Drugs threat in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is in danger of becoming a narcotics state controlled by terrorists and drugs lords.

The multi-billion-dollar trade constitutes nearly 60% of Afghanistan's GDP. It hampers the reconstruction drive, and is very detrimental to the country’s volatile security and nascent democracy.

The looming risk is not just confined to Afghanistan, but it also poses a serious threat to the world. Approximately 85% of heroin consumed in the UK originates in Afghanistan.

Failed attempts:

Karzai has repeatedly urged the world to assist the Afghan farmers, so that they voluntarily abstain from growing illicit crops.

Britain last year took the initiative to provide the Afghan farmers with alternative livelihoods assistance. But the scheme not only brought no result, but provided the farmers with more money to grow more opium in next season.

Harsh approaches like bulldozing poppy fields by US troops not only stirred up farmers’ resentment, but also triggered to health problems in the region.

Dr Axel Klein, former head of International Unit at Drugscope, describes the spraying of herbicides as an "inexcusable down-ride" form of eradication.

Fearing potential consequences, President Karzai called a halt to use of force and aerial spray of pesticides.

Why, then, despite all massive efforts of the Afghan government and international community, is the war on drugs doomed to failure?

Corruption:

There are several reasons making the mission impossible. One is involvement of senior government officials in this lucrative business.

“The illicit business has permeated every stratum of the government apparatus,” says the spokesman of the Afghan human rights commission.

He believes the war on drugs will bring no result unless government officials involved in the business are sacked and punished.

Ali Ahmad Jalali, former Afghan interior minister, resigned after failing to convince the president to reveal the identity of senior officials allegedly involved in drugs business.

Another reason is widespread corruption crippling the state departments, especially the judiciary.

The British ambassador to Afghanistan, Dr Rosalind Marsdin, recently called on the Afghan government to form a special tribunal to prosecute those involved in drug trade. But the proposal has yet to be put into action because of lack of professional legal experts.

Ill-conceived strategy:

Many experts believe that the war on drugs lacked effective strategy. “The US-led war on drugs has failed because it is based on an unreasonable approach and wrong policy,” says Rymond Kendall, former Secretary General of Interpol.

Kendall urges the international community and the UN to rethink their counternarcotics policy in Afghanistan. He advocates "medicalising" rather than "criminalising" drugs in Afghanistan”.

Licensing scheme:

Senlis Council, an European think thank, has recently advocated licensing Afghan opium crops and diverting them from "the black market" to "legitimate medicinal markets".

“Our preliminary feasibility assessment gives a green light for licensing scheme,” says the council’s executive director Emmanuel Reinert.

He sees the licensing scheme as the mere solution to the durgs issue in Afghanistan, and warns that forced eradication will have adverse effects on security situation.

Many drug experts support the Senlis Council’s proposal because the scheme can not only boost the Afghan economy, but also address the shortage of opium-driven medicines like morphine and codeine in the world.

Some analysts and drugs experts are, however, sceptical whether the licensing programme could be successfully implemented under weak Afghan legal framework.

But despite certain constraints, the proposal for licensing warrants close attention. The council's proposal has yet to be approved by the Afghan authorities and the US.

As mentioned above, Afghanistan is facing a real danger. And if not tackled, it will soon lapse back into anarchy and a haven for international terrorist networks.

The drug problem in Afghanistan could not be a short-term fix, so the international community should devise a lonT-term, practical mechanism to wipe out the danger before it is too late.