The Statesman, March 12, 2001

RAWA seeks UN help to protect HR in Afghanistan

Statesman Report

PESHAWAR: Revolutionary Afghan association Sunday sought the United Nations help to fight Taliban's repressive policies about fair sex and human rights.

In an appeal to the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan the association said: "The world community needs to know that since the coming to power of the militia after the collapse of the Najib puppet government, human rights in Afghanistan have been treated with increasing contempt and disdain."

It reminded Annan that the ruined nation of Afghanistan "burns in the flames of Jehadi and Taliban" infighting. "Afghanistan is a land where human rights are being violated in a horrible manner. War and drought has made the country an inferno on the earth."

"But, unfortunately, the international community and the UN have turned a blind eye towards the appalling humanitarian tragedy and Afghanistan is the most forgotten country in the world," the appeal made available here said.

The RAWA said the UN sanctions on the Taliban, blanketed by humanitarian claims brought no benefit to the Afghan people, as they were not accompanied by efforts to banish fundamentalism of Taliban and Jehadi" nature from Afghanistan.

"The UN must first impose sanctions on those countries that are directly influencing the internal affairs of the war-torn country. These countries are nurturing Afghanistan's supreme thieves and murderers and without their military and financial help the war machine of the Taliban and Jehadi would be paralyzed," it read.

The appeal was highly critical of the UN sanction hitting only the Taliban, while Rabbani and Ahmad shah Massoud and their allies were not taken into account.

"While the Rabbani-Massoud band are equally responsible for the ongoing devastation of the country, Jehadi's exemption means adding fuel to the fire, that has aggravated the sufferings of our people" the appeal observed.

Earlier, the Islamabad police barred RAWA from delivering the visiting UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the appeal at the Foreign Office in Islamabad.

A RAWA spokeswomen told The Statesman on telephone from an undisclosed place that some 70 members of the association wanted to deliver a statement to the UN chief during his talks with the Pakistani official at the Foreign Office.

"The police warned our members not to make any attempt to enter the Foreign Office premises and there is no chance to see him (Annan)," she quoted a police cop as threatening the RAWA supporters.

Saima Karim, a RAWA activist, managed to sneak past the cops to enter the Foreign Office premises.

The spokesman said when Kashmir leaders were allowed to meet Annan why RAWA supporters were disallowed.

RAWA for curbs on countries meddling in Afghan affairs

Bureau Report

PESHAWAR: The United Nations should impose sanctions on counties directly influencing the internal affairs of Afghanistan said Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) in a press release here on Sunday.

RAWA resented that the UN sanction have been considered only for the Taliban while Rabbani, Ahmad Shah Masoud and their allies have been exempted from the same.

This, it added, would add fuel to the fire and result in aggravating the miseries of the people.

Meanwhile, a 60-member delegation of RAWA staged a demonstration in front of UN Office in Islamabad against refusal to them to meet UN secretary General Kofi Annan Sunday.

The protesters resented that thought the Kashmir were allowed to meet the UN Official their delegation refused a meeting.