AFGHANISTAN - Oct. 24 - Traditional Leaders Call For Peace Jihad.

Opening the 2-day conference, or jirga, in the Pakistani town of Peshawar, a group of 1,000 Afghan tribal and religious leaders calls for a new jihad, appealing for peace and national unity. Pir Gilani, the former mujahideen commander, says Afghanistan has been plunged into the most critical time in its history. He says: "Afghanistan dangles between life and death, and Afghans suffer the worst type of miseries. In this situation, we need tolerance, understanding and political insight. We should join hands to work together with complete harmony and sincerity and without any sort of discrimination for the construction of a united and great Afghanistan". He says Zahir Shah should be elected as head of state because of his experience and status. An interim government, backed by a UN security force, could then draw up a constitution conforming to Islamic principles. That, in turn, could pave the way for a permanent, broad-based government, representing every ethnic group within Afghanistan. The co-operation of moderate Taliban leaders, representing parts of the Pashtun population, should also be sought. Subsequent speakers support Gilani's approach saying that all ethnic groups must be represented in a new government, as well as some of the Taliban, who "are also our brothers".

One impassioned mullah appeals to the international media, saying: "The US is considered a champion of human rights. So why are they bombing innocent people, women and children? These actions are a violation of human rights. Afghanistan will not turn into an infidel country. It will not turn into a non-Muslim country". Several speakers denounce the Taliban regime, and the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. On Oct. 25, the leaders demanded an end to the US bombing, and sought support of the UN and the Organisation of Islamic Conference to convene a loya jirga, or grand assembly, to begin a new peace process for Afghanistan. A final resolution at the end of the meeting invited the former king Mohammad Zahir Shah to lead a new peace process. The meeting also promised to hold similar meetings in Peshawar in future. Many analysts believe Pakistan is trying to influence the creation of a new regime despite its public claim that it remains neutral over who rules over Afghanistan in future. But western diplomats say it is unrealistic to hope that events such as the Oct. 24-25 meeting could produce a credible peace process, unless backed by strong international support for the establishment of a transitional authority to run Afghanistan for an interim period and eventually hand power to an elected government.