Jawed Ludin
Encyclopedia
Jawed Ludin is the current Deputy Foreign Minister on Political affairs. He was appointed on 2011, by President
Hamid Karzai
. He previously was Ambassador of Afghanistan in Canada and Spokesperson and later Chief of Staff
to President Karzai.
, Afghanistan
. He completed his primary and secondary education in Kabul. In 1990, he was admitted to the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Kabul University
where he studied general medicine until the summer of 1992 when the university was shut down due to the civil war. Jawed Ludin resumed his studies when he went to exile in London
, United Kingdom
, in 1998, studying politics and sociology. In 2002, he earned a Master of Science degree in Political Theory from the University of London
. He is currently a candidate for an LLM degree in Public International Law from the University of Oslo.
Jawed Ludin has worked for a number of international NGOs based in Afghanistan, Pakistan
and the United Kingdom. From 1994 to 1998, he worked with the Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief
(ACBAR). While he was in the UK, he worked with the British Agencies Afghanistan Group from 1999 until 2001 and British Overseas NGOs for Development from 2001 until 2003.
Ambassador Ludin’s political career started in November 2001 when he took part in organization of the United Nations-sponsored Bonn Conference
that laid out the democratic framework for the post-Taliban Afghanistan. In early 2003, he gave up his doctorate studies at the University of London and returned to Afghanistan to take up his first political post as Presidential Spokesman and Director of Communications for President Hamid Karzai’s government. He also was spokesperson of Karzai during the 2004 presidential election campaign On June 29, 2005, Ludin was appointed Chief of Staff of President Hamid Karzai, with responsibility for overall management of the President’s Office and its various organs, and remained in that post until January 2007 when he was replaced by Omar Daudzai. The replacement came as Karzai was criticised for not taking strong action against corruption and drug trafficking. The resignation of Ludin was due to political infighting within Karzai's government said senior officials. Much of the blame for Karzai's poor performance has been blamed by Afghans on his staff and cabinet ministers and Ludin appears to have become a victim of the blame game. According to The Times Ludin was forced to resign after attempts to defend Britain led to accusations that he was a British spy. Some of Karzai’s closest advisers had accused Britain of conspiring with Pakistan to hand over southern Afghanistan. Ludin submitted his resignation after Karzai had accused Ludin and Afghan Education Minister Hanif Atmar, who both had studied in Britain, of conspiring against him, although Karzai apologized later.
After his resignation, first there was speculation that Ludin would be appointed Ambassador to Egypt
, but instead he was appointed as the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Norway
, also accredited to Sweden
, Denmark
, Finland
and Iceland
. On June 3, 2009, Ludin replaced Omar Samad
as the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Canada. It is reported that at in December 2010 Ludin resigned as ambassador of Canada and went back to Afghanistan.
Ludin is fluent in Pashto, Persian
and English
, and also speaks some French
and Hindi
.
in 2001, in a series of opinion articles in The Guardian
Ludin showed himself very critical of the northern alliance
, stating that it's hard to imagine that the Northern Alliance can be trusted to deliver the country to peace. He stressed the need for the UK and the USA to focus on a political strategy, and not only a military strategy. At that time he called a leadership under the former king, Zahir Shah, promising option. A few laters, when he was President Karzai's chief of staff, Ludin defended the appointment of 13 warlords in high positions in the Afghan police: "This is not rearming militias. We would like to strengthen the police presence in districts in the south where there has been a rise in terrorism. Building institutions should not be seen as sidelining any sector of society, especially the mujahideen," he said.
On 23 June 2005, following the arrest of three Pakistani's suspected of planning to murder US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad
, Ludin attacked Pakistan for not helping enough with the fight against terrorism. He said the plot is just one example of recent violence by Pakistanis or Arab foreigners within Afghanistan. Militants involved in the current battle were trained at camps in Pakistan, Ludin claimed. He demanded immediate action from Islamabad against key leaders of the ousted Taliban regime sheltering in Pakista and demanded that Pakistan close off its border to prevent the routed militants from fleeing back to a safe haven in Pakistan once again. A few hours later Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf telephoned his Karzai to defuse tensions.
In May 2006 Ludin repeated his allegations. He accused the Pakistani security forces of allowing militants to operate openly in cities such as Quetta
, Karachi
and Peshawar
, as well as the tribal territories. “We have evidence that suicide bombings, roadside bombs and other terrorist actions taking place in Afghanistan emanate from Pakistan and that some Pakistani circles actually provide support for these activities,” Ludin said. When the Indian engineer Suryanarayan was killed, Ludin said "There are common enemies who India and Afghanistan have who do not want India here. And when a Taliban commander claimed that the Pakistani secret service ISI had a hand in the killing of Suryanarayan, Ludin was quick to ask an explanation from Islamabad. In 2007 Ludin said again that Afghanistan had long maintained that the Islamic militants operated from within Pakistan.
While being Ambassador in the Nordic countries, Lundin wrote an opinion article in the Guardian in 2008 titled "Take this war into Pakistan." In this article Ludin states that the army of Pakistan has sought to undermine the international effort to stabilise Afghanistan and that it is in Pakistan that terrorism must be defeated. A supreme commander should be appointed to devise and implement an effective counter-terrorism strategy for operations on both sides of the Durand line
that separates the two countries.
Towards Iran Ludin has been more kindly in his words. In an article about Iran seeking more influence in Afghanistan Ludin said: "History may prove that overly optimistic,But it is in our interests today to trust our Iranian neighbors and expect the same in return."
Ludin stated in June 2005 that the terrorist threat in Afghanistan was fragile: "(The guerrillas) are very small compared with the increasing capability of our own forces, compared with the combined capability of the international community that's there to help us and compared to the will of the Afghan people."
In the end of 2009 Ludin stated as Ambassador to Canada that it is "very realistic" to expect a military victory over the Taliban by 2011 when the United States troops pull out of Afghanistan. But that will depend on how many resources to be put in training the Afghan national forces and preparing the Afghan institutions, he added.
s that they will be facing sanctions they don't co-operate with the central government.
In March 2004 Ludin announced the resignation of Afghan planning minister Mohammad Mohaqeq. He claimed that Mohaqeq expressed his desire to be out of the cabinet, but according to Mohaqeq he was illegally dismissed by president Karzai. In April 2004 Ludin said strong words to another important Afghan ethnic leader, Abdul Rashid Dostum
. Ludin warned Dostum that, although Dostum was a Karzai adviser, if government investigation showed Dostum had anything to do with the uprising against Faryab Governor Anayatullah Anayat it would be deemed as an unlawful act. However, Ludin wasn't willing to speculate on any action against Dostum. Also other militia leaders who are not working with the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration programme will be brought to Justice, said Ludin.
In July 2004, when army commanders Ata Mohammad, Hazrat Ali
and Khan Mohammed Khan were placed in civilian and police post it was, according to Ludin, to ensure that the upcoming presidential election was conducted freely and fairly, though the replacements were a result of careful negotiations.
In August 2004 he spoke strong words when warlord Amanullah Khan (militia leader)
fought his way to within sight of the outskirts of Herat
, against troops of Herat Governor Ismail Khan
: "whoever is responsible for this breakdown and breach of security will be brought to justice," Ludin said. When in December 2004 president Kaarzai appointed a new cabinet and ousted some high-profile warlords like Mohammed Fahim
, Sayed Hussain Anwari and Gul Agha Sherzai
, Ludin said this takes Afghanistan to a new era in which people come to the Cabinet because they are capable of serving the Afghan people and because they are educated. But when controversial Afghan warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum
was given a post within the government as Chief of Staff of the High Command of the Armed Forces, Ludin called this "a good thing, a positive one." On allegations of war crimes of Dostum Ludin said: "Let's not talk about that because that's a completely different issue."
Ludin informed the press of negotiations, saying, two weeks before they were released, that "a lot of progress has been made" and that, although the captors demanded the release of 26 prisoners, the government was prepared to do anything to ensure the safety of the United Nations staff members, who had been working on the Afghan presidential election. When a few months later Timoor Shah claimed he killed another hostage, Clementina Cantoni, because the government didn't meet his demands, Ludin dismissed the claim saying: "He is lying. He makes such comments in order to put pressure on the government." Three weeks later it turned out Ludin was right, when Cantoni was released by the criminal gang who captured her.
resigned from his post, Ludin denied rumours that it was because he had disagreements with President Karzai about fighting narcotics.
called for a permanent US base in Afghanistan, Ludin said that a long term strategic partnership will be "for the benefit of Afghanistan," although the issue was sensitive in Afghanistan and the new parliament should decide on it After a Loya Jirga
backing the plans, Ludin said: people of Afghanistan consider it necessary to have a long-term presence of foreign troops in the country until Afghan security forces are able to stand on their own feet. Opposition-leader Yunus Qanuni
said that the information provided by Ludin was a distortion of the conclusions that Karzai drew at the end of the meeting.
When the US reached the 200 fatal casualties in 2005, Ludin said: "Two hundred lives is a big price to pay, but those lives have not been lost in fain.
In November 2006, right before the US midterm elections Ludin said he was not worried relations would change significantly after Democratic takeover of the House and Senate since Afghanistan has received bipartisan support from U.S. politicians. "I think the people of the United States have been with Afghanistan, and that's all that matters for our people," said Ludin. Ludin also expressed sadness about the abrupt departure of US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
, saying that Afghanistan was "very pleased and very grateful" for his support.
made an erroneous report, saying interrogators desecrated the Koran at a U.S. military detention center for suspected terrorists, causing violent demonstrations in several Afghan Provinces killing 15 people, Lundin showed "in strongest terms his disapproval" that the low journalistic standard that this sensitive issue has been dealt with irresponsibly: "We are really angry that the principles of journalism have not been followed correctly," he said. Ludin also said that the government suspected elements from within and outside Afghanistan, hinting to Pakistan, had helped turn the peaceful protests violent, seeking to spread unrest while Mr Karzai was in Europe.
When in May 2006 during an anti-American protest some police officers had taken off their uniforms and joined the demonstrators and looters. "The reaction of our police was really shameful," Ludin responded to this, "What we learned from yesterday is that we have to strengthen our police."
In September 2006 Ludin had to acknowledge another shortcoming of the government. "It's not that the Taliban were strong, it's that the government was weak. They have moved into a vacuum [in the south]" said Karzai after growing insecurity in Afghanistan.
In 2009 Ludin stated that it is unfair to blame all of Afghanistan's troubles on a single individual [Karzai] who was denied the resources he needed from the start. "In the early days the international community did not have any coherent strategy and the question of governance was never raised," said Jawed Ludin. "In the beginning Donald Rumsfeld barged in with a purely military strategy. They did nothing to stop drug production and they hired militias who perpetuated a lot of atrocities."
In 2010 his support for Karzai became even less strong. In reactions to question if it was correct that Karzai had stated that if foreign pressure on him continues, Karzai could ally himself with the Taliban, Ludin dismissed this but added: "Even if he said something like that, it would be just a turn of phrase. And I know him; he has some turns of phrase"
In the end of 2010 Wikileaks
revealed that William Crosbie
, Canada's ambassador to Afghanistan, had strongly criticised Karzai in front of is US colleague. Ludin said this should not affect relations between the two countries: "Relations between Canada and Afghanistan go beyond people. Diplomats in Kabul quite often have fallen in traps of some common misperceptions" On Canadian television he added: "Canada has done so much for this country and that shouldn't be jeopardized by the reckless comments of an ambassador."
After Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff
he suggested that Canadian aid money shouldn't be going to "crooks" or "warlords" running Afghanistan's government Ludin issued a statement rebuking Ignatieff for his "unjustified" characterization of the Afghan government as corrupt and illegitimate. Ludin said Ignatieff's blanket criticism is unfair to the "many selfless, dedicated Afghans in the government" and added that 80 per cent of all foreign aid in Afghanistan is spent directly by donor-nations, bypassing the Afghan government altogether.
In April 2010 Ludin said at an Afghan Canadian political panel: When things go rough, “the critical thing, the honourable thing, is to stay committed.” Yes, he conceded, Canada has suffered, but you can’t leave because things have got hard. “Canada has been a friend to Afghanistan in good times; we need Canada to be a friend in bad times.”.
Around the same time Ludin said that Canada's continued discussion of the treatment of Afghan detainees is a waste of time. Ludin said that security forces in his country has come a long way in recent years and that "the positive steps are being overshadowed by a debate that makes them look like a bunch of torturers," but that "if there weren't any problems in Afghanistan, if there wasn't human-rights violations, if our police and prisons were perfect, why did we need your help?". In the same interview Ludin said that Afghans would accept an end to Canada's combat mission but leaving entirely would baffle them. "We would like to believe that you are really serious about success in Afghanistan, that this wasn't just an exercise for your military to get some experience on the battlefield. We would like to believe you were actually there for us, which I believe is the case," he said. "It's a bit difficult to understand why some people now question whether you should be there. It's a bit of an insult, to be honest, to all the sacrifices that have been made."
In May 2010 Ludin warned that Afghanistan without western aid and military assistance could be more dangerous than just a failed state. "Not succeeding in Afghanistan is going to strengthen the forces opposing us in ways you cannot imagine. The war in Afghanistan is a war against a new enemy and if you don't fight it in Afghanistan you will fight it on your own doorstep." Therefore Ludin asked Canada to stay active in Afghanistan to help build op the Afghan forces before the international troops leave in 2014. If you're asking whether today we would be able to take over responsibility for our own security, I would say no. But that's exactly why yesterday's decision was essentially a timeframe, 2014, and I'm confident it's a doable timeframe," Ludin told CTV's Canada AM. After the Canadian government said it was sending 1.000 Canadian troops into Afghanistan after their combat mission ends in 2011, Ludin said: "This is extremely welcome news for Afghanistan and very much in line with what my country needs at the present juncture."
of August 2009, Ludin wrote an article in The Toronto Star
In defence of the Afghan Elections. Ludin wrote "Like most Afghans, I did not expect a perfect election but I am very worried now about the growing negative, somewhat dismissive, tone of the post-election evaluations. The post-election negativity is casting a long shadow over a landmark day that otherwise would have counted as a major historical achievement for the country." Ludin wrote that the fact the election campaign was not primarily ethnic-based but also issue-based was a sign of the emergence of a modern political culture. The right response would be, according to Ludin, to maintain confidence in the integrity of the institutions in Afghanistan and support wholeheartedly whoever becomes the next president of Afghanistan.
Later, Ludin claimed that the extent of fraud was exaggerated by the media and defended Karzai who was accused of stuffing ballots. Ludin said he personally witnessed stuffed ballot boxes during Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections in 2005. “It was in our interest (then) to move on because the important thing was to maintain the integrity of the whole process and if there were problems, they were understandable. Now, for some reason, this time there was not much of an understanding for our problems,”
When two months it looked like there would be a run-off election, Ludin asked the international media to expect fraud again but nevertheless support the effort, saying the process may not be up to Western standards, but it is the best Afghanistan can do. He dismissed a third election-round or a coalition-government as illegal. Ludin suggested that if one candidate stepped down, he could find himself with a job in a future government. But he stressed that didn't mean a coalition government had been formed. The editorial of the Toronto Sun attacked Ludin for his statements that it was naïve to expect fair elections in Afghanistan.
Eventually the situation ended with one of the candidates, Abdullah Abdullah
stepping down, resulting in a second term for incumbent president Hamid Karzai
. Ludin denied that as a result of this the legitimacy of Karzai will be in question.
President of Afghanistan
Afghanistan has only been a republic between 1973 and 1992 and from 2001 onwards. Before 1973, it was a monarchy that was governed by a variety of kings, emirs or shahs...
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
. He previously was Ambassador of Afghanistan in Canada and Spokesperson and later Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
to President Karzai.
Early life and education
Jawed Ludin was born on March 16, 1973 in KabulKabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. He completed his primary and secondary education in Kabul. In 1990, he was admitted to the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Kabul University
Kabul University
Kabul University is located in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. It was founded in 1931 but officially opened for classes in 1932. Kabul University is currently attended by approximately 7,000 students, of which 1,700 are women. As of 2008, Hamidullah Amin is the chancellor of the university...
where he studied general medicine until the summer of 1992 when the university was shut down due to the civil war. Jawed Ludin resumed his studies when he went to exile in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, in 1998, studying politics and sociology. In 2002, he earned a Master of Science degree in Political Theory from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. He is currently a candidate for an LLM degree in Public International Law from the University of Oslo.
Work life
Jawed Since 1994 Jawed Ludin has been involved in humanitarian and development work, conflict resolution, management, media and public relations and politics.Jawed Ludin has worked for a number of international NGOs based in Afghanistan, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and the United Kingdom. From 1994 to 1998, he worked with the Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief
Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief
The Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief - ACBAR - is a Non Governmental Organization which was created to coordinate NGOs involved with humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan and for Afghan refugees in Pakistan.-Background:...
(ACBAR). While he was in the UK, he worked with the British Agencies Afghanistan Group from 1999 until 2001 and British Overseas NGOs for Development from 2001 until 2003.
Ambassador Ludin’s political career started in November 2001 when he took part in organization of the United Nations-sponsored Bonn Conference
Bonn Conference
After Operation Enduring Freedom in which the Taliban government was toppled in Afghanistan, in December 2001, the German city of Bonn hosted a conference of Afghan leaders at Hotel Petersberg, to choose the leader of an Afghan Interim Authority – widely known as the Bonn Conference.The...
that laid out the democratic framework for the post-Taliban Afghanistan. In early 2003, he gave up his doctorate studies at the University of London and returned to Afghanistan to take up his first political post as Presidential Spokesman and Director of Communications for President Hamid Karzai’s government. He also was spokesperson of Karzai during the 2004 presidential election campaign On June 29, 2005, Ludin was appointed Chief of Staff of President Hamid Karzai, with responsibility for overall management of the President’s Office and its various organs, and remained in that post until January 2007 when he was replaced by Omar Daudzai. The replacement came as Karzai was criticised for not taking strong action against corruption and drug trafficking. The resignation of Ludin was due to political infighting within Karzai's government said senior officials. Much of the blame for Karzai's poor performance has been blamed by Afghans on his staff and cabinet ministers and Ludin appears to have become a victim of the blame game. According to The Times Ludin was forced to resign after attempts to defend Britain led to accusations that he was a British spy. Some of Karzai’s closest advisers had accused Britain of conspiring with Pakistan to hand over southern Afghanistan. Ludin submitted his resignation after Karzai had accused Ludin and Afghan Education Minister Hanif Atmar, who both had studied in Britain, of conspiring against him, although Karzai apologized later.
After his resignation, first there was speculation that Ludin would be appointed Ambassador to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, but instead he was appointed as the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, also accredited to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. On June 3, 2009, Ludin replaced Omar Samad
Omar Samad
Former Afghan Ambassador to France Omar Samad also served as Afghanistan's Ambassador to Canada...
as the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Canada. It is reported that at in December 2010 Ludin resigned as ambassador of Canada and went back to Afghanistan.
Academic life
Ambassador Ludin has written extensively on Afghanistan, the region as well as on conflict and development issues, including co-authoring a book on conflict management strategies (Zed Books UK, 2002) and articles and commentary in international publications, notably the Guardian in the UK.Ludin is fluent in Pashto, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and also speaks some French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
.
Personal life
Ambassador Ludin has two daughters, Annahita and Arianne. In an interview in 2003 he called his work for the Afghan government his "reason for existence," "Somehow I am being useful in my own little corner. I can have a meaningful life in London, but there is no way I can get rid of being an Afghan."Northern alliance
During the beginning of the War in AfghanistanWar in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
in 2001, in a series of opinion articles in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Ludin showed himself very critical of the northern alliance
Northern Alliance
The Afghan Northern Alliance is a military-political umbrella organization created by the Islamic State of Afghanistan in 1996.Northern Alliance may also refer to:*Northern Alliance , a Canadian white supremacist group...
, stating that it's hard to imagine that the Northern Alliance can be trusted to deliver the country to peace. He stressed the need for the UK and the USA to focus on a political strategy, and not only a military strategy. At that time he called a leadership under the former king, Zahir Shah, promising option. A few laters, when he was President Karzai's chief of staff, Ludin defended the appointment of 13 warlords in high positions in the Afghan police: "This is not rearming militias. We would like to strengthen the police presence in districts in the south where there has been a rise in terrorism. Building institutions should not be seen as sidelining any sector of society, especially the mujahideen," he said.
Pakistan
As spokesperson of Karzai he urged Pakistan to do more about Taliban and terrorist in the Afghan Pakistan border region and criticised the Pakistani government of beïng soft on terrorism. In the months before the 2005 Parliamentary elections, he warned that the Taliban and Al Qaeda have chosen this time to set a plot in motion and he called for cooperation from Afghanistan's neighbors "Foreign enemies have been creating problems for Afghanistan over the past 30 years and terrorists come from across the border," said Ludin a week later.On 23 June 2005, following the arrest of three Pakistani's suspected of planning to murder US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad
Zalmay Khalilzad
Zalmay Mamozy Khalilzad is a counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and president of Khalilzad Associates, an international business consulting firm based in Washington, DC. He was the United States Ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush...
, Ludin attacked Pakistan for not helping enough with the fight against terrorism. He said the plot is just one example of recent violence by Pakistanis or Arab foreigners within Afghanistan. Militants involved in the current battle were trained at camps in Pakistan, Ludin claimed. He demanded immediate action from Islamabad against key leaders of the ousted Taliban regime sheltering in Pakista and demanded that Pakistan close off its border to prevent the routed militants from fleeing back to a safe haven in Pakistan once again. A few hours later Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf telephoned his Karzai to defuse tensions.
In May 2006 Ludin repeated his allegations. He accused the Pakistani security forces of allowing militants to operate openly in cities such as Quetta
Quetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
, Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
and Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, as well as the tribal territories. “We have evidence that suicide bombings, roadside bombs and other terrorist actions taking place in Afghanistan emanate from Pakistan and that some Pakistani circles actually provide support for these activities,” Ludin said. When the Indian engineer Suryanarayan was killed, Ludin said "There are common enemies who India and Afghanistan have who do not want India here. And when a Taliban commander claimed that the Pakistani secret service ISI had a hand in the killing of Suryanarayan, Ludin was quick to ask an explanation from Islamabad. In 2007 Ludin said again that Afghanistan had long maintained that the Islamic militants operated from within Pakistan.
While being Ambassador in the Nordic countries, Lundin wrote an opinion article in the Guardian in 2008 titled "Take this war into Pakistan." In this article Ludin states that the army of Pakistan has sought to undermine the international effort to stabilise Afghanistan and that it is in Pakistan that terrorism must be defeated. A supreme commander should be appointed to devise and implement an effective counter-terrorism strategy for operations on both sides of the Durand line
Durand Line
The Durand Line refers to the porous international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which has divided the ethnic Pashtuns . This poorly marked line is approximately long...
that separates the two countries.
Towards Iran Ludin has been more kindly in his words. In an article about Iran seeking more influence in Afghanistan Ludin said: "History may prove that overly optimistic,But it is in our interests today to trust our Iranian neighbors and expect the same in return."
Taliban
According to Ludin the Karzai government was willing to let former Taliban members play a role in post-war Afghanistan, unless they have blood on their hands. In that case they will be captured as terrorists. But Ludin said that no more than 100 Taliban members worked as terrorist with Al Qaida, and that the Taliban no longer existed as a movement. "People associated with the former Communist regime are back. So are former mujahideen," said Ludin "Therefore, nothing should really stop the Taliban rank and file from taking part in the national life of the country." When Russia said the dividing into 'good' and 'bad' Taliban factions was unacceptable for them, Ludin responded moderate, saying he was hoping that Moskow would clarify its official position.Ludin stated in June 2005 that the terrorist threat in Afghanistan was fragile: "(The guerrillas) are very small compared with the increasing capability of our own forces, compared with the combined capability of the international community that's there to help us and compared to the will of the Afghan people."
In the end of 2009 Ludin stated as Ambassador to Canada that it is "very realistic" to expect a military victory over the Taliban by 2011 when the United States troops pull out of Afghanistan. But that will depend on how many resources to be put in training the Afghan national forces and preparing the Afghan institutions, he added.
Warlords
As spokesperson of President Karzai, Ludin repeatedly warned Afghan warlordWarlord
A warlord is a person with power who has both military and civil control over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. The term can also mean one who espouses the ideal that war is necessary, and has the means and authority to engage in war...
s that they will be facing sanctions they don't co-operate with the central government.
In March 2004 Ludin announced the resignation of Afghan planning minister Mohammad Mohaqeq. He claimed that Mohaqeq expressed his desire to be out of the cabinet, but according to Mohaqeq he was illegally dismissed by president Karzai. In April 2004 Ludin said strong words to another important Afghan ethnic leader, Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum is a former pro-Soviet fighter during the Soviet war in Afghanistan and is considered by many to be the leader of Afghanistan's Uzbek community and the party Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan...
. Ludin warned Dostum that, although Dostum was a Karzai adviser, if government investigation showed Dostum had anything to do with the uprising against Faryab Governor Anayatullah Anayat it would be deemed as an unlawful act. However, Ludin wasn't willing to speculate on any action against Dostum. Also other militia leaders who are not working with the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration programme will be brought to Justice, said Ludin.
In July 2004, when army commanders Ata Mohammad, Hazrat Ali
Hazrat Ali
Hajji Hazrat Ali bin Bahawal Sheir is a military commander in eastern Afghanistan.-Biography:He was born in 1964 and is an ethnic Pashai....
and Khan Mohammed Khan were placed in civilian and police post it was, according to Ludin, to ensure that the upcoming presidential election was conducted freely and fairly, though the replacements were a result of careful negotiations.
In August 2004 he spoke strong words when warlord Amanullah Khan (militia leader)
Amanullah Khan
Amanullah Khan was the King of the Emirate of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929, first as Amir and after 1926 as Shah. He led Afghanistan to independence over its foreign affairs from the United Kingdom, and his rule was marked by dramatic political and social change...
fought his way to within sight of the outskirts of Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
, against troops of Herat Governor Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan is a politician and former mujahideen commander from Afghanistan. Born in the western Afghan city of Herat, he rose to become a powerful rebel commander during in the Soviet War in Afghanistan, and then a key member of the Northern Alliance until finally becoming the Governor of Herat...
: "whoever is responsible for this breakdown and breach of security will be brought to justice," Ludin said. When in December 2004 president Kaarzai appointed a new cabinet and ousted some high-profile warlords like Mohammed Fahim
Mohammed Fahim
Mohammad Qasim Fahim is an Afghan military commander, politician and the First Vice President since November 2009. He was the Defense Minister of the Afghan Transitional Administration, beginning in 2002 and also served as Vice President from June 2002 to December 2004...
, Sayed Hussain Anwari and Gul Agha Sherzai
Gul Agha Sherzai
Gul Agha Sherzai is the current Governor of Nangarhar province in Afghanistan.He previously served as Governor of Kandahar province, in the early 1990s and from 2001 until 2003.-Biography:...
, Ludin said this takes Afghanistan to a new era in which people come to the Cabinet because they are capable of serving the Afghan people and because they are educated. But when controversial Afghan warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum is a former pro-Soviet fighter during the Soviet war in Afghanistan and is considered by many to be the leader of Afghanistan's Uzbek community and the party Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan...
was given a post within the government as Chief of Staff of the High Command of the Armed Forces, Ludin called this "a good thing, a positive one." On allegations of war crimes of Dostum Ludin said: "Let's not talk about that because that's a completely different issue."
Corruption
Also on corruption Ludin has taken a tough stand. When two deputy ministers were send to prison because of corruption, Lundin said: "It is an important decision and warning to those who want to misuse and misappropriate their official position." Lundin has acknowledged that criminals in national police ranks get cover from senior government officials.Hostages
While working as press secretary in Kabul, Lundin helped interim-president Karzai with his first elections. "God willing he will hold onto (the predicted lead)" said Ludin to reporters in October 2004. When two UN aid workers were taken hostageForeign hostages in Afghanistan
Table of contentsKey: Kidnapping and hostage taking has become a common occurrence in Afghanistan following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001...
Ludin informed the press of negotiations, saying, two weeks before they were released, that "a lot of progress has been made" and that, although the captors demanded the release of 26 prisoners, the government was prepared to do anything to ensure the safety of the United Nations staff members, who had been working on the Afghan presidential election. When a few months later Timoor Shah claimed he killed another hostage, Clementina Cantoni, because the government didn't meet his demands, Ludin dismissed the claim saying: "He is lying. He makes such comments in order to put pressure on the government." Three weeks later it turned out Ludin was right, when Cantoni was released by the criminal gang who captured her.
Drugs
As spokesperson Ludin said that the drug war was a top priority for the government, "perhaps more important than terrorism," but that he opposed aerial spraying of poppy fields by troups of the international community. In May 2005 US Officials warned that the American financed poppy eradication program was ineffective, in part because Karzai was unwilling to assert strong leadership. Ludin responded that any progress in reducing poppy cultivation was a result of Karzais efforts and that foreign donors had failed to follow up on promises with helping Afghan farmers to find other sources of income. When Afghan Interior Minister Ali Ahmad JalaliAli Ahmad Jalali
Ali Ahmad Jalali is an Afghan American and a Distinguished Professor at the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies of the United States' National Defense University. He is also a former Interior Minister of Afghanistan, serving in that position from January 2003 to September 2005.Jalali...
resigned from his post, Ludin denied rumours that it was because he had disagreements with President Karzai about fighting narcotics.
US
Ludin also expressed concern over the condition of Afghan prisoners in the prisons of the coalition forces. When in June 2005 17 Afghan civilians died in a U.S. airstrike, Ludin criticised US behaviour a rare rebuff: "There is no way the killing of civilians can be justified. It's the terrorists we are fighting. It's not our people who should suffer." When US Senator John McCainJohn McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
called for a permanent US base in Afghanistan, Ludin said that a long term strategic partnership will be "for the benefit of Afghanistan," although the issue was sensitive in Afghanistan and the new parliament should decide on it After a Loya Jirga
Loya jirga
A loya jirga is a type of jirga regarded as "grand assembly," a phrase in the Pashto language meaning "grand council." A loya jirga is a mass meeting usually prepared for major events such as choosing a new king, adopting a constitution, or discussing important national political or emergency...
backing the plans, Ludin said: people of Afghanistan consider it necessary to have a long-term presence of foreign troops in the country until Afghan security forces are able to stand on their own feet. Opposition-leader Yunus Qanuni
Yunus Qanuni
Yunus Qanuni is a politician in Afghanistan. An ethnic Tajik from the Panjshir Valley in Afghanistan, Qanuni is the leader of the Afghanistan e Naween political party and former Speaker of the House of the People .-Pre Election...
said that the information provided by Ludin was a distortion of the conclusions that Karzai drew at the end of the meeting.
When the US reached the 200 fatal casualties in 2005, Ludin said: "Two hundred lives is a big price to pay, but those lives have not been lost in fain.
In November 2006, right before the US midterm elections Ludin said he was not worried relations would change significantly after Democratic takeover of the House and Senate since Afghanistan has received bipartisan support from U.S. politicians. "I think the people of the United States have been with Afghanistan, and that's all that matters for our people," said Ludin. Ludin also expressed sadness about the abrupt departure of US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
, saying that Afghanistan was "very pleased and very grateful" for his support.
Newsweek
When in May 2005 NewsweekNewsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
made an erroneous report, saying interrogators desecrated the Koran at a U.S. military detention center for suspected terrorists, causing violent demonstrations in several Afghan Provinces killing 15 people, Lundin showed "in strongest terms his disapproval" that the low journalistic standard that this sensitive issue has been dealt with irresponsibly: "We are really angry that the principles of journalism have not been followed correctly," he said. Ludin also said that the government suspected elements from within and outside Afghanistan, hinting to Pakistan, had helped turn the peaceful protests violent, seeking to spread unrest while Mr Karzai was in Europe.
Accountability
In November 2005 President Karzai introduced Accountability Week. Each of the government’s 34 ministers was given 20 minutes on national television to summarise successes and failures. “This is not just a ceremonial event or propaganda,” promised Jawed Ludin, the presidential chief of staff. “This is a moment of truth, so that the government understands that it is serving the nation and must answer to the nation. The people must realise that they have the right to call the government to account.” As showcase of the cabinet’s competence, it failed, according to Economics professor Saifuddin Saihoo “The journalists knew more than some of the ministers.”Government
Ludin has acknowledged that not all the foreign aid money that came to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban has been spent wisely. "This golden period has also been this massive waste period," said Ludin,"The efficiency has to be increased."When in May 2006 during an anti-American protest some police officers had taken off their uniforms and joined the demonstrators and looters. "The reaction of our police was really shameful," Ludin responded to this, "What we learned from yesterday is that we have to strengthen our police."
In September 2006 Ludin had to acknowledge another shortcoming of the government. "It's not that the Taliban were strong, it's that the government was weak. They have moved into a vacuum [in the south]" said Karzai after growing insecurity in Afghanistan.
Defending Karzai
As chief of staff he publicly had to defend his president in the summer of 2006: "People forget this is the president they are talking about. It's his responsibility to do his best for the people," Ludin said. "At the end of the day, he understands the politics of this country. I don't think anybody would argue about his sincerity." A few months later he said that people "still trust" Karzai and "still think he can lead them."In 2009 Ludin stated that it is unfair to blame all of Afghanistan's troubles on a single individual [Karzai] who was denied the resources he needed from the start. "In the early days the international community did not have any coherent strategy and the question of governance was never raised," said Jawed Ludin. "In the beginning Donald Rumsfeld barged in with a purely military strategy. They did nothing to stop drug production and they hired militias who perpetuated a lot of atrocities."
In 2010 his support for Karzai became even less strong. In reactions to question if it was correct that Karzai had stated that if foreign pressure on him continues, Karzai could ally himself with the Taliban, Ludin dismissed this but added: "Even if he said something like that, it would be just a turn of phrase. And I know him; he has some turns of phrase"
In the end of 2010 Wikileaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
revealed that William Crosbie
William Crosbie
William Crosbie is a Canadian diplomat. He is the current ambassador to Afghanistan, appointed June 15, 2009. Crosbie graduated from Memorial University in 1978 with a BA in political science and in history. He is also a graduate of Dalhousie University in 1982 with a LLB.-Reference:...
, Canada's ambassador to Afghanistan, had strongly criticised Karzai in front of is US colleague. Ludin said this should not affect relations between the two countries: "Relations between Canada and Afghanistan go beyond people. Diplomats in Kabul quite often have fallen in traps of some common misperceptions" On Canadian television he added: "Canada has done so much for this country and that shouldn't be jeopardized by the reckless comments of an ambassador."
Cluster bombs
As ambassador to Norway Ludin helped persuade his government to change its stance and join nearly 100 nations in signing a treaty Wednesday banning the disputed weapons. Afghanistan was initially reluctant to join the pact but agreed to after lobbying by victims maimed by cluster munitions. After speaking with Soraj Ghulan Habib, a 17-year-old wheelchair-bound Afghan who was crippled by a cluster bomb, Ludin called Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who agreed to change his stance on the treaty. Ludin said his country's reversal was made possible by an article in the treaty that permits signatory nations to engage in military operations with nonsignatory nations like the United States.Canadian effort in Afghanistan
In an interview with the Canwest News Service in 2009, Ludin said the international community should not be frustrated by the pace of progress in Afghanistan because his country has made significant gains in the eight years since the fall of its Taliban rulers despite the Western shortfalls in troops and meeting financial aid commitments. Ludin also expressed hope that Canada would still make a military contribution to his country after the 2011 deadline for withdrawal from Kandahar. Ludin said his country is deeply grateful for Canada’s military sacrifice “really a heavy cost with lives."After Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
he suggested that Canadian aid money shouldn't be going to "crooks" or "warlords" running Afghanistan's government Ludin issued a statement rebuking Ignatieff for his "unjustified" characterization of the Afghan government as corrupt and illegitimate. Ludin said Ignatieff's blanket criticism is unfair to the "many selfless, dedicated Afghans in the government" and added that 80 per cent of all foreign aid in Afghanistan is spent directly by donor-nations, bypassing the Afghan government altogether.
In April 2010 Ludin said at an Afghan Canadian political panel: When things go rough, “the critical thing, the honourable thing, is to stay committed.” Yes, he conceded, Canada has suffered, but you can’t leave because things have got hard. “Canada has been a friend to Afghanistan in good times; we need Canada to be a friend in bad times.”.
Around the same time Ludin said that Canada's continued discussion of the treatment of Afghan detainees is a waste of time. Ludin said that security forces in his country has come a long way in recent years and that "the positive steps are being overshadowed by a debate that makes them look like a bunch of torturers," but that "if there weren't any problems in Afghanistan, if there wasn't human-rights violations, if our police and prisons were perfect, why did we need your help?". In the same interview Ludin said that Afghans would accept an end to Canada's combat mission but leaving entirely would baffle them. "We would like to believe that you are really serious about success in Afghanistan, that this wasn't just an exercise for your military to get some experience on the battlefield. We would like to believe you were actually there for us, which I believe is the case," he said. "It's a bit difficult to understand why some people now question whether you should be there. It's a bit of an insult, to be honest, to all the sacrifices that have been made."
In May 2010 Ludin warned that Afghanistan without western aid and military assistance could be more dangerous than just a failed state. "Not succeeding in Afghanistan is going to strengthen the forces opposing us in ways you cannot imagine. The war in Afghanistan is a war against a new enemy and if you don't fight it in Afghanistan you will fight it on your own doorstep." Therefore Ludin asked Canada to stay active in Afghanistan to help build op the Afghan forces before the international troops leave in 2014. If you're asking whether today we would be able to take over responsibility for our own security, I would say no. But that's exactly why yesterday's decision was essentially a timeframe, 2014, and I'm confident it's a doable timeframe," Ludin told CTV's Canada AM. After the Canadian government said it was sending 1.000 Canadian troops into Afghanistan after their combat mission ends in 2011, Ludin said: "This is extremely welcome news for Afghanistan and very much in line with what my country needs at the present juncture."
Afghan presidential elections
Two weeks after the Afghan Presidential ElectionAfghan presidential election, 2009
The 2009 presidential election in Afghanistan was characterized by lack of security, low voter turnout and widespread ballot stuffing, intimidation, and other electoral fraud....
of August 2009, Ludin wrote an article in The Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
In defence of the Afghan Elections. Ludin wrote "Like most Afghans, I did not expect a perfect election but I am very worried now about the growing negative, somewhat dismissive, tone of the post-election evaluations. The post-election negativity is casting a long shadow over a landmark day that otherwise would have counted as a major historical achievement for the country." Ludin wrote that the fact the election campaign was not primarily ethnic-based but also issue-based was a sign of the emergence of a modern political culture. The right response would be, according to Ludin, to maintain confidence in the integrity of the institutions in Afghanistan and support wholeheartedly whoever becomes the next president of Afghanistan.
Later, Ludin claimed that the extent of fraud was exaggerated by the media and defended Karzai who was accused of stuffing ballots. Ludin said he personally witnessed stuffed ballot boxes during Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections in 2005. “It was in our interest (then) to move on because the important thing was to maintain the integrity of the whole process and if there were problems, they were understandable. Now, for some reason, this time there was not much of an understanding for our problems,”
When two months it looked like there would be a run-off election, Ludin asked the international media to expect fraud again but nevertheless support the effort, saying the process may not be up to Western standards, but it is the best Afghanistan can do. He dismissed a third election-round or a coalition-government as illegal. Ludin suggested that if one candidate stepped down, he could find himself with a job in a future government. But he stressed that didn't mean a coalition government had been formed. The editorial of the Toronto Sun attacked Ludin for his statements that it was naïve to expect fair elections in Afghanistan.
Eventually the situation ended with one of the candidates, Abdullah Abdullah
Abdullah Abdullah
Abdullah Abdullah is an Afghan politician and a doctor of medicine. He was an adviser and friend to Ahmad Shah Massoud, legendary anti-Taliban leader and commander known as the "Lion of Panjshir". After the fall of the Taliban regime, Dr. Abdullah served as Afghanistan's Foreign Minister from 2001...
stepping down, resulting in a second term for incumbent president Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
. Ludin denied that as a result of this the legitimacy of Karzai will be in question.