Afghanistan

It gives me great pleasure to convey on behalf of the Islamic State of Afghanistan our warm felicitations to Mr. Amara Essy on his unanimous election to the high office of President of the forty-ninth session of the General Assembly. The Afghan delegation assures him of its full cooperation during his term of office. 23 I cannot fail to express the gratitude of the Afghan delegation for the effective leadership shown by Ambassador Samuel Insanally, the President of the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session, in guiding the proceedings of that session. His Excellency Professor Burhannudin Rabbani, President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan, has instructed me to convey to the Assembly a message he has addressed to it. I am privileged to read out that message now: "Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government participating in the forty-ninth session of the General Assembly, "His Excellency the Secretary-General, "His Excellency the President of the General Assembly, "I convey my best wishes for the prosperity, welfare and progress of your nations, and wish the United Nations and the current General Assembly session ever more success in furthering the cause of peace and social justice. "I had desired to personally attend the current General Assembly session and avail myself of the opportunity to meet and extend to you, and through you to your Governments and peoples, the message of the Islamic State and the Afghan nation. However, important State engagements, particularly some ongoing developments concerning the consolidation of the political process in my country, prevented me from doing so. Therefore, I have asked the Chairman of the Afghan delegation to convey this brief message to the General Assembly. "This message raises the cry of a nation which, with its unprecedented sacrifices, has played its historic role for the cause of world peace and stability and for the collapse of the hegemonistic and expansionist system of the former Soviet Union, as well as for the defence of freedom, social justice and democratic values. A nation which suffered more than 1.5 million sacrifices and immeasurable destruction in all spheres of its life has contributed to the ending of the cold war and to a considerable diminution of the threat of nuclear confrontation. It was the ending of global polarization that enabled East and West to attain positive understandings that produced assurances and trust leading to the establishment of extensive cooperation and the recognition of democracy as an accepted value and concept, irrespective of any bloc interest. "We are mindful of the fact that our friends are equally grieved as a result of the prevailing sufferings imposed upon our innocent nation. We appreciate their readiness to endeavour to find an end to those destructive events. "I would like to make it known that as far as the Islamic State is concerned, we have proved our sincerity and our dedication to a peaceful settlement of the present problems. To allow the political process to consolidate, I have announced my readiness to transfer power to a responsible and legitimate authority. I have even declared that I would not be a candidate during the transitional period. "It is the warmonger elements who have taken advantage of our flexibility and conciliatory gestures, including our unilateral cease-fire declarations, to strengthen their political and military positions and please their outside supporters with moves towards the realization of their heinous designs. These are elements whose merciless rocket attacks on innocent civilian targets and the continued violation of international humanitarian law are matters of everyday life. "The Afghan nation is astonished to continue to see a lack of adequate enthusiasm on the part of the world community to act effectively towards the realization of the following legitimate aspirations: "First, an extensive collective endeavour to provide realistic and effective assistance to accelerate the ongoing political process inside the country; "Secondly, an immediate start of practical assistance for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of war-torn Afghanistan, as well as mine clearance, to facilitate and speed up the repatriation of Afghan refugees; "Thirdly, effective international measures to stop foreign interference, particularly in the form of the supply of weapons and ammunition to those who continue to cause immeasurable loss of life and destruction of property. 24 "Finding a solution to the existing problems of Afghanistan necessitates the taking of realistic and courageous action by the world community, the United Nations and, in particular, the United Nations Security Council. "We are confident that clear and decisive action in continuation of the support extended to us during our 14 years of struggle would enable the Afghan nation once again to live in peace, equality and brotherhood, free from any form of racial, ethnic, linguistic and religious prejudice. It is in such an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity that Afghanistan could play its positive and effective role in the consolidation of regional peace and stability as a positive element, defending democracy and social justice. "As history recounts, a disturbed Afghanistan has always been a source of regional instability, just as its stability has had a positive impact on the tranquillity of the region. "It is expected that those concerned with peace in Afghanistan, especially our fraternal neighbouring countries, will be supportive of the ongoing political process in our homeland. "The tenets of Islam guide us towards honesty, justice and mutual respect among members of the human community, irrespective of any form of prejudice. Islam calls upon all Islamic nations to serve the cause of the peace and security of mankind. "The United Nations, as a source of hope for many suffering nations around the world, can play a decisive role in the return of peace to our shattered and war-stricken country. "We are appreciative of the personal efforts of His Excellency the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the special mission under the leadership of His Excellency Mahmoud Mestiri. We also value the efforts of His Excellency Mr. Hamid Algabid, Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, for his continuous search to put an end to the conflict in Afghanistan. We wish them every success in coordinating their efforts with our national endeavours based upon realistic approaches. "Let us hope that our future generations will recall the efforts of our friends and those interested in a stable and peaceful Afghanistan as the continuation of our just struggle for the cause of peace. "Wishing the current session of the General Assembly every success, "Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani, "President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan." Let me begin my own statement by referring to the miseries being inflicted upon our people and country and by letting members of the Assembly know about some recent political developments in Afghanistan. Since the last session of the General Assembly three main political developments have taken place in our national efforts aimed at further consolidation of the political process and in the international action in favour of peace and stability in Afghanistan: First, the completion of the first two rounds and the beginning of a third round of peace efforts by the United Nations special mission to Afghanistan; Secondly, consideration of the situation in our country by the Security Council; Thirdly, major developments in the political process, highlighted by the convening in August 1994 of a Supreme Islamic Council in Herat and by its significant resolutions. Following the first round of its visit to Afghanistan the special mission submitted its report (A/49/208) to the Secretary-General. Before making some comments on that report, I wish first to express the gratitude of the Islamic State of Afghanistan to the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, for his personal concern and the attention he continues to pay to Afghanistan. We assure him of our continued cooperation and support. I should also like to reaffirm the commitment of the Islamic State to support the special mission and to cooperate with it to enable it to discharge its mandate successfully. Here, I should like to draw the attention of the Assembly to some elements in the report that are of particularly importance. Paragraph 13 states that the mission found most of the country - at least two thirds of it - to be at peace. I would also draw attention to the 25 realistic conclusion of the mission in paragraph 31, which states, inter alia, that the "mission believes that reconstruction assistance should not be seen as separate from but integral to a lasting political solution." (A/49/208, para. 31) Emphasizing the interrelationship between political and economic activities to promote peace, the report says: "Political and economic activity are interrelated and interconnected forces, which must be linked in Afghanistan in ways which encourage peace." (Ibid.) We appreciate this positive assessment of the mission. In the light of the above conclusions of the United Nations mission as well as its recommendations, and based upon the critical need of the Afghan people for outside assistance, we believe the notion of peace first and reconstruction assistance second is no longer justifiable or plausible. The beginning of reconstruction assistance in those parts of the country where peace prevails will certainly encourage and persuade those who are illegally carrying arms to abandon their weapons for shovels and begin rebuilding their agriculture and farms. Since the beginning of the abortive coup of 1 January in Kabul, the United Nations Security Council has considered the situation in Afghanistan on three separate occasions. This consideration, which was in conformity with the Afghan nation’s expectations of the Security Council, was timely and appropriate. In its Presidential Statement dated 23 March 1994, "The Council stress[ed] the importance that it attaches to full compliance with international humanitarian law in all its aspects and recall[ed] that those who violate international humanitarian law bear individual responsibility." (S/PRST/1994/12) That Statement was just, positive and realistic. Recently, another Security Council Presidential Statement, dated 11 August 1994, was issued in reference to certain developments including the progress report of the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan and the recommendations therein. This Presidential Statement too contains some positive, important and realistic elements, in particular the fourth paragraph, wherein "The Council calls on all States to take the necessary steps to promote peace in Afghanistan, to stop the flow of weapons to the parties, and to put an end to this destructive conflict." (S/PRST/1994/43) The Statement also urges the international community to assist Afghans in rebuilding their shattered country. The Islamic State of Afghanistan expressed its appreciation to the Council for addressing an important aspect which is the core of the problem. However, we note with astonishment the reluctance on the part of the Council to condemn the aggressors, who continue to inflict inhuman atrocities on innocent civilian populations and continue to violate international humanitarian law. The Islamic State of Afghanistan once again states that the present crisis in the country is not a civil war but rather an imposed armed conflict fueled from abroad. The Security Council’s good intentions for Afghanistan can be realized only if the Council addresses the actual cause of the fighting. It should not limit itself to the mere issuance of statements, but should consider taking some specific enforcement measures. In this connection, it would be appropriate to refer to resolution 48/75 H, adopted at the forty-eighth session of the General Assembly on 16 December 1993, on measures to curb the illicit transfer and use of conventional weapons. The Assembly, considering the availability of massive quantities of conventional weapons as a contributing factor to armed conflicts around the world and recognizing the excessive quantity of conventional weapons in a number of countries as a source of destabilization of their national and regional security, invited Member States to take appropriate enforcement measures directed at ending the illegal export of these weapons from their territories. The continued illegal flow of conventional weapons to Afghanistan represents a violation of the provisions of resolution 48/75 H by some of our neighbouring countries. We hope that the report of the Secretary- General to the General Assembly at the current session, requested by that resolution, will suggest effective ways and means of stopping the illegal flow of these weapons and of collecting weapons illegally distributed in the country. 26 Now I should like to turn to the recent major political development which is a source of hope for bringing an end to the crisis in our country: At the beginning, it would not be inappropriate to draw the attention of this Assembly to the fact that the current situation in Afghanistan is a legacy of 14 years of protracted war stemming from the invasion unleashed by the former Soviet Union, as well as of a series of interferences in our internal affairs over the last two years. To eliminate the manifestations and effects of such a protracted war, which aimed at erasing all spiritual, historical and cultural values of Afghan society, is not feasible in a short period of time. Early last month on the initiative of the south and west zone of the country and its leader and general commander, General Mohammad Ismail Khan, a Supreme Islamic Council convened in the ancient city of Herat, with the participation of more than 700 delegates representing different strata of Afghan society, including governors and the main commanders of various provinces, religious scholars, tribal leaders, technocrats, intellectuals and other scholars, as well as 150 representatives of Afghans living abroad. That important gathering was also attended by the representative of the Office of the Secretary-General on Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as by a number of representatives of friendly countries. At the end, the Supreme Islamic Council adopted an eleven-point resolution. Due to the important contribution the realization of the objectives of the said resolution would have in the consolidation of peace and the political process in the country, I should like to take the liberty of shedding light on some of its most important points. Given the fact that on the basis of Islamic law and internationally accepted principles, the will of a nation is the source of national sovereignty, the Supreme Islamic Council decided: - To convene a traditional Grand National Assembly - Loya Jirgah - by the end of October 1994, in the capital, Kabul, in order to determine the future political leadership of the country; adopt and ratify the future constitution; and settle other important national issues yet pending; - To reject and condemn any Government created against the will of the nation and under the patronage of outsiders; - Strongly to condemn foreign interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, calling upon the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the United Nations to act resolutely to put an end to that interference on the basis of the provisions of their Charters; - To reaffirm the fact that Afghanistan is a distinct and indivisible political entity. The participating members of the Supreme Islamic Council in Herat committed themselves to standing firm against any rejection of this national accord. The full text of the Herat resolutions can be found in the official document of the Security Council (S/1994/943). It is gratifying to note that based upon those resolutions, a preparatory commission for the Grand Assembly convened on 30 August in Kabul and at its first meeting unanimously elected Mawlawi Mohammad Nabi Muhammadi, the leader of the Herakat-Inqalabi Islami party, as its Chairman. Given the fact that the resolutions adopted in Herat marked a major new stage in the political evolution of our country, with the emphasis on the broad participation of Afghans, in that national gathering, and taking into consideration the effective role that the special mission of the United Nations could play in the acceleration of the peace process, it would be relevant to say a few words about the need to coordinate and merge these two series of efforts into components of a unified political process. Guided by its mandate, the United Nations Special Mission should try to find common ground with a view to ensuring a compromise approach that would lead to national rapprochement among Afghans. We are fully confident that Ambassador Mestiri will keep this in mind as the core of his mandate. If the Afghans, in keeping with their traditional way of solving problems, come together in a national gathering and adopt resolutions aimed at preserving the national sovereignty and territorial integrity and at realizing the right of the people to decide their own political future without foreign interference and involvement, the United Nations will be left as a neutral party with a complementary role. As an additional measure, the United Nations Special Mission could support an initiative that would avoid any loopholes and would ensure fairness and impartiality in the proceedings. Otherwise, attempts to create a parallel initiative will only produce further complication and aggravation of the situation and, consequently, 27 disappointment for our nation in the peacemaking efforts of the United Nations. I should like to make it clear that at no stage in its existence has Afghanistan constituted a source of threat to its neighbours. Nor has it allowed any third country to use it for the advancement of that country’s political differences with Afghanistan’s neighbours. We shall continue to act in this manner. Today, we yearn for peace more than for anything else, for only in an atmosphere of peace can we strive for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of our war-shattered country and heal the wounds and relieve the pain and suffering resulting from 14 years of war. We sincerely and seriously expect our neighbours to be supportive of our national efforts to these ends. In principle, the legitimate interests of States should be recognized and respected by their neighbours. However, if the expectation of a State, under the pretext of preserving its interests, violates the supreme interest of another State - namely, its national sovereignty and territorial integrity and the principle that the will of a nation should govern its destiny - this expectation becomes illegitimate. Not too long ago the world witnessed the former Soviet Union, as it pursued its activities in Afghanistan, crossing the boundary of legitimate interest. As a result, the Afghan nation, without regard for the disparity between the military means of the two sides, stood against one of the world’s mightiest military machines. After 10 years of imposed war and direct confrontation with the Red Army, the Afghan nation, with the help of the Almighty and the sacrifice of more than 1.5 million martyrs, proved once again that it would never allow foreign interference or accept dictates - in particular, that it would not permit outsiders to impose their will on Afghans. There is no longer a foreign army of occupation in Afghanistan, but the legacy of such a presence is still killing our people. Land-mines constitute the most toxic pollution facing mankind. Referred to as the hidden killers, these do not discriminate between adults and children. If there are 100 million of these deadly devices in 60 war- stricken countries throughout the world, at least one fifth of them are in Afghanistan. This cruel threat is a dreadful impediment to the return of the refugees. We need a great deal of help from the international community if we are to promote and finance land-mine awareness and clearance programmes. We appreciate highly President Clinton’s very important proposal, voiced here, concerning the need for international action to clear mines in the war-stricken countries of the world. No international effort in the war against poverty and in support of sustained growth and development will be effective if account if not taken of the continuing deterioration in the socio-economic situation of the least developed countries, identified as such by the United Nations system. Among these countries are those that experience frequent natural disasters and those ravaged by war. Specific action to deal with the particular needs and problems of land-locked developing countries - I refer in particular to assistance for the land-locked States of central Asia - is an important matter that requires discussion during this session of the General Assembly. Afghanistan, which is itself land-locked, is the country of transit for many central Asian States. Roads and highways in Afghanistan are damaged as a result of the long years of foreign armed aggression. For this reason we shall propose that the United Nations system assist our region by carrying out a corridor study - a study of the transit roads in Afghanistan, which is situated in the heart of Asia. Transit and transport agreements between the land- locked States members of the Economic Cooperation Organization, including Afghanistan, and Iran and Pakistan need to be concluded or updated to take account of the new circumstances and the legal and technical advice of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The Islamic State of Afghanistan stands firm in support of human rights throughout the world but particularly in Afghanistan. Much to our regret, armed conflict between various groups has resulted in violations of human rights - especially of the right to life, which is humanity’s most fundamental right. To prevent such occurrences and to ensure security, the State is determined to collect the arms currently in the possession of certain groups. There has already been noticeable progress in this area. Most of the armed groups realize the need to end conflicts and to relinquish heavy armaments. The completion of this task can be ensured through strengthening of the national armed forces and the national police force. Significant steps will be taken towards this goal. As for civil, political, economic and cultural rights, the Islamic State of Afghanistan, in observance of Islamic 28 teaching and international responsibilities, acknowledges its duty to eliminate all discrimination and intolerance, whether religious, linguistic or based on gender. Afghanistan recognizes its Islamic responsibility to ensure the family, legal, cultural, social, political and economic rights of women. Apart from obligations of principle and morality, a country that lost 15 per cent of its population during the war cannot be completely successful in the enormous task of reconstruction without the active participation of its female population. Therefore, it is imperative that proper measures be taken to secure extensive participation by Afghan women in the process of rebuilding the nation’s economy, culture and society. In the midst of these conflicts, it is the children who suffer most. In Afghanistan alone there are almost 1 million war orphans. The situation of this precious and most vulnerable category of the population deserves particular attention. To this end, the Islamic State of Afghanistan will submit a proposal for consideration by the Assembly at its current session to establish an international fund within the framework of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to assist the rehabilitation of orphans of armed conflicts. It would be worth considering a declaration of 1996 as the international year of orphans. We welcome the appointment of Graça Machel by the Secretary-General as an expert to carry out the mandate of the General Assembly to conduct a study of the consequences of armed conflicts on children. The Islamic State of Afghanistan, inspired by Islamic instructions, has no hesitation in taking a firm stand against terrorism in any shape or form. As we battle violence in our own land, we continue to add our voice to that of the international community in condemning terrorism the world over. At its last session the General Assembly discussed in some detail the plight of disabled people. However, the practical achievements do not seem to be adequate. From this rostrum I remind the world community again of the state of the nearly 2 million disabled persons in Afghanistan, victims of a war of aggression. We will submit proposals for securing international assistance for the world’s disabled population in order to alleviate their social, economic and psychological problems. One issue worth mentioning, with both regional and international implications, is that of narcotic drugs. The illicit cultivation, production, stocking, smuggling and trafficking of narcotic drugs are undeniably critical problems facing humanity today. Regrettably, one of the legacies of the long war in Afghanistan is the transformation of some parts of our country into staging areas for illicit drug activities. This phenomenon, which is partly the result of the unavailability of alternative productive economic activities, is a source of great concern to us. Afghanistan, despite its scarce resources, has taken serious measures in the struggle against illicit drugs. We will spare no effort to combat these illegal activities. However, we must not overlook the reality that Afghanistan, with its extremely limited means and massive economic and financial needs, is not in a position effectively to accomplish this task alone. Afghanistan needs urgent support from the international community to intensify the struggle against drug cultivation and trafficking. The ongoing internal conflict in Tajikistan, a fraternal neighbour of Afghanistan, is a matter of continued concern to us. We hope that the brotherly Tajik people, who are opening a new chapter in their history after the collapse of the former Soviet Union and their emergence as a new and independent nation, will soon succeed in overcoming their difficulties. One dimension of this internal conflict is the periodic disturbances occurring on the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. As a result of the conflict inside Tajikistan, more than 100,000 Tajik refugees have taken refuge inside Afghanistan. The Islamic State of Afghanistan, on the basis of deep feelings of Islamic brotherhood, humanitarian considerations and traditional Afghan hospitality, provided shelter to those refugees. The influx of the Tajik refugees to Afghanistan is due to the political circumstances in their own country. Therefore, only a political solution to the problems with which they are faced, with the Government of Tajikistan, will guarantee their voluntary repatriation to their homeland. The dispatch of armed forces of the Russian Federation to Tajikistan, especially on the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, would in our view further aggravate the problem rather than contribute to its solution. The Islamic State of Afghanistan has committed itself to supporting the peaceful initiative of the Secretary- General and his Special Envoy to Tajikistan, Ambassador Piriz-Ballon. As far as possible we have encouraged the 29 Tajik refugee leaders, in a spirit of conciliation, to help United Nations efforts to succeed by agreeing to a negotiated settlement. A chief factor in resolving the problem will be the Tajik Government’s heeding the just and legitimate demands of the Tajik opposition leaders. Afghanistan, in pursuit of its previous commitments, is desirous that its border with Tajikistan should be a border of peace, understanding and friendship. Once again we would like to declare that periodic clashes on the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan are a manifestation of the internal conflict in Tajikistan, and not a single member of the Afghan armed forces is, or will be, involved in any border clashes. As everyone knows, in Bosnia and Herzegovina the odious and barbaric "ethnic cleansing" practised by the Serbs of Bosnia re-emerged a few weeks ago in Banja Luka, Bijeljina and other areas. The Security Council has just demanded - in resolution 941 (1994) of 23 September - that the Bosnian Serb authorities immediately cease their campaign of "ethnic cleansing". This demand of the Security Council is bound to be disregarded and denied by the Bosnian Serb criminals. It is therefore imperative that the Security Council should decide to mandate a United Nations presence and coercive measures for the protection of the Bosnian communities threatened by further "ethnic cleansing". Otherwise, the United Nations and the five- Power Contact Group will lose all credibility. Another dangerous area calls for the immediate attention of the Organization if we want to save the whole region from catastrophe. The grave situation in Kosovo, aggravated by the daily massive repression committed by the Serbian authorities against 2 million ethnic Albanians, and referred to as a time-bomb, remains explosive. We also remind the Assembly of human rights violations in Sandjak. It is our view that a special United Nations mission should assess war damage resulting from the acts of armed aggression committed by the Bosnian Serbs. The aggressors must know that they will have to pay war reparations to those who are their victims. This will remind aggressors always to think twice before firing and destroying. On the basis of its common historical ties with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially common religious ties with its Muslim population, the Islamic State of Afghanistan is deeply concerned at the exacerbation of the situation in that territory. The sufferings of the Muslim people of Kashmir add to our grief. We continue to believe that the question of Kashmir, which has always been one of the prime concerns of the Muslim Umma, can find a lasting solution through peaceful means in an atmosphere of trust, understanding and good- neighbourliness between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of India, a solution on the basis of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and internationally accepted principles on the settlement of disputes. During these crucial moments of the history of the Palestinian people, we reiterate the responsibility of the international community to support the inalienable national rights of the Palestinians, including their right to return to their homeland, and the right to self-determination, encompassing the right to their own independent State on their national soil, with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital. The peace process has to be aimed at the full implementation of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) guaranteeing the full withdrawal of occupying forces from all the occupied Palestinian territories. The Afghan nation, like other Islamic nations, considers the occupation of the site of one of the most sacred shrines of Islam, in Al-Quds, by authorities lacking awareness of its sacred Islamic character, as contempt for the most basic spiritual rights of the Islamic community all over the world. In conclusion, I wish to draw the attention of this world gathering to the fact that, as a result of heavy rocket attacks on Kabul by the opposition, as well as their blocking of the roads to Kabul, the capital has been without running water, electricity or heating for most of the time since last January. Also, a shortage of food supplies seems to be threatening the city’s most vulnerable inhabitants who are suffering. It has been predicted that the coming winter will be a harsh one. As the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) fears, a large-scale human disaster may be impossible to avert. We request the donor community to respond positively and urgently to the United Nations appeal for winter emergency assistance to the city of Kabul.