News

As Lithuanian diplomats and soldiers emphasised for the NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan Ambassador Daan Everts during his visit in Chaghcharan on September 1-2, remoteness and stability of Ghowr province should not become the reason for the central authority and international community to pay less attention to the region than to provinces suffering from clashes.

NATO ambassador was visiting the camp of the Lithuanian-led Ghowr PRT “Camp Whiskey” and met with the provincial governor Baz Mohammad Ahmady and members of provincial council and development committee as well as with representatives of international and non-governmental organisations in Ghowr.

While meetings with the NATO delegation, both representatives of provincial government and representatives of non-governmental organisations acknowledged contribution of the Lithuanian-led PRT in ensuring stability in Ghowr but complained about the lack of attention to the needs of provincial development from the Central Afghan Government and international community.

The main shortfalls of Ghowr development are lack of practicable roads and no energy infrastructure. Many provinces are already facing food shortage because of draught. Members of UNAMA that had opened its agency in Chaghcharan in the middle of June said they received quite a number of complaints concerning violation of fundamental human rights – such as killing or violence against women.

Members of provincial council that includes 15 women expressed their regret for ambassador D.Everts that the Central Afghan Government residing in Kabul does not pay enough attention to the needs of Ghowr development. The NATO ambassador assured that lately he had heard a promise of the president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai to focus on equal provincial development.

“Security of isolated and underdeveloped Ghowr province cannot be a reason to transfer attention from it towards the “hot” regions of Afghanistan”, PRT commander Col. Dalius Polekauskas said.

“We hope that after the visit to Chaghcharan NATO Senior Civil Representative will become another “Ghowr attorney” in Kabul and will tell that more money is needed for development of the isolated province. We are very happy that with mediation of our PRT one more international donor turned to Ghowr. Japan Government provided support for literacy and professional training projects in the region of Chaghcharan”, said Head of the Lithuanian Special Mission in Afghanistan Aleksandras Matonis.

During the visit of the NATO ambassador the Japan-financed project was inaugurated on Sunday. According to the project 155 individuals (90 of them women) will be taught the basics of literacy and crafts in 9 months.

Completing the project of about 170 thousand dollars (0,4m litas) non-governmental organisation “Sanayee Development Organization” opened education centres in Chaghcharan where women are taught embroidery and boys and men learn the crafts of motorbike, automobile, radio and TV transmitters’ repair and woodwork. In the Shaich Ka and Kasi villages close to Chaghcharan women literacy and needlework teaching centres are open.

Last weak an agreement was signed in Kabul with the executives of the Afghan non-governmental organisation “Afghan Stabilization Program” concerning the European Commission and Lithuanian-financed project of building nine police posts and training National Afghan Police in Ghowr, and providing technical supply. The European Commission allocated 400 thousand euros (1m and 380 thousand litas) for the project from the ad hoc PRT Fund created for the EU countries participating in reconstruction of Afghanistan. Lithuania was the first country to apply for an EC PRT project financing and to receive it. Another project to be funded by Lithuania and the EC is currently underway too. It would involve building and refurbishing court and prosecutor’s office facilities and courses for police officers.

PIO for the PRT-5

1st Lt. Vida Urbonaite