Moderate, two radicals share top Afghan jobs

Press, 4 May 1978, Page 9

Moderate, two radicals share top Afghan jobs

International

By

LESLIE MURPHY,

NZPA-Reuter correspondent

Kabul (Afghanistan) Afghanistan has emerged as the first communist-ruled country in south Asia, with civilians holding the main positions of power, after last week’s bloody military coup.

Authoritative sources in Kabul estimate that thousands of people may have been killed during fierce f ghting last Thursday and Friday Lefore the Leftist military junta took full control.

But there are only three military' officers in the new 21-raan Cabinet. They include Colonel Abdul Khadir, vice-commander of the Air Force, who was reported to have spearheaded the coup in which President Mohammed Daoud was executed. He becomes Defence Minister.

Senior diplomats in Kabul said that the new Government was heavily dominated by members of the proMoscow Democratic Khalq (People’s) Party.

Well-informced sources said it was impossible to gauge how radical the communist leadership would be, but it was generally believed it would steer clear of making Afghanistan a client State of the Soviet Union. The civilian Head of State

and Prime Minister (Mr Nur Mohammed Tarakki) who is 65, is chairman and founder of Khalq. But he is believed to be a moderate who recognises that it would be impossible for Afghanistan to function under present conditions as an orthodox communist State.

But his senior deputy, the Vice-President and Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Badrak Karmal), and the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of foreign affairs (Mr Hafizullah Amir) are known to be rigid ideologists. They formed the breakaway Parcham (Flag) wing of the Communist Party some five years ago but rejoined the main party in May last year under Soviet guidance, well-informed sources said.

Graphic accounts of the fighting during last week’s coup have been given by Western tourists, residents and diplomats. They said President Daoud’s 1500strong palace guard, equipped with tanks and

armoured personnel carriers, desperately defended the Presidential Palace for more than 16 hours despite being heavily outnumbered. Eye-witnesses said Sovietbuilt MiG 21s strafed and rocketed the Presidential Palace for several hours. They also attacked the headquarters of the Army’s seventh and eighth divisions near Kabul and the witnesses were impressed by the accuracy of their firing.

The Air Force leadership was closely connected with the Communist Party, the sources said. They added that Communist leader, Amir Akbar Khabir, was at the Kabul Air Force base early on April 17, the day he was assassinated.

The coup appears to have been sparked by the assassination.

Afghanis have crowded into the palace grounds where the bodies of President Daoud and his brother. Mohammed Naim, also executed in the coup, were displayed on Sunday.

Yesterday people climbed over three burnt-out tanks in, front of the palace. More than 200 tanks and armoured personnel carriers are stationed round the city, but they are all hung with flowers and garlands.

Life in Kabul seemed relaxed and almost back to normal. One significant difference from the past was that all police on the streets were unarmed whereas previously they carried pistols. In Rome, the former king, Mohammed Zahir Shah, who was deposed by President Daoud, his brother-in-law, five years ago, has accused hi® country’s new communist rulers of violating human rights, the Islamic religion, and national traditions.

"I must express my affliction and reprobation at the conduct of the new rulers,” the 64-year-old former king said. “Their actions, which have already claimed numerous victims, are against all the principles of Islam and human respect.”