http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/14/international/asia/14afghan.html?ex=1252900800&en=da5ef9119890fb45&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt
AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Region's New Governor Says Violence Is Ended; Denounces Warlord
By CARLOTTA GALL
Published: September 14, 2004
ERAT, Afghanistan, Sept. 13 - The new governor of Herat, Sayed
Muhammad Khairkhwa, spent Monday, his first day at work, ensconced at
the top of the hill in the city's finest guesthouse, surrounded by
American troops with maps and satellite dishes and dozens of Afghan
National Army soldiers.
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Despite his heavily guarded seclusion from the people, Mr. Khairkhwa,
51, expressed confidence in an interview that the violence in the city
on Sunday, when at least nine offices of United Nations and other
international organizations were looted and burned, was over and would
not be repeated.
Mr. Khairkhwa blamed his predecessor, the mujahedeen commander and
two-time governor Ismail Khan, and Mr. Khan's dictatorial policies for
the unrest of recent weeks. The violence began after Mr. Khan was
removed from his post by President Hamid Karzai.
Violence also continued Monday in southern Afghanistan in Zabul
Province, which has been another seat of resistance to Mr. Karzai. In
a 12-hour battle, American troops killed 22 militants, the American
military said.
In Herat, Mr. Khairkhwa promised major changes - in particular to
allow political pluralism, and support human rights and women's
rights, areas that Mr. Khan had been criticized for repressing. The
governor's first action was to replace the chief of Herat Television
and Radio, who had been a strong supporter of Mr. Khan, in a move that
the United Nations welcomed.
The United Nations sent a senior level delegation to inspect the
damage to its offices and assess security, while evacuating most of
its foreign staff in Herat to the capital, Kabul.
Filippo Grandi, the deputy special representative to Afghanistan, was
adamant in saying that the mission would rapidly resume its work in
western Afghanistan, because elections, which the United Nations is
helping to organize, are less than 30 days away. Fifteen staff members
were staying in Herat to clean up and set up offices again, while the
bulk of the workers were being evacuated for a few days, he said on
his return to Kabul. It was unclear why the United Nations was the
target, though militants trying to disrupt the elections have
frequently attacked election workers.
Mr. Filippo said the United Nations office had clearly been a target
of the violence, which began with protests against Mr. Khan's removal,
because various neighboring buildings were not touched. "The results
of the attack were quite shocking," he said. "I have hardly ever seen
the type of destruction that I saw'' in the United Nations office.
"The office is in ashes," he said. "Everything is burned. They spilled
gasoline and threw matches, and the whole office does not exist
anymore, and it's a big office."
The new governor, Mr. Khairkhwa, went further, suggesting that his
predecessor had encouraged the violence. "In my opinion the atmosphere
was created,'' he said. "People do not do this by themselves."
Mr. Khan was at home on Monday, surrounded by supporters, and declined
requests for an interview. "He has many guests, but also he is not
clear in what he wants to say at this stage," an aide said. Mr. Khan
had also advised the new governor against visiting him because the
people were still upset, the aide said.
His former intelligence chief, Nasir Ahmad Alawi, acting as his
spokesman, said Mr. Khan had urged people not to resort to violence
and to accept the government's decision. "There will not be any
violations now," the spokesman said. He said the demonstration had
been without leadership and that some destructive people had taken
advantage of the situation.
Mr. Khan does not intend to accept the position of minister of mines
and industries offered to him by Mr. Karzai and will remain at home in
Herat and advise on ensuring security in the region, Mr. Alawi said.
The new governor was dismissive of the idea, saying that no such post
had been offered to Mr. Khan.
The city was back to normal on Monday after the violence, and
residents walked around the streets looking at the damage. Yet the
central government's decision to remove Mr. Khan has polarized the
city, and if the violence has ebbed, the discontent remains.
"Our people are not happy, I am not happy, nobody is happy," said
Abdul Rashid, 30, one of Mr. Khan's guards, who has been a fighter
with Mr. Khan's forces since the age of 15. He and his fellow soldiers
said they blamed Mr. Karzai for ousting their hero from his position,
but they were also critical of the American military and the United
Nations.
Opponents of Mr. Khan's rule remained cautious in their remarks, still
wary of reprisals that some have suffered in the past for speaking out.
One government worker estimated that 60 percent of the local residents
were happy to see Mr. Khan go, and 40 percent were not, but he asked
that his name not be used. "I could lose my job for saying this," he said.
A member of the opposition council of professionals said it was too
soon to know if the changes were permanent and asked not to be quoted.
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