The Great Game in Afghanistan continues

This strategically placed country is finally making its own rules in the midst of various players

\IBY NOEL G DE SOUZA

In the nineteenth cenmry there was an on -going mssle between two g reat European powers - Britain and Russiain Afghanistan. The third country invo lved was China, then weak and battered by Elltopean natio ns which had exa·acted trading areas in Shanghai. H owever, Britain and Russia conceded diat China bad suzerainty over Tibet. Nicknamed d1e 'Great Game', it was fictionalised b y Rudyard Kipling in his nove l Ki,v which was tw ice made into films.

There was d1en no Western aim to interfere wid1 either the culmre or die governmental structure of Afghanistan. However, the British meticulou sly studied Afghan culture and gazetteers on t he tribes in Afghanist..'111 and che neighbomi ng No rdi West Frontier Province were published. Britain's aim was to block Russia from access to che Indian subcontinent, much ~) f which had been subdued by die British. India was d1en a collection of British provinces and Indian princely states under British protection.

Russia desired diis access whilst aiming co safeguard its expansion into the Turkishspeaking a.teas to the nord1 o f the subcontinent in considered Afghanistan to be its exclusive domain and once even mooted a merger of the two nations: and (5) India, which has no milita ry involvement in Afghanistan but has stro ng development and cultural ties.

To the above we need co add Afghanistan itself. During the 19"' century Great Game, Afghanistan was weal,, ald1ough because of its mountainous terrain it could create trouble for any invader. In che 21 " cenmry Great Game, it zealous ly guards its independence and even considers the border area with Pakista n which was denominated by the British as die Nord1 West Frontier Province (N\WP) as its own. It has predominantly Afghan peopl e including some diree million Afghan refugees.

Afghans have a deep-seated relationship wid1 lndia Known as Pad1ans, Afghans a.re found in almost every ciry in India. In so me areas diey have sertled for cen mries s ucl1 as in Gujarat, Rajaschao and Punjab. They are also fOLmd iu clusters in Biha.r. They came as warriors and small merchants and settled down with their families.

''There are also Afghan sin g le men who come without dieir families to earn a Living as travelling salesmen. Rabindra.nad1 Tagore's famous story Kab/,/li111ala

During the 19th century Great Game, Afghanistan was weak, although because of its

(made i.nto a Bengali film by Tapau Sinha in 1957) concerns one such individual.

When die Taliban government was overthrown d1rough US intervention, mountainous terrain it cou Id create trouble for any invader.

Soviet republics which have now become d1e independent nations of Kazakhrnm, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. \~Tith.in diese independenr republics, a strong Russ ian influence continues co prevails.

Afghanisc.'l.11 has strategic in1portance as it lies along d1e corridor between d1e subcontinent and central Asia. Ir is d1rough d1e passes in its high and dry moL111tains diac invading a.cnlies have historicall y moved i.nco die verdant lands o f India and Paki sta n.

Historian s speculate diac the Aryans migrated about 5000 years ago from nordiern Asia. Much later, the Greeks established kingdoms in these mountains and in die adjoining lowlands of the Indus valler The Mongo l-Tartars fol lowed from Central Asia and sec up d1e J\foghul Empire (l\foghul is die Indian word for Mongol).

The Great Game of the 21" centu r y is radically di fferenc from chat of die 19'h cenmry. Several powers are invo lve d : (1) Russia dirough ics aUies within Afghanistan and its proxies in d1e neighbouring central Asian republics; (2) d1e USA \vith its NATO allies and Australia; (3) a powerful and resurgent China; (4) Palcistan which lrns

INDIAN LINK

] ndia sent a plane n oc wid1 food and medicines as other nations had done, but loaded widi discs of music and films so diac the peop le of Afghanistan could once again enjoy t he creations of BoUywood The Taliban had forbidden playing and lis te ning to light music.

The Prime Ministers of lndi a and Afghanistan have had frequent contact. India signed a strategic partnership treaty widi Afghanistan i.n 2011. India has given massive aid (2 billion dollars) to help fund hig hways and build a new parliament building

The new Great Game in Afghanistan has morphed from being a military incursion intended to remove d1e A l Qaeda and die Taliban from power, to fighting a culmral war. In die L9'h century neid1er the British nor the Russians attempted to promote culmral change. Such change has been looked upon by extremists as an affront co d1eir centuries o ld traditions. Democracy had been non -existent in Afghanistan till now. Rather, warlord d o main s wer e die order o f the day. Female education and the right~ of ,vomen were unheard of.

The future will depend upon the o u tcome of the war between modernisation and tradi tion Sim ilar wars were fought in 19'" century Japan and in a different way in 20 " centur y China. lndia is still encountering similar problems ln a var:iecy of ways, especially in its remote a.teas p e rt y valu ation firm found ed by c e r tified p ro p e rty valu ers with diversified va luat io n ex p e ri e n ce across all sectors o f real est a t e. Property valuation services for the following requirements Pre-sale advice Mortgage valuation Pre purchase advice Capital gains Tax assessment Property valuation for (current and retrospective) deceased's estates and probate Marriage settlements Stampdutyvaluation Single Expert Witness Compulsory acquisition Financial reporting Rental valuations Superannuation funds Plant and equipment valuation Property disputes 0410398698 or 1300myvaluer (1300698258) PROFESSIONAL APPROACH HIGH ACCURACY AND QUICK TURNAROUND Accord Appraisals Pty Ltd Melbourne's best property valuat ion experts G roun d fl oor, 566 St Ki lda Road, Mel bourne ypa .com.a u Thinking of selling or renting? Call the team at YPA South Morang for a professional and friendly approach to real estate. Hanna and her dynamic team at YPA South Morang are at your service with all of our dedicated staff managing the sale of your property, looking after your investment or assisting you in finding your dream home. • House & Land packages starting at $349, 000 • Student accommodation • NO sale - NO charge • NO letting fee OR 3 month free management For any real estate advice call YPA South Morang on Shop 12, Axis Centre, 797 Plenty Road, 9404 1116 South Mora ng yo ur prope rty age nt"' MAY 2012 33