United Nations concludes sanctions study in Afghanistan

The population of Afghanistan is highly vulnerable and has little capacity to cope with any further economic shocks. This was stated in a report on vulnerability and the humanitarian impact of United Nations Security Council sanctions against Afghanistan, which was commissioned and released today by the Office of the United Nations Co-ordinator for Afghanistan. The report is the result of a two-month field investigation that involved research and interviews with a variety of Afghans.
Last fall, the United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions against the country in an attempt to persuade the Taliban to hand over Osama bin Ladin. The new report points out that these sanctions came on top of a devastating drought and large-scale population displacement. In addition, the coping capacity of the civilian population has been severely weakened as a result of the war and the erosion of many traditional coping mechanisms. The majority of the population struggles to survive at near subsistence levels and many cannot meet their food and non-food needs. Almost all households without an able-bodied male are vulnerable and rely on food aid, children's work, and begging to survive. The recent Taliban edict that restricts women's employment outside the home is expected to worsen this situation.

The existing sanctions have had both a direct and an indirect impact on the population, says the report, with the most significant direct impact on Ariana airlines, the Afghan national carrier. The loss of the air route has meant that sales of fresh fruit are restricted to the low-price domestic market. Ariana's reduced income, and resulting loss in profitability, may also have an impact on the safety of its domestic operations.

Moreover, the sanctions have magnified the extent to which ordinary Afghans feel isolated and victimized. There is a widespread perception, and resultant bitterness, that the United Nations Security Council has set out to harm an innocent population and not the authorities with which it has a quarrel. Immediately after the imposition of the first round of Security Council sanctions, thousands of Afghans demonstrated against the UN in all major Afghan cities. Some agencies, including the UN, evacuated their expatriate staff from specific locations.

While there is almost no support within Afghanistan for further economic sanctions, an overwhelming majority of those interviewed indicated that an arms embargo would command widespread support and moral authority. As noted by many, UN restrictions on the transfer of weapons would avoid the humanitarian contradictions that are associated with economic measures. Moreover, there is strong consensus among Afghans on the need for the United Nations to upgrade and intensify its political engagement and peace-making efforts to end the war.