On Jan. 13, Taiwan, backed by democratic individuals, groups and countries worldwide, succeeded to uphold democracy in the face of formidable challenges and threats posed by the semi-powerful communism and authoritarianism of the People’s Republic of China. It is time for Taiwan and president-elect William Lai (賴清德) to reciprocate. Taiwan is uniquely positioned to work with Afghan democrats and democracies worldwide, which could pave the way for democracy’s resurgence in Afghanistan.
Taiwan has always stirred feelings of curiosity and admiration among Afghans. They are majorly sympathetic toward Taiwan’s cause of freedom, independence and democracy. Afghans also share Taiwan’s resilience, yet their aspirations have been thwarted. Despite two decades of investment from the US and the international community in blood, time and resources, Afghanistan has not only lost its democracy, but also witnessed the collapse of its political system, plunging into a state of disarray since Aug. 15, 2021, that has resulted in more than 20 million women and girls being practically imprisoned inside their homes with no right to education, work, or travel and movement.
Afghanistan lacks a legitimate government. That means there is no diplomatic and consular services available for Afghans overseas. For example, there is no functioning Afghan embassy in Washington to cater to the needs of more than 100,000 Afghans evacuated by the US, as well as those who have resided there for decades. Consequently, any document-related matters necessitate correspondence with the Afghan embassy in Canada. They are diligently attending to the needs of Afghan-Americans and other Afghan residents in the US. In many countries, Afghan embassies have closed their doors or fallen under the control of the Taliban — the most authoritarian group globally.
This dire situation underscores the extent of Afghanistan’s collapse. Afghans are particularly upset as they see countries such as China warming to the Taliban. They are wondering why the Chinese people, if they truly govern their country, associate with a group as authoritarian, backward and uncivilized as the Taliban, particularly given its misguided interpretation of Islam and repressive policies against Afghan women and girls. Obviously, Chinese are not in charge, and instead it is the Chinese Communist Party, which is as authoritarian and repressive as the Taliban and that quality makes them natural allies.
Clearly, animosity and hatred are only perpetuated by the self-serving authoritarian elites under the guise of national interests, fueling and instigating conflict, war and chaos. Unfortunately, such elites are in power in Afghanistan, China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and some other countries.
Moreover, authoritarian regimes and elites collaborate discreetly and very closely to support each other and their counterparts worldwide. They achieve this by meddling in elections, resorting to propaganda to the extent of infiltration among political elites. Naturally, all democracies are vulnerable and susceptible to manipulation — no single democracy can safeguard itself against this coalition of authoritarians alone.
This underscores the need for democratic individuals, groups and countries worldwide to unite and protect themselves collectively. Taiwan serves as a prime example, where democrats worldwide rallied to support Taiwanese in safeguarding their election integrity. And they succeeded.
It is time for Taiwan to reciprocate. As a bold foreign policy initiative Taiwan could take the lead in rallying support for non-Taliban Afghans, particularly Afghan women whose rights can only be safeguarded and guaranteed in a democratic Afghanistan.
By spearheading the restoration of democracy in Afghanistan, Taiwan could eventually forge a strong alliance with a democratic Afghanistan. This is a major opportunity for Taiwan. It should only allocate the necessary diplomatic energy to unite the scattered democratic forces of Afghanistan and Afghanistan’s allies worldwide.
In return for this diplomatic effort, Taiwan could shape the future of a neighbor of China, while gaining influence and goodwill among Afghans.
It should not require much of a lift for Taiwan, as many of its staunch supporters are already aligned with the necessary actions. However, none of them have the appetite, and are not willing to take the lead on Afghanistan. Instead, they have all deferred the responsibility to the UN.
While the UN is attempting to play a role, it remains uncertain whether it possesses the capability and resources to effectively move toward a solution.
Moreover, as the UN tries to maintain consensus among member states, it would be immensely helpful for a proactive country on the democratic side of the fence to assume leadership of the process. There should be at least one country to step up as a host and champion for the cause of the non-Taliban Afghans, especially Afghan women, who are yearning for freedom and democracy.
Taiwan could be that country. With the successful conclusion of its elections, Taiwan must have diplomatic and financial resources to emerge from a constantly defensive posture to take the lead on a major initiative to advance its interests.
Sadiq Amini is a program manager at ORF America, overseeing external relations and outreach. He was previously a political assistant at the US embassy in Kabul and worked at the Afghan Permanent Mission to the UN. The views expressed here are strictly his own.
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