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The New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team and the Afghan National Police (ANP) patrol moves across some of the most rugged terrain imaginable – the winding road heads up the near vertical slope of the mountain side. The vehicles groan under the strain, and all four wheels spin to gain traction on the slippery rocks and loose gravel. Once the patrol reaches the summit, it descends into the little village of Qardendeh, which sits in a beautiful snow-filled valley. The leaders from Gardindeh, Tirgiran and Reshqaw have travelled for many miles to attend a much anticipated Jirga. Many of these leaders are ex Mujahadeen and former Taliban Commanders. They line up at the base of the hill where the Jirga will take place at the village mosque, and ceremoniously shake hands with the Azim Fared, the District Sub Governor of Shibar; Major Chargicol, the District Chief of Police from Shibar; myself, Colonel Martin Dransfield, NZ PRT Commander; Eric Mehler from the USDOS and each member of the patrol, prior to being invited onto the Mosque grounds for the Jirga. For the last seven years the NZ PRT has been working to develop relationships with the various villages located in the wider province of Bamyan to promote security and development throughout their communities. Jirgas are an effective way of spreading information, but also discussing community concerns and needs. By definition, the term “jirga” (occasionally “jirgah”) (Pashto: Ø¬Ø±Ú«Ù‡) is a tribal assembly of elders which takes decisions by consensus. Jirgas occur throughout Afghanistan, Pakistan (particularly near its border with Afghanistan), and in India's Kashmir valley. In terms of protocol it is similar to that of a meeting on a marae in New Zealand, where important matters are addressed among the people of the area. Accordingly, it is a very familiar process for the New Zealanders here and provides the opportunity to engage with leaders from a wide area in one venue. The most recent series of Jirgas in Bamyan were particularly important as the PRT moves into areas that continue to provide security concerns to the people of Bamyan. Recently there were two murders in the Shikari valley, not far from the location where the PRT was attacked on 1 November 2009. There has much speculation around who is responsible, and it is now time to address these issues with local leaders from all the surrounding villages. In the meetings running up to the Jirga it has become evident that these security issues are in part due to a combination of poor infrastructure in the area, and a feeling of being isolated. Mullah Shafiullah, who admits to being an ex-Taliban Commander, and is now the elected Head of Shura for Tigiran, has explained that the three Shuras (a combination of villages) attending the meeting, namely Gardindeh, Tirgiran and Reshqaw, represent 8,000 people. However, they have no health clinic, are connected only by tracks, and just one of the villages has a tented school. He adds that these factors, in combination with a lack of employment, has prompted some to resort to criminal activity, and on occasions insurgent activity. He adds that if we are to solve this problem we need to engage with the leaders, hear their issues and take steps to involve the communities in the future of Afghanistan. The Jirga consists of a number of speeches, before a lunch and an open forum. The keynote speaker is Malawi Mohammed Osman Rohani, who not only outlines the need for security and infrastructure in the region, but also the local villages collective dislike of both the criminals and the Taliban. Azim Fared, the District Sub Governor for Shibar, notes that the lives of the locals have been traumatised by 30 years of war, and that they still face incredible hardship due to their geographical isolation and lack of infrastructure. However, he notes that the time for fighting is over and with the help of the international community and the Afghan Government, the future can be positive. I continued this theme by noting that criminal and insurgent activity in the area only serves to distract the Government and international community from development. Moreover, he enlists the village elders to encourage their young men to join the ANP. These messages are well received by the village elders in their speeches, and both Malawi Mohammed Osman Rohani and Mullah Shafiullah call on the leaders to be part of the solution through a combination of working with both the Government and international community and supporting the ANP. The elders and visitors then moved to a separate house for an open forum to discuss and record the local development needs. Six hours after their arrival the PRT and ANP patrol winds itself back through the steep mountain passes, in the knowledge that the first steps in a long process of engagement between the Government and various communities, (that believed that they had been forgotten), has begun. With this Jirga, a step in the plan to separate the people from the insurgents, and ideally turn some of the insurgents, has been taken.

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