Nangarhar subgovernors, officials meet with PRT

Subgovernors from many of Nangarhar’s 22 districts and officials from the Jalalabad municipality met with Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team senior staff on Forward Operating Base Finley-Shields Dec. 11 to discuss cooperation and transparency.


“We’re here to work; we’re committed to work,” said Jalalabad Deputy Mayor Engineer Hakim, “because if the Afghans do not build Afghanistan, nobody else will do it.”

The Nangarhar officials present vowed continued cooperation with the PRT and International Security Assistance Force, noting the extremely close bond that already existed between them.

“We’re friends, and we need to be able to talk upfront,” said Shinwar Subgovernor Haji Zalmay. “We know transparency, and we hope that we hear the same thing from you. If you think we have a problem, we are ready for any sort of accountability.”

“The Jalalabad municipality thanks the PRT for all the projects they have done,” said Hakim. “For example, the 26 roads you paved for us would have cost 10 years of income for the municipality.”

Officials did express some dissatisfaction with ISAF’s actions in the recent past. Many asserted that coalition forces had operated in their districts without informing them.

“If we do not have sovereignty ourselves, then we’re not going to be able to do anything,” said Zalmay. “If we’re not in the lead, and if we do not have an effective role, then how are we going to convince the people we have a democratic government in Afghanistan?”

The PRT members at the meeting recognized these concerns and assured the Afghans ISAF wanted to serve in a supportive role to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

“The PRT’s here to help the government of Afghanistan; we’re not here to take over,” said Andrew Haviland, Nangarhar PRT senior civilian from Oakton, Va.

“When your grandchildren and your grandchildren’s grandchildren go to school, they will not read about my name or Andrew’s, they will read about your names,” added U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Mike Anderson, Nangarhar PRT commander from Dallas. “You are the leaders of Afghanistan.”