Afghan civil society institutions on Wednesday called for more inclusive peace negotiation talks so that the voice of all Afghans from every layer of the society can be heard in the Afghan peace negotiation talks.
The civil society organizations gathered under the name “Afghanistan Mechanism for Inclusive Peace."
“Over 500 participants from 34 provinces were brought together by AMIP at the National Summit of Civil Society and Media to discuss various thematic areas as part of their working groups and jointly develop key recommendations for the negotiating parties,” the Afghanistan Mechanism for Inclusive Peace wrote on Twitter.
According to the members of Afghanistan Mechanism for Inclusive Peace, the Afghan people have been the main victims of four decades of war, but they do not direct representation in the peace talks.
Meanwhile, EU special envoy for Afghanistan Roland Kobia also stressed the need for the inclusivity of the talks.
“Launch today of #amip2020 for inclusivity & diversity in #IAN, to reflect & represent all voices of Afghan society & ensure sustainable peace. #EU calls on both parties to embrace the Afghan-owned & non partisan #AMIP to ensure that the diversity of #Afghanistan is heard,” Tweeted Kobia.
“One of the vital components that can better define our objectives or validate our claim is the structure or formation of the same mechanism or institution or action that we take. There are members of the leadership committee from the civil society institutions, secretariat and then the regional groups and experts within the framework of this structure,” said Roshan Mashal, member of Afghanistan Mechanism for Inclusive Peace.
One of the objectives behind the formation of Afghanistan Mechanism for Inclusive Peace is to ensure the protection of the gains the country has made over the past 20 years.
“If negotiators from either side need the suggestions or advice or information from the civil society institutions or the public on certain topics, the mechanism will swiftly act to gather information inside Afghanistan and then dispatch it to the negotiators,” said Ibrahim Tawalud, a member of Afghanistan Mechanism for Inclusive Peace.
In addition, Ole Andreas Lindeman, the Norwegian ambassador to Afghanistan, said that the intra-Afghan talks have created a platform to end the four decades of war.
“"The world is drastically hopeful about the peace negotiation process. This mechanism is making us hopeful to reach peace after four decades of war,” said ambassador Ole Andreas Lindeman at the launching ceremony of Afghanistan Mechanism for Inclusive Peace.
Addressing the ceremony virually, Habiba Sarabi, a member of the peace negotiating team of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, said that the Afghanistan Mechanism for Inclusive Peace has also established contact offices in eight zones of the country.
“Peace negotiation between the Afghan government and Taliban is unprecedented in the history of Afghanistan. As the peace negotiation has started, Sweden would like to see Afghans developing this mechanism and amplifying the peace process engagement,” said Chrisitina Dahlman, deputy Swedish ambassador to Afghanistan.
Afghanistan Mechanism for Inclusive Peace (AMIP) is a new, innovative, independent, inclusive peace-support mechanism built by civil society, for civil society and It seeks to promote the Afghan people’s active engagement in the Intra Afghan Talks and to ensure that their voices are heard,” said Lailuma Nasiri, a member of Afghanistan Mechanism for Inclusive Peace.