Official opening of the National Park
By Group Captain Greg Elliott, NZ PRT SNO
Afghanistan’s Band-e-Amir Lakes conjure up grand dreams with their azure blue waters, sweeping travertine falls, and mighty mesa mountains which circle the area like the Grand Canyon. Kiwis were honoured to be part of an historic event on 18 June when the Lakes became Afghanistan’s first ever National Park. According to Prince Mustafa Zahir, who formally opened the park, this fulfilled a dream that his grandfather, Afghanistan’s King Zahir Shah, held 35 years ago. US Ambassador Karl Eikenberry was present, along with Afghanistan’s Vice President Khalili, and recalled how he had promised to return for this day when he left Khandahar as a 4-star general some four years ago.
Letter from Afghanistan - Image 4
The dedication was a celebration for Afghanistan, and a promise of better days, when tourists might again return to a country that has seen over three decades of war. Band-e-Amir is actually six linked lakes, surrounded by breathtaking rock cliffs and a travertine waterfall several hundred metres wide. Situated in the centre of Bamian province, high in the Hindu Kush, the waters are fed from springs and snow melt. While the blue hue attracts sightseers and swimmers, the attraction is deceptive as the waters are as cold as any Ruapehu river.
The BBC’s Alan Johnston has described the lakes as being “like glass”. The LA Times’ Laura King refers to them as “pristine”. This is familiar territory for the generations of Kiwis who, as part of NZ’s Provincial Reconstruction Team, have braved a jump from surrounding cliffs, a quick dip into the icy chill or a paddle in one of the plastic swan boats – which look strangely tranquil in this slice of paradise, surrounded still by a swirling insurgency.
Letter from Afghanistan - Image 5
As the lakes lay within the NZPRT’s area of responsibility, Kiwis planned and led the security for the event, which involved a joint operation with the US Embassy, private contractors, Afghan Police and Afghan and US intelligence agencies. New Zealander Major Aidan Shattock produced a plan to equal the Encyclopedia Brittanica – a necessary precaution to safeguard the more than 100 VIPs and invited guests. The day flowed smoothly and the high security presence blended unnoticed into a background of flawless natural beauty.
This particular district has not actually been touched by insurgency, although not far to the Northeast Kiwis have dealt with three roadside bombs and a couple of attacks on police checkpoints over the last month. In central Bamian though, a traveller need not go far to find Government authority still tested by warlords and insurgents accustomed to a sense of anarchy.
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In tribute, each speaker took time to single out New Zealand’s contribution to the security and development of Bamian, which helped to make the day possible. Kiwis received genuine appreciation and Prince Mustafa later compared the beauty of the area with the mountains and lakes of the South island, which he had visited many years before.
It is to be hoped that this event signals an ongoing transformation, as a PRT-supported road project begins this year, to connect with the US military funded highway being built through Parwan to Bamian. These are the beginnings of an economic infrastructure that will provide easier access for tourists, a livelihood for local Hazaran people and a guarantee of protection for what must surely be one of the world’s great natural wonders.