Taliban create obstacles for aid community in Afghanistan

Islamabad (Office of the United Nations Co-ordinator for Afghanistan), 18 May 2001 -- The assistance community is facing increasing obstacles from Taliban authorities in carrying out assistance work in Afghanistan.
There have been repeated denials of humanitarian access to communities in need of assistance, in particular in Hazarajat. Recently, again, United Nations staff were denied permission to go into part of Hazarajat, although fighting has resulted in the displacement of upwards of 60,000 people and further recent displacement of most of the population of Yakawlang District.

In addition, unsubstantiated allegations--including charges of "immoral behaviour"--, harassment, arrests, and even physical abuse of humanitarian personnel are on the upswing. Recently, UN and NGO staff have been arrested in both Kabul and Herat. Both national and international staff have been subjected to harassment.

The Office of the United Nations Co-ordinator for Afghanistan is particularly concerned about the harassment and abuse of Afghan national staff of the UN and NGO community. "We are not prepared to tolerate abuses against our staff. National staff form the backbone of the assistance effort in Afghanistan, without whom all assistance would halt," said UN Co-ordinator Erick de Mul.

Despite the ongoing civil war, the United Nations has consistently underscored its commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan's civilian population, insofar as security permits. Since 1998, the United Nations has worked in Taliban areas of Afghanistan under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and a security protocol agreed to by Taliban authorities. These spell out the procedures and standards that must be followed if the United Nations is to continue its humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people. Recent incidents in Afghanistan have constituted a violation of several provisions of the MOU.

The UN Co-ordinator has repeatedly tried to get in contact with Taliban officials in Kandahar but to no avail.

"The recent pattern of violations of the security protocol represents a general narrowing of space available for humanitarian agencies to operate effectively," said UN Co-ordinator Erick de Mul. It is unconscionable that this is occurring precisely when the humanitarian crisis is rapidly deepening, and when the assistance community is trying to increase assistance to needy Afghans, he added.

For further information, please call: Stephanie Bunker, Office of the United Nations Co-ordinator for Afghanistan, 92 51 2211451; 92 320 4261325.