Cold days and warm smiles in Afghanistan

Lieutenant Stephane Hansen (front), Major Derek Tunui and other members of the New Zealand patrol trek through snow in Bamiyan Province.

The freezing mountains of central Afghanistan have left their mark on Major Roger Earp. His wind-burned face still bears the signs of some frostbite, his hands are cracked and filled with deeply ingrained dirt.

For the past two weeks the New Zealand soldiers - officially the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team - have been in the remote district of Panjao where the security situation declined soon after last October's presidential election.

A rogue commander, Yosef Sarkhush, wanted for questioning over a murder last year, was refusing to cooperate.

"It's a typical Afghan conflict, there's lots of history," said Major Earp.

The New Zealanders' assignment was to facilitate a peaceful surrender so Sarkhush could be investigated in an impartial environment.

They are not in Afghanistan to look for conflict. More often than he can remember during six months in the country the major has reminded someone that "enough people have been killed in this country, we need to work towards a peaceful solution".

Their quarry on the latest mission has a long history of intimidation, destroying crops, murder, and forcing people out of their homes for his own gain. "He's the only guy in the whole district who walks around with armed guards," said Major Earp.

"You can see the fear in the people as soon as you enter his valley."

Despite this the team has developed a relationship with him and is still on speaking terms.

With a brief window of clear weather late last month, Major Earp and the 11 men and women of his patrol team managed to get over the 3300m snow-covered pass and into Panjao. By the time they got to Sarkhush's isolated village, the weather had closed in.

"It was white-out and we had to abort the mission," Major Earp exclaimed.

In a desperate attempt to get back to Kiwi Base in Bamiyan, they set off early, in freezing conditions and snow, a couple of days later. Within an hour, deep snowdrifts had brought them almost to a halt.

In an attempt to clear the snow- covered roads they hired 50 local men with shovels. By dark, after hours of digging and recovering stuck vehicles in temperatures that plummeted to -30C, they were only 2km closer to the pass.

After a long, cold night in a local teahouse they pushed on the next morning. Then an axle snapped while they were trying to extract a vehicle from the snow and ice.

"It was so cold that every time a vehicle got stuck it would freeze to the ground. We'd then have to spend the next hour or so chipping it free," said Major Earp.

"Everyone's eyelashes were frozen, some of the guys were starting to get frostbite and they knew they wouldn't make the pass."

Frozen and exhausted, the patrol limped back to their Panjao base two days later. It had taken them four days to drive less than 50km.

With midday temperatures below -20C, no fresh food, minimal heating and deteriorating communications, they held out for three more days before they were airlifted out by a couple of US Chinook helicopters.

For Major Andy MacKenzie Everitt and his patrol, the tour has been quite a different experience. Without the challenge of rogue commanders or other big security issues he's been able to concentrate on the reconstruction side of his mission, the first step to building a secure, stable and independent Afghanistan.

Today in Bamiyan province, where the New Zealanders have been posted, buildings destroyed by the Soviets, Mujahideen and Taleban sit next to the cities destroyed by Genghis Khan almost 800 years ago.

The area has no infrastructure or government services. A police force has to be recruited and trained, a criminal justice system must be set up and government buildings erected.

The Taleban destroyed written records and, after years of persecution, especially along ethnic lines, a deep-set distrust lingers in the local population.

To add to the difficulties, Bamiyan Province contains some of the most rugged terrain in the country. Private Kelly French describes the high desert as a big rock that's cold in winter and hot and dusty in summer.

Virtually all the province is above 2500m and a decade of drought has meant farmers irrigating their wheat and potatoes only from the winter snow melt..

At 8am Major MacKenzie Everitt's patrol prepares to depart. The sun has just risen above the rugged mountains that surround this ancient valley and it is -23C.

Private Hayden Shanks sits outside on the back of a Hilux Ute with his machinegun mounted on the back, Taleban style. "It was great fun during the summer but now it's just freezing," he shivers.

We pass locals moving up and down the valley on donkeys, on bicycles and on foot, wearing only their thin shalwar kameezes and a patoos, a light woollen blanket.

Aside from monitoring security, the New Zealand patrol have the important role of developing relationships with the village elders and mullahs and gathering information which can be used to further stabilise the area and attend to the needs of the community.

After hours of slowly winding our way along the narrow roads, we arrive at the bazaar in Qazam.

"We haven't had any security issues here but this village has always had a hostile feel to it. The locals don't seem to trust us," said Major MacKenzie Everitt, stepping out of the vehicle.

Almost immediately, dozens of turbaned locals surrounded him. Like a well-oiled machine the 12 men and women of the patrol set about their jobs, some soldiers moving up and down the road to secure the area, others staying with the vehicles and the remainder wandering around talking to locals.

The problems in Qazam are the same as in most villages around here and they're significant. More wood and coal is needed for cooking and heating homes over winter. There's not enough food and there are insufficient houses to accommodate all the recent returnees.

Another hour on the road and we are stopped, about a kilometre short of our destination, at the little village of Qalai Ali Beg, which is still covered with over 60cm of snow.

Half the patrol guard the vehicles while the rest of us walk to the village. The residents greet us with warm smiles and handshakes then invite us into a small room with a few cushions on the floor.

Tea is served and the talk begins.

Everything takes place at an Afghan pace, without hurry.

Security is good, it's too cold for insurgency at this time of year. They also need more wood, food and housing.

"All the snow this year is good, there'll be more water for our crops. Allah must be happy with us," remarked a village elder.

On the long, slow drive back to base, Major MacKenzie Everitt reflects on the art of building bridges and the satisfaction it can give. "That's been the best part of the tour, dealing and interacting with the locals," he says.

Far from home

* A contingent of 121 New Zealand soldiers is serving in Afghanistan, with two New Zealand police officers.

* The Government made the security contribution soon after the United States defeat of the Taleban and extended New Zealand's commitment last month to run until September 2006.