HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE TAKES UP AFGHANISTAN REPORT

30 October 1995

Press Release
HR/CT/446

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE TAKES UP AFGHANISTAN REPORT

19951030 GENEVA, 26 October (UN Information Service) -- Only dialogue and political negotiation could overcome the problem facing Afghanistan and not the waging of armed and psychological war as was actually being done by Islamic movements, the Human Rights Committee was told this afternoon. The Committee had before it the second periodic report of Afghanistan on how that State party was giving effect to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Humayun Tandar (Afghanistan) said that the Government was doing all it could to find a peaceful solution to the problem of his country despite foreign Power interference in destabilizing the current regime. Introducing the report, which was due in 1992, he said Pakistan was arming and financing the Taliban Islamic students movement that was bombarding Kabul.

He said the 1978 coup d'etat fomented by the Communist Party of Afghanistan had led to the Soviet invasion. That had resulted in the arbitrary execution of 12,000 persons and the detention of political activists. In 1992, three common grave sites were discovered in Afghanistan.

Six million people out of a population of 16 million were forced to flee the country and another 2 million were displaced internally. Tens of thousands of persons were handicapped because of the war, particularly by the anti-personnel mines planted around the country. The war had also had disastrous consequences on the country's infrastructures; schools, hospitals, clinics and highways were massively destroyed. A total of 1.5 million children had died from malnutrition and lack of health care.

In April 1992, he continued, the Afghan resistance army took power and had promulgated amnesty for all by freeing all political prisoners. The country had pledged itself to respect the Charter and human rights. Since the beginning, the Government had expressed its desire to build a just and democratic society, but unfortunately extremist movements were obstructing its efforts. Such groups were bombarding the capital city and other places, wounding and killing people and forcing the rest to flee.

The Taliban group, which was fully armed and financed by Pakistan, was rejecting all social values, including the rights of women, and was waging armed and psychological war against the people. The Taliban Islamic students movement was against any participation of women in government affairs, while the Government was encouraging their full participation. His Government also encouraged the participation of all ethnic and cultural groups in the affairs of

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the country for its development. Afghanistan was the common heritage of all Afghans. The participation of all groups could only enhance the development and reconstruction of the nation; it would help solve the problems facing the country and lead to a democratic society.

He said that the return of exiled Afghans should be taken care of in dignity, and that nothing should hinder their rehabilitation. So far, 100,000 persons had returned and were being taken care of. As a sign of goodwill, the Government had freed prisoners of war, including foreigners.

Only dialogue and political negotiation could enable the Afghans to overcome their problem, he continued. The Government's political propositions for the participation of the opposition were systematically rejected. All the propositions made so far were based on the goal of attaining full respect for human rights. On 4 October, the Government had proposed to organize a convention of all groups under the auspices of the United Nations.

As the delegation dealing with human rights conditions in Afghanistan was stranded in New Delhi, the Committee decided to postpone further hearing of the report. However, it decided to revert to this question whenever the Afghan human rights expert arrived.

The Committee then met in closed session to examine communications alleging human rights violations.

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