, neighboring countries and the International Community to guarantee implementation of the peace agreement and decisions.

14. We call on the countries of the region, neighboring and other countries to stop funding and supporting of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

15. We call on Islamic countries to sincerely and honestly put efforts to end the ongoing, useless, and illegitimate war in Afghanistan.

16. We call on the International Community, the US, neighboring countries and Islamic countries to listen the voices of the people, instead of paying attention to the positions of the involved sides in the war.

17. We call for a lasting peace agreement and incretion of civil movements and programs for peace to put pressure on engaged parties.

18. We, the youths of Nangarhar province wants from the youths of the country to support the peace process and develop mindset for achieving of peace in the country.

19. Nangarhar should be declared as a safe zone and ceasefire should be ensured in this area, and peace talks should be run through this province.

20. Fear, poverty, unemployment, flee of talents, crises, targeted killings, lack of access to educational services, lack of access to health services, displacement, insecurity, the distance between government and people, and loses of scholars are the problems which caused by war in this province, so we call for an immediate end to it.

21. To monitor the peace process, an accountable youths-led and social monitoring center should be established and the center should monitor the process with full commitment.

22. The peace process should be made public through the media, by investigative journalism and all issues behind the scenes must be revealed. The media should use anti-war literature.

23. The youths participating in the peace talks, do not represent the youth of Afghanistan, but represent their political parties and agenda. We want that the new generation and youths should be engaged in the future meetings and summits.

24. The Doha and Moscow meetings have not had any result yet, and we call on all parties in peace talks to reach a positive conclusion in future meetings.

Best Regards

Nangarhar - Youths and New Generation Peace Jirga

April 5, 2021