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| Curbing militancy |
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Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Militants are under fire across the north. Apart from the 23 killed in Orakzai and South Waziristan, 22 bodies are reported also to have been recovered from Swat and Buner. It is somewhat reassuring to learn that the effort against the Taliban continues in Malakand and that an effort now seems to be on to clamp down on militants everywhere. In the past we had heard of TTP figures from Swat escaping into surrounding areas and regrouping there. This should prove more difficult now that the operation has been expanded to cover a bigger swathe of territory. But even now it is important not to be complacent. There are accounts from Mingora and other towns in Swat of life returning to normal. Bazaars bustle once more with activity, schools have been re-opened and at least some barber shops have resumed business. But the threat from the Taliban still lurks. Women are reported to be scared of venturing out to work and many have chosen not to discard 'burqas' forced on them by the Taliban. It will naturally take time for mindsets to change and for fear to fade away. But to ensure there is no possibility of the Taliban re-asserting themselves some months or even years down the line more needs to be done.
A development plan for Swat was announced by the prime minister some months ago. It is unclear if there has been any move towards implementing this. The Taliban exploited the poverty and sense of neglect of the people of Swat to vault into power. They can be prevented from repeating this feat by altering ground realities and pushing forward development in the area. One shortcut towards this is by making an active effort to revive tourism – the industry that once formed the backbone of Swat's economy. Images of people skiing this winter at the Malam Jabba resort – one of the targets attacked by militants – or enjoying the winter from warm hotel rooms would do more than anything else to restore faith in the fact that things have indeed come full circle in Swat. This would also instantly create jobs, by giving back the horsemen, the jeep drivers, the inn-keepers, the guides and the chefs their means of livelihood. Alongside an effort geared towards this, we need also to establish among the people of Swat a pride in their past. In schools and elsewhere an understanding of the ancient history of the region must be incorporated and people taught that this is a part of their history to cherish, and that it does not in any way detract from the faith they practise today. It will take time to work towards this. But it is certainly not too soon to begin putting a plan in place for this so that the future of Swat can be a peaceful one not marred by any attempt at a Taliban comeback.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
