The Taliban have unofficially announced convening of the Loya Jirga though naming the same as a, "Ulema Council on the current situation of Afghanistan."
“The Political Commission of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is planning to convene an Afghan gathering, the design of which is still underway and its title and format have not been determined yet,” said Inamullah Samangani, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate as per Tolonews Report.
As per Pajhwok and other Afghan news reports, a statement released by the Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan’s office said the aim of the “gathering,” was to “unify” Afghans.
This is significant as the Taliban has been accused of a non inclusive government with only token inclusion of other ethnic communities as the Tajik, Hazara and Uzbek which form over 60 percent of the Afghan population.
What is a Loya Jirga?
A loya jirga, or grand council is a traditional assembly of mainly male representatives from various ethnic communities in Afghanistan.
The Loya Jirga is not a standing body but a one time gathering for discussion and decision on an issue of national importance. The Jirga deliberates specific proposals.
There are many instances of Afghanistan holding a Loya Jirga the latest one being organized by the Ashraf Ghani led Republic government to decide on norms for negotiations with the Taliban which were being held in Doha, Qatar in 2020.
In 1964 and in 1977, example, loya jirgas ratified Afghan constitution and also during World War II, the decision to stay neutral was taken.
Taliban Plan for Loya Jirga
Afghan media sources have indicated that a letter from Mullah Mohammad Hassanon the social media has outlined the proposal for holding the Loya Jirga.
The letter reads: “A meeting of ministers, chaired by the Taliban’s supreme leader in Kandahar, discussed calls for a major gathering of scholars in the country. It was decided to convene a huge gathering of Ulema from across the country. A commission led by Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has been tasked with organising the meeting.”
The gathering will be held in Kabul from June 29 to July 3 at the Kabul Polytechnic University which has been formally closed till July 04.
The Jirga is expected to be attended by well-known scholars and public figures.
Two religious scholars and one public figure will participate from each district.
From each police district, two public figures and one religious scholar will be in attendance as per Pajhwok.
Why Loya Jirga May Not be Unify Afghans?
While it may not be fair to pre judge the credibility of the Loya Jirga the details of which are not fully known so far. However reasonable surmises can be made.
Some of the preliminary indicators are that the gathering though held under the internationalist Taliban leader and acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Ghani Barader will be a structured one to reinforce Taliban ideology through structured consensus achieved by selected attendees rather than an open debate and discussion on issues confronting Afghanistan as a nation today.
A few reasons are as under-
Firstly, the Taliban is reluctant to name the gathering as a Loya Jirga and prefer to call the same – meeting of the Ulema Council which is not just symbolic but underlines the spirit of a jirga which is to achieve consensus.
Secondly there will be a domination of likeminded conservatives in the meeting as the representatives will be selected from each district.
Separately selection of representatives will be from police district, thus making the same a gathering of security and religious heads.
Thirdly there are no indicators that prominent Afghan leaders as former President Hamid Karzai and CEO and Chairman of Reconciliation Council Dr Abdullah Abdullah amongst others will be invited for the meeting or not.
If invited in the milieu that they would be operating their views are unlikely to find prominence.
Fourthly, aLoya jirga forms various sub committees which are to discuss the sub issues that are to be discussed.
The sub committees than present these to the main jirga council which finally takes the decisions. Whether such a procedure will be followed remains to be seen?
Finally, it should be noted that the decision of the jirga may not be binding on the so called Supreme leader of the Taliban Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, who is unlikely to attend the same and will continue to pontificate from his lair in Kandahar. The fact that Kabul and Kandahar are not on the same page on various issues such as girls education for instance is well known by now.
Conclusion
How far the Loya Jirga is inclusive will determine the way ahead. For if the Loya Jirga is undertaken in the form of a dictat to only emphasise Taliban ideology and exclusivist approach to politics and governance as a demonstration of “democratic,” opinion building to the international community, it may turn out to be farce and only symbolic
But for now let us wait and watch?