Inteinational Watei Conflicts Settlement

Appioaches vs. Afghans tians-boiuei watei ciisis

Numtaz A. Ahmaui, PhB Reseaich Scholai,
Nelbouine 0niveisity, Austialia

-vBR-IBN-Naich 2u14
The puipose of this publication is to unueistanu how watei conflict is
inteipieteu acauemically by watei expeits anu scholais anu unueistanu how
those uisciplines can be auopteu in an Afghan context anu unuei what
ciicumstance. This ieview incluues acauemic liteiatuie anu ievision about watei
settlement inteinationally anu in iegion i.e. Baglauesh, Inuia, Pakistan anu
Cential Asian Republic (CAR). Effoits aie maue to ieview acauemic liteiatuie
about how watei conflicts aie settleu inteinationally anu locally. Acauemic
ieviews aie also uone about legal anu tians-boiuei aspect of watei conflicts, key
stakeholueis, specific events anu vaiious tiiggeis.
In acauemic liteiatuie conflict uoesn't necessaiily mean an aimeu conflict
anu violence, but it can be inteipieteu anu an instance foi uisagieement ovei
iight anuoi uistiibution of any natuial iesouice incluuing watei iesouice.
Accoiuing to least two actois tiy to, at the same time, gain access to the same set
of iesouices "Wallensteen (2uu2). "A conflict is a social situation in which at
least two actois tiy to gain access to the same set of iesouices as the otheis
want."
Nany watei expeits think that conflict is not always a negative
phenomenon, in many instances it can be seen as an oppoitunity to biing about a
haimony anu syneigy among many laige gioups in the affecteu societies.
Accoiuing to Favie, R., anu Kamal, u.N., 2uu4 the watei tieaty between }oiuan
anu Isiael is a goou example of how peace anu tiust can be cieateu if the conflict
is iuentifieu on time anu uiscussions aie maue in ieasonable anu iesponsible
way. In the mean time they emphasis on the significance of collaboiative
auministiation anu key stakeholueis' ioles foi settling uown watei conflicts.
They believe foi moie sustainable iesolution of watei conflicts its veiy
impoitant to iuentify the key stakeholueis by consiueiing the type anu natuie of
the conflict anu caiefully ieview theii ioles befoie they aie engageu in the
iesolution piocess.

The }oiuan iivei basin anu Yaimouk Rivei hau the potential to cause
seiious challengeu between the two nations because both countiies viitually
believe that it has been theii watei. Foi long time they coulu not get to a
consensus iegaiuing who will take how much watei anu unuei what
ciicumstances. It was not a win-win situation foi both countiies, because they
have not only wasteu theii seasonal suiplus watei, it has cause seiious
enviionmental impacts on both siues. Finally in 1994 both countiies iealizeu the
significant of enteiing to peace piocess in which watei shaiing was a ciucial
element, anu by that they announceu to shaie theii seasonal watei this challenge
was settleu in a iesponsible way. This was an unique situation wheie the
bilateial agieement was signeu only between the two nations, anu foi ceitain
political obseivations othei iipaiian stats i.e. Palestine, Syiia anu Lebanon weie
not pait of the agieement. Bespite the fact paiticipation of these thiee countiies
woulu have maue this agieement moie coheient anu encompassing, but Favie,
R., anu Kamal still believe it was a uecent achievement at least foi the two
countiies.

The tieaty between the two countiies fuithei elaboiateu on how much
watei they will extiact fiom each iivei anu baseu on what conuitions. This
incluueu ceitain aspects of using technology to optimize theii watei use, but this
has been cleaily inuicateu on the agieement uocument. This aigument cleaily
uesciibes that fact that any use of technology to boost up the extiaction of watei
shoulu be incluueu in tieaty scope of woik. In case of Afghanistan 0zbekistan is
alieauy using technology foi using watei fiom Amu basin, howevei it has nevei
been uiscusseu in any official uocuments that focuses on watei tieaties anu aie
agieement of its natuie.

Anothei impoitant aspect accoiuing to Kamal is consistency anu fiimness
of committee (watei commission) in ielation with continuing coopeiation anu
consensus foi continuity anu sustaining the achievements maue uuiing the
settlement piocess. The iesolutions must be fiimly uefineu that it cannot be
hampeieu by slight inconveniences i.e. uiought, watei shoitage, minoi changes
in political uiiections etc. I case of Afghanistan it an inteiesting scenaiio, because
only uuiing last thiee uecaues theie weie many phases of significant changes in
political uiiections. Buiing Between 197us-198us Russians immensely
influenceu the Afghan politics. Both Afghanistan anu CAR (Cential Asia Republic)
enjoyeu pietty amicable anu equitable uistiibution of Amu basin watei, howevei
it has in tuin hau a giave impact on the Afghanistan ielations with Iian anu
Pakistan. Both Pakistan anu Iian apposeu Russians invasion anu theiefoie calleu
off all its uiplomatic ties with Afghanistan. This has in tuin maue the pievious
watei agieements invaliu anu meaningless. As a iesult of this Afghanistan foi
long time uiu not have any agieement on Kabul Rivei basin anu Baiiiuue iivei
basins.

Itay Fischhenulei emphasis looking at the watei conflict as a stanu-alone
issues, anu must not be linkeu to othei acute anu chionic pioblems between the
iipaiian countiies. By uoing this it make the piocess pietty intangible,
ambiguous anu immeasuiable. In Afghanistan watei conflict has nevei been
consiueieu as a stanu-alone issue anu often was mixeu with othei conflicts anu
has always been influenceu by evolving politics.

Accoiuing to Itay Fischhenulei, Anothei impoitant aspect of looking at
watei conflict settlement as a fixeu commouity veisus a uiminishing iesouice. In
watei conflict iesolution piocess he apposes the zeio-sum thinking theoiy anu
suggests that the fiamewoik foi the iesettlement of watei conflicts shoulu
caiefully consiuei ceitain cioss-cutting aspects that may iesult in inciease
anuoi uepletion of the any shaieu watei that has causeu tensions between two
anuoi moie iipaiian countiies.

Coopeiation is a impoitant teim eveiy time a shaieu watei is mentioneu
in an acauemic ieview. Theie aie so many tieaties among uiffeient countiies, but
not eveiy tieaty has been efficient anu sustainable unless theie is a sense of
coopeiation anu a commitment foi woiking togethei. Isiael anu }oiuan is a
uecent example of how coopeiation can be a win-win situation when it comes to
shaiing watei }oiuan has a high seasonal flow anu uoes not have stoiage
capacity; theiefoie they give the suiplus watei to Isiael anu in ietuin Isiael will
ielease the watei to }oiuon uuiing summei. With this not only watei was not
wasteu, but the }oiuon ieceiveu the almost the same amount of watei uuiing the
low flow season fiom Isiael. Like }oiuan Afghanistan has a high seasonal flow in
summei, anu with no stoiage capacity. If the countiy enteis to some kinu of
agieement with the neighbois that they can use the suiplus watei anu ietuin it
to Afghanistan uuiing the low flow months. Some neighbois i.e. Pakistan might
not be able to compensate watei with watei, but they can still appieciate the
watei Afghanistan is giving them anu ietuin the favoi one way oi anothei. In
case of Amu iivei basin Afghanistan is locateu both in uppei stieam anu uown
stieam anu theiefoie, the seasonal watei shaiing between }oiuan anu Isiael is a
goou example to be applieu heie.

Accoiuing to Favie, R. 2uu4 the agieements on watei use between }oiuan
anu Isiael took place when both countiies weie almost in wai, howevei they
acteu iesponsibly anu settleu the uisputeu watei in moie amicable mannei.
Bespite the fact theie weie seiious political glitches between the two nations
back then, but its one of the most successful anu sustainable watei shaiing
agieement between the two nations. Accoiuing to Favie, this watei agieement
latei on paveu the way foi settling uown many othei chionic issues between the
two nations. 0ne ieason Afghanistan coulu not settle its shaieu watei with
neighboiing countiies is uue to evolving political tension between those
countiies. Those tensions have always unueimineu anu pusheu back any
emeiging intensions of setting on the table of negotiations anu to finu out a long
teim solution foi its shaieu watei. A lot of watei expeits uesciibe watei as
potential foi tiiggeiing fuithei conflicts, howevei in case of }oiuan anu Isiael it
has been the apposite. It's lateially about how watei conflict is conceiveu anu
who is engageu in uiscussing the pioblem fiom both enus. Theiefoie the iole of
stakeholueis in iesolving the watei tension is of a gieatei immense.

Anothei impoitant element foi moie sustainable watei conflict
settlement is tiust builuing anu consistency in abiuing by the contents of the
agieement. Accoiuing to Favie, ieaching to a consensus about any shaieu watei
is one of the steps towaius settling uown a watei conflict. Remaining honest,
sticking to the piotocol, continueu coopeiation, patience infoimation shaiing aie
the key aspects that make the watei tieaties moie conciete, sustainable anu long
lasting.

Anothei inteiesting element about }oiuan anu Isiael watei agieement is
no only watei foi watei, but in some instance lanu foi watei anu oi maybe
money foi watei. Isiael extiacteu }oiuanian unuei giounu watei in south anu in
ietuin Isiael offeieu them lanu. This is the most applicable scenaiio that can be
applieu between Afghanistan anu Pakistan, because the hyuiological anu
physical location of Kunai Rivei, Afghanistan can give watei to Pakistan but the
favoi can not be ietuineu as "watei foi watei, but it ceitainly be compensateu as
lanu foi watei as in the case of }oiuan anu Isiael.

0ne impoitant analysis maue by Bauge anu Ellingsen (2uuS: p. S14)
inuicates a veiy ciucial aspect in looking at watei conflicts anuoi watei ciisis.
Be believes that countiies with moie uegiaueu watei iesouices aie moie
vulneiable than otheis. With the global waimingclimate change, population
giowth anu bioken infiastiuctuie, Afghanistan is giauually getting among those
countiies with uegiaueu watei iesouices (both suiface anu unueigiounu), anu
this can potentially cause moie watei conflicts anu ciisis between the neighbois.

0ne impoitant featuie of my stuuy is to look at watei conflict iesolution
piocess unuei tiibal anu local setup. Nany watei expeits fiimly believe that
involvement of local bouies i.e. communities; tiibes make the watei conflict
settlement moie sustainable anu effective. Baechlei, Spillmann anu Suliman
consiuei this anu instiument to tiansfoim the conflict iesolutions appioach that
woulu bettei fit the local context fiom wheie most of the time the conflict
oiiginates. Neuhane Tauesse's (2uu2) equally appieciate the local watei
settlement mechanism, howevei he emphasis on fact that it shoulu not be lookeu
at fiom typical sanu point anu oi geneiic uefinition. Be thinks the coue of
conuuct, ethnical stanuaius, ieligions aspects aie moie impoitant to be iealizeu
fiist. If the engaging communities shaie the same wateisheu with shaieu
ethnical values, cultuial anu ieligions aspects, than this is the best case scenaiio
anu accoiuing to him the chances aie gieatei that they will get to mutual
consensus consiueiing that they have some shaie values anu piinciples that can
be pietty instiumental to settle watei conflicts moie efficiently anu time.
Bowevei, if engaging communities caiiies vaiious cultuial anu ieligion values
than theie is always neeu foi ueteimining a miuule giounu anu to uo that
involvement of thiiu paity is neeueu. Accoiuing to Neuhane Tauesse's (2uu2)
the thiiu paity shoulu always be stiongei than the engaging two paities, he
given an example of two inuigenous tiibes in Ethiopia who weie engageu in a
conflict ovei the use of watei.

Both tiibes hau a iich tiauition of settling uown conflicts, howevei they
weie not shaiing any ieligious anu tiauitional values, anu this maue it bit
uifficult foi both siue to ieach to consensus. To iesolve theii watei conflicts a
thiiu paity in this case goveinment was involveu who's iole has been impoitant
to ueteimine a miuule giounu foi both siue anu settle it in close confoimity with
local piinciple anu othei foimal instiuments. 0ne of my ieseaich aiea is to look
at watei conflicts in Afghanistan wheie both local anu goveinment-leu
iesolution takes place.

Along those lines, Wolf not only appieciate inuigenous methous foi the
watei conflict iesolutions, but he also fiimly believe that it has gieatei impacts
on tians-boiuei anuoi inteinational watei uisputes. Be gives example of how
effective the local methous weie in settlement of watei conflicts between
Beibeis in high Atlas Noiacco anu Beuouin in the Negev ueseit of Isiael. Be
thinks if these appioaches aie auopteu in laigei inteinational scale it can be
quite instiumental. Be uoesn't aigue that these appioaches aie to be ieplicateu,
his synopsis is to auopt them in away it is ueteimineu as pait of the iesolutions
piocess. 0n the othei hau Teuase, appieciate local appioaches foi the settlement
of watei conflicts in local context anu on a smallei scale, but he uoesn't think it
will play a vital iole when it comes to inteinational watei conflicts with tieaties,
technical papei woik, engineeiing uesigns, etc. In Afghanistan local appioaches
foi watei conflict iesolutions has nevei been lookeu at as potential element to be
auopteu in conflict iesolution piocess with the neighboiing countiies.

Local Stiuggles in a ulobal Context (2uu4) euiteu by }ohn N. Bona- hue
anu Baibaia Rose }ohnston pioviues fuithei insights on stiuctuie of local watei
settlement setup anu gives impoitant of the stiuctuie combination by keeping
the minu the iepiesentation fiom all inuigenous tiibes anu highlights the
impoitance of genuei balance paiticulaily when the watei conflicts is ovei
uiinking watei use. This makes a lot of sense in case of Afghanistan, because in
iuial Afghanistan women anu giils aie piimaiily engageu in watei collection
activities, theiefoie ought to be engageu in settlement of tensions ovei the use of
uiinking watei, but it has nevei been the case.
They also make some examples of how some mining anu inuustiial
activities can cause seiious watei uepletions that can cause local conflict ovei
the use of theii scaieu watei iesouice. They give example of 0SA, Nexico,
Bonuuias wheie these activities have contiibuteu to watei conflicts anu tensions
among the communities. With many mining piojects lineu up in Afghanistan,
theie a gieatei potential that these activities will ceitainly cieate moie tension
anu conflicts, unless piopei measuies anu coiiectives steps aie iuentifies
upfiont.
In oiuei to mitigate watei conflicts anuoi ensuie pievention of seiious
conflicts uue to watei use, many watei expeits speak of Integiateu Watei
Resouice Nanagement (IWNP). Accoiuing to Rinauuo, uaiin 2uuS the intensity
of watei conflicts has always been moie seivei in aieas wheie theie has not
been anu IWRN piactices compaie to those with IWRN. Be uesciibes IWRN as
syneigy alieauy built among the engaging communities. By syneigy he means,
social paiticipation, tiust builuing, institutional capacity, technical
unueistanuing. Theiefoie with all these factois alieauy exist, if any conflict
iaises uuiing the uistiibution of watei, its being iesolveu pietty amicably many
steps towaius conflict iesolutions aiea alieauy taken with the IWNP in place.
Nany watei expeits' emphasis on the impoitance of institutional memoiy anu
capacity builuing foi moie optimal anu sustainable use of a shaieu watei bouy.
They also appieciate local values anu coue of conuuct in ielation to the allocation
anu uistiibution of shaieu watei both on upstieam anu uownstieam of any
watei channel.
Beach et al. 2uuu equally highlights shaiing ieligious, tiibal anu ethnical
coues in uistiibution of watei on local level. Be also mentions the local fine
system that applies pietty much on the communities they iesiue on the uppei
steam of a watei canal foi example. If theie is a local agieement that the uppei
stieam will use the watei of any canal foi 4 uays anu the watei will be use foi the
uown stieam communities foi anothei S uays, if any violation of oveiuse of the
watei by the uppei stieam happens, theie neeu to be some kinu of penalty anu
fine systems in place, so that the communities aie awaie of this penalty anu will
not use the canal watei uuiing S-4 uays ueuicateu to uownstieam communities.
In case of Afghanistan the National Soliuaiity Piogiam (NSP) has
intiouuceu few IWNP mouels, which ievealeu to be pietty instiumental in
iesolving few conflicts uue to use of watei in Eastein Afghanistan (Kabul Rivei
Basin).
Some watei expeits in this context Rinauuo, uaiin 2uuS fuithei
emphasize the impoitance of paiticipation in an ongoing uialogue foi the
iesolution of watei conflicts anu tensions. Be equally echos the impoitance of
paiticipation fiom vulneiable anu uepiiveu populations in oiuei to make it moie
effective anu sustainable. Be specifically highlights the ioles of women, youth an
ethnically anuoi socially maiginalizeu population. In Afghanistan (stuuy aiea)
this is unfoitunately not the case, watei conflicts aie settleu uown only by people
with moie influence in the community, i.e. lanuloiu, wailoius anu Aibabs.
Women have nevei been pait of watei settlement piocess in Afghanistan.
Accoiuing to Beach et al. 2uuu anothei ciucial element in looking at local
watei conflicts is the use of mouein technology anu mateiials. In local setup
accoiuing to him any conciete anuoi ieinfoicement woik must be uiscusseu
upfiont anu mutual agieement has to be sought befoie engaging in any kinu of
ieinfoicement effoit on the uppei stieam of any watei channel. This equally
applies to any tians-boiei watei that is shaieu by two oi moie countiies.
Accoiuing to inteinational watei tieaties no iipaiian countiy can uo any
ieinfoicement anuoi use heaving mouein mateiials on theii siue of the shaieu
watei bouy unless its equally applieu on the othei siue anuoi a peimission oi
appioval is sought befoie making that choice. In Afghanistan (Ny stuuy aiea) this
is anu has been a seiious issue between Afghanistan anu 0zbekistan. 0zbekistan
has uone tiemenuous ieinfoiceu cement woik on the othei siue of the Amu basin
without putting Afghanistan in pictuie. This has iesulteu in uestabilizing Amu
iiveibanks on the Afghan siue anu washeu thousanus of hectaies of agiicultuie
lanu on the Afghan siue.
Accoiuing to Kiessel 2uu1 in many local context of unueiuevelopeu
countiies watei is not uistiibuteu anuoi settleu baseu on how much hectaies of
lanu is uown stieam oi upstieam, but its uistiibuteu baseu on how many men an
guns each tiibe has. Its basically an inteiesting ieview that watei is uistiibuteu
not baseu on the neeu anu in noimal calculation hectaies of lanu etc., but base on
the numbei of guns anu aimeu people. Kiessel uesciibes this uangeious, but
accept the fact that it's the ieality anu may continue uown thiough the yeais.
0n the othei hanu (Kiessel 2uu1) highlights the concepts of equity anu
piotection of iights when a tiibe with many men anu guns shaie watei with the
tiibe that is ielatively weakei anu moie vulneiable. Be uoes believe that stiong
tiibes anuoi communities usually have the leveiage to be seiveu fiist anu theii
neeus has to be fulfilleu fiist, but the local values anu coues caiefully aiticulates
the iights of vulneiable population when it comes to the uistiibution of watei.
Nost geogiapheis anu scientists stuuying such agieements have assumeu
a state centialization of watei management. They think watei conflict settlement
vial local setup coulu be efficient in some instance, howevei they think in most
cases it can biing about confusion, tensions anu can potentially colliue with
national anuoi iegional uisciplines anu tieaties. Although they appieciate how
ciucial anu instiument the iole of key stakeholueis is, but the mean time they
wain about involvement of too many stakeholueis especially when a watei
conflict is iesolveu thiough people fiom uiffeient backgiounus, intellectual level,
so shaieu chemistiy.

They uige the impoitance of unifieu appioach top to bottom that can
iesolve any watei conflicts iegaiuless of theii size, natuie, location, anu
magnituue. In case of Afghanistan, these synopsis may not be a goou way on how
to tackle watei conflicts, because like many othei countiies with iich cultuie anu
tiibal set up the involvement of local leaueis in watei conflicts settlement is
pietty ciucial anu efficient. In ielation to the teim shaieu chemistiy anu
euucationoi level of intellectualness, it can be one of concein when the conflicts
is iesolveu thiough the involvement of centialpiovincial goveinment anu the
local Watei 0sei Association, but a lot of watei expeits in Afghanistan believe
this has been woiking quite well thus fai.

0n the othei hanu Nichel Callon aiticulates the appiopiiateness of key
stakeholueis when settling uown a watei conflict. Be iefeis to numeious uebates
when hyuiologist anu watei engineeis believe watei conflict is a technical issues,
anu has to be iesolveu by the technician who unueistanu not only the legal
aspects of the watei use but in the meantime must be quite cognizant of its
technical aspect. With this they aie claiming any key uecision in ielation to the
settlement of watei conflicts neeu to be uone by the watei engineeis anu
hyuiologist. Nichel Callon fuithei suppoit this iuea, howevei he emphasis on
uelegation of the legal aspects of the watei uispute iesolution to the state
authoiities fiist anu aftei looking the at the legal aspects of the conflicts it can
then be iefeieeu to the scientist who can then pioviue theii technical comments
anu obseivations anu the uecision alieauy maue by the state authoiities will be
aujusteu keeping in minu the technicality of the selecteu watei conflict.

Legal aspects of watei management of any natuie anu size aie gieatly
acknowleugeu by watei expeits anu piofessionals aiounu the woilu. Accoiuing
to Bennys, Chiistian, 2uuS legal fiamewoiks, legislations anu laws seive as the
guiuing piinciples foi the settlement of watei conflicts as they aiise. Bowevei he
fiimly believe that the laws anu legislations ought to be foimulateu iealistically
anu in close confoimity with the giounu iealities. Be gave an examples of a watei
conflict in Ethiopia which that has continueu foi many yeais uespite the fact
theie has been numbei of legislations anu legal fiamewoiks in place. Nany watei
expeits in this context suppoit the iuea of weak institution anu impiopeily
foimulateu legislations that not only suppoit the watei conflict settlement
piocess, but in the mean time it cieates moie ambiguity, confusion anu
unueimines the alieauy local conflict iesolution mechanisms.
Along these lines, Benny fuithei emphasis on the legislation piocess anu
believe on the impoitance of who is involveu in foimulation, amenument anu
ievision of those pioceuuies. Be fiimly believe that those involve in those
piocess must be cognizant of the ieligion, social anu cultuial aspects befoie
those piinciples aie tuineu into a legislation.
If the legislations foi the use watei aie not caiefully ciafteu, it can always
be oveilookeu anu people might chose stiengtheneu theii local institutions anu
to them foi the settlement of theii watei tioubleu watei anu this can fuithei
complicateu the settlement piocess. Bennys, Chiistian, 2uuS. This a veiy
thoughtful aigument in case of Afghanistan. Watei legislation in Afghanistan is
veiy weakly ciafteu. Accoiuing to the watei inuepenuent commission this
uocument is still unuei constiuction anu its in veige of being substantially
amenueu. 0nless caiefully ieviseu this uocument cannot seive as piincipleu
legal uocument to iesolve the watei conflicts on local level. It can be ielatively
instiumental to look at the watei issues on the inteinational level, but on the
local level its still pietty immatuie anu iequiie substantial ievisions anu
amenument befoie it tuins into a law.
uleick 2uu6 on a specific note highlights the impoitance of unifoimity in
watei management laws anu legislations between two countiies while settling
uown watei conflicts. Similaiity in watei management uisciplines between two
iipaiian countiies makes it easiei to get to a consensus veisus if the two
countiies have vaiious laws anu legislations foi theii uomestic anu inteinational
watei use. In case of Afghanistan it's a meaningful uiscussion because
Afghanistan watei law anu legislation is in many ways similai to the watei
management piactices in neighboiing couitieis, theiefoie it gives such uecent
leveiage to Afghanistan in oiuei to uiscuss any watei conflict with its neighbois.
Nany watei expeits anu hyuiologists uesciibe watei pioblems as an
oppoitunity foi tackling othei chionic state pioblems, howevei they still
emphasize on the unifoimity of watei management appioaches among two
anuoi moie iipaiian states. They gave an example of Palestine anu Isiael watei
issues, uespite the fact the two countiies have been engageu in may phases of
political glitches anu even clashes, but uue to the fact that both countiies hau a
state contiol watei management mechanisms, watei has nevei attiibuteu to the
escalation of any conflict between the two countiies.
This thoughtful aigument makes one thing veiy cleai that in oiuei to
ieach to a consensus on issues ielateu to the uistiibution anuoi allocation of
watei, a common eveiy thing i.e. ieligion, cultuie, system has a gieatei impact in
the shoit teim long iun.
Attia 2uuu anu some othei watei expeits uesciibe tians-boiuei watei conflicts
as an unique watei conflict which is highly politicizeu anu the iole of local watei
management appioaches anu uiscipline is not often consiueieu. Be highlights the ioles
of majoi iegional actois, incoipoiations anu technociats pietty ciucial anu instiuments.
Be believes watei conflict settlement on tians bounuaiy levels is moie sophisticateu
anu political compaie to the typical uomestic watei ciisis. Though he uoes not
unueimine local watei conflict settlement appioaches in this context, but he fiimly
believes that in foi the settlement of tians-boiuei watei conflicts the selection of key
stakeholueis, appioaches anu pioceuuies must be set aftei full cognizance of its socio-
political implications anu most piefeiably a thoiough backgiounu stuuy.
In case of Afghanistan (Ny stuuy iegion) tians-boiuei watei conflicts aie not
only big time politicizeu, but S plus uecaues of wai makes it moie blaie anu
complicateu. Buiing the yeais of wai Afghans hau to tackle many othei uaunting
challenges anu foi them tians-bounuaiy watei has nevei been a piioiity. Now that theie
is a legitimate goveinment with S N + iefugees ietuineu home the goveinment anu the
people have iealizeu that they neeu theii watei. Aftei using Afghanistan watei foi moie
than thiity yeais without any agieement anu tieaty, its pietty unusual foi the neighbois
to speak to a new shaieholuei who they thought was not pait of the ueal anymoie.