By Georgina Farah

Over 1000 Afghan elders, soldiers and religious leaders (read men) have met at a two day conference to discuss the next government of Afghanistan. They have called for an end to military strikes and the creation of a Loya Jirga (a traditional grand assembly) under the exiled 86 year-old King Zahir Shah.

Women, who have suffered the most under all of the warring factions were not mentioned in the conference resolutions, other than under the broad brush stroke of "human rights." Furthermore, Pakistan and the US support the inclusion of moderate Taliban and forces in the coalition.

The continued push by the US and Pakistan to promote the same players in government will only result in the same cycles of violence. Once again, mainstream media is portraying the Northern Alliance as "the good guys." However, many Afghan women remember when the Northern Alliance sacked Kabul after the fall of the Najibullah regime in 1992 (the Soviet puppet government). Their first task? To immediately impose strict restrictions on women's freedom.

All the jehadi groups under the Northern Alliance are known for gang rape and torture. During periods of intense displacement, whole villages have been looted and burned, while residents have been executed in front of their families.

The very idea that the Northern Alliance and moderate Taliban representatives should be in power is both evil and ludicrous. There will be no end to the war as both factions are committed to maintaining it. This proposed "government" will only serve the US and Pakistan powers, and from experience we know that the US will "lose interest" in upholding women's rights. Instability in this region has been a carefully planned US strategy to usurp Central Asian and Soviet power. In the cold light of day, women's rights mean nothing to the US or Pakistan. Their only interest is in creating an Afghanistan that will serve their oil and power needs in the coming years.