Humane Application of Technology is Key for Change in Afghanistan
By Dr. A. Khan
Chicago , IL
“Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding.”
Albert Einstein.
Three decades of war have transformed a prosperous Afghanistan into ruins. Today, Afghan people continue to live in abject poverty. The following World Bank statistics ( www.web.worldbank.org) depict the plight of Afghan people: life expectancy (43 years), mortality rate under 5 (257/1000), literacy rate (28%), primary education completion rate (38%), births attended by skilled staff (12%), and mobile and fixed-line telephone (5/100).
Afghanistan is a country rich in natural resources, presently its natural resources are plundered by various commercial and non-commercial entities. Why not develop a blueprint for the economic development of Afghanistan on the lines of the Marshall Plan? Using economic means to uplift the lives of people is the best way to change the state of a people. President John F. Kennedy’s policy of helping people via peace corps and offering economic grants for opening small businesses in South America, especially in Brazil, had transformed the lives of millions.
Now is the propitious time time that the focus of the perpetual war in Afghanistan is shifted to eradicating poverty, illiteracy and promoting economic growth. History is witness that poverty has never been eradicated by military means. In this day and age, no one likes to be occupied. The solution to the Afghanistan problem lies in the humane application of technology for economic and human development. A mega economic development plan for Afghanistan and Afghanistan-Pakistan border region should be drawn up and implemented for:
a. building schools and universities to educate children and adults.
b. building hospitals and clinics to provide healthcare for children and women.
c. building polytechnic institutes to provide skill-based training for the youth.
d. building industrial units to process mineral resources to create jobs for adults.
e. building energy pipelines through Afghanistan to promote economic growth.
f. giving farmers better options to replace opium crops.
g. developing telecommunication infrastructure to promote literacy and economic growth.
h. promoting regional trade to uplift Afghan economy.
Decisions about the future of Afghanistan should be based on the humane application of technology to improve the lives of the people in Afghanistan and Afghanistan-Pakistan border region. Wisdom should prevail over data and information when making decisions and policies about changing the state of the Afghan people.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
