Netzwerk No to War – No to NATO / Deutsch-Afghanisches-Friedensnetzwerkbuilding up the school infrastructure, and we will continue to do so beyond 2014 as well,because we do have confidence in their future, and we believe that we owe to them asfriends, that we must not think of an exit route – so, we’re there to stay. We want to see<strong>Afghanistan</strong> stabilised, remain important stepping stone for interconnectivity betweenCentral Asia and South Asia and to be a successful sovereign state.SS: When you say that, you know, it’s very important to hear the Afghan people’s voice,therefore, the Taliban being part of the Afghan people, what would you see assigning themin the future of <strong>Afghanistan</strong>, like being a part of the government maybe, or something else?SK: We have been told by President Karzai that he did give a thought and, perhaps, he still isopen to that idea that Afghan government should have some representatives of the AfghanTaliban who are, as you know, largely from the southern part of <strong>Afghanistan</strong>, and largely, ifnot all, Taliban are Pashtun. But, of course, what is important for <strong>Afghanistan</strong> is not justinclusion of the Taliban, strengthening the Pashtun element in <strong>Afghanistan</strong>, but also anintegrated future in which all elements, including [those who] were in the past in the northernlands – the Tajiks, the Uzbeks, the Khazaras and the Pashtuns – all lived together. It’simportant that we see <strong>Afghanistan</strong> grow into an integrated and unified society and thatwould be the ultimate success of <strong>Afghanistan</strong>.SS: Corruption is another topic that’s widely discussed in India and also in other countrieswho went through a lot of violence during the Arab Spring. Do you fear maybe that if there isanother corruption crisis that will [come] up, the Indian people will take to the streets enmasse, like they did in those [times]?SK: You know, we saw – and this we continue to see – what happened in the streets in Indiaas a welcome development. It’s the normal maturing of society, of democracy, where peopleshow greater sense of participation and concern about the pace of development, aboutissues on which they have a special concern. Obviously, in a pluralistic society where notevery element of plurality is a welcome element. Some elements are elements that we mustwean out of our system, some elements are such that we must encourage, and applaud, andcelebrate, but that’s the very purpose of democracy, that it weans out unwholesome elements,and it encourages and nurtures elements that are wholesome and attractive. Andthis is what, I believe, we’re going through in India - institutions growing and developing, wehave opened up enormous opportunities to citizens by giving them not only developmentrights, such as right to education, right to food, right to health, right to housing, but also bygiving them the opportunity and instruments like right to information, where they canexercise much greater control and pressure on democratic governments to perform. So,democracy must not remain just once in five years when you cast your vote and afterward infor five years you sit there helplessly, but there must be a participatory democracy. Now, allof the participatory democracy cannot be comforting all the time but we must look at thelong-term objective which is that we become more sensitive, responsive, transparent andaccountable system of governance. Therefore, if there have been failures, there have beenshortfalls and shortcomings, we’ll be very happy to remove them by legislation, by educatingof people, by developing the right sort of attitude, and ultimately making those who failedaccountable.77
Netzwerk No to War – No to NATO / Deutsch-Afghanisches-FriedensnetzwerkSS: Finally, Bangladesh is going through a political turbulence with one of the MPs, SalahuddinQuader Chowdhury, being sentenced to death by hanging – so, what is India’s stance isgoing to be on that? Are you going to take a hard line?SK: As far as this issue is concerned, like any other countries Bangladesh has a right, theyhave their own laws, they have legal system that is like a legal system in all our countries, it’sindependent juridically, and it’s independent of the executive. This is a very, very sensitiveissue in Bangladesh, because the entire national movement was based on certain principlesand aspirations which need closure to the sense of hurt and betrayal that the freedomfighters of Bangladesh had felt. Therefore, after all these years and several ro<strong>und</strong>s of tragedyin Bangladesh, an attempt to find closure through the judiciary and through open publictrials is something that they are attempting to do. It’s for their own people really to judge, toaccept, or to moderate it, or modify it. I think it really would not be fair on our part tocomment on how they bring closure to a very sad and very painful past. We were part of it,we did fight along with their freedom fighters for the freedom of Bangladesh, but beyondthat it’s really for the people, the government, the elected parliament of Bangladesh tomake a call. We just hope and pray that they get closure, that this does not lead to further[divisions] in their society and that they can together find the solution that would bring themlasting peace.SS: Salman Khurshid, India’s foreign minister, thank you very much for this interview.SK: Thank you very much.Das Interview erschien am 11.10.2013 auf: http://rt.com/shows/sophieco/india-foreignminister-usa-028/78
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