DATE=4/30/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43282
TITLE=TALEBAN RULE IN AFGHANISTAN
BYLINE= ED WARNER
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AFGHANISTAN IS ONE OF THE MOST REPRESSIVE COUNTRIES IN
THE WORLD TODAY, ACCORDING TO THE ANNUAL REPORT OF FREEDOM HOUSE,
WHICH RATES NATIONS ON THEIR POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL
LIBERTIES. THAT HARSH JUDGMENT WAS ECHOED BY HILLARY CLINTON IN
A RECENT SPEECH CONDEMNING THE TALEBAN WHO NOW RULE MOST OF
AFGHANISTAN. VOA'S ED WARNER REPORTS ON THE GROWING HOSTILITY
TOWARD THE TALEBAN, ALONG WITH SOME COMMENTARY ON THEIR ROLE IN
CONTEMPORARY AFGHANISTAN.
TEXT: IN ITS 1998-99 SURVEY, FREEDOM HOUSE PLACES AFGHANISTAN
AMONG THE THIRTEEN NATIONS THAT ARE THE WORST VIOLATORS OF BASIC
HUMAN RIGHTS. THE REPORT SAYS "THE TALEBAN'S VIOLENT, ARBITRARY
RULE HAS IMPOSED ORDER THROUGH TERROR. ITS DEHUMANIZATION OF
WOMEN AND GIRLS HAS TURNED EDUCATED WOMEN INTO BEGGARS; LEFT
WIDOWS, MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS TO DIE OF ILLNESSES THAT HAVE BEEN
TREATABLE FOR DECADES; AND DENIED A GENERATION OF GIRLS ACCESS TO
BASIC EDUCATION."
HILLARY CLINTON MADE THE SAME CHARGE AT A RECENT MEETING (APRIL
28) OF "PHYSICIANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS" ON CAPITOL HILL:
// CLINTON ACT //
WHEN WOMEN ARE SAVAGELY BEATEN BY SO-CALLED RELIGIOUS
POLICE FOR NOT BEING FULLY COVERED BY THE BURQA (BODY
COVERING) OR FOR MAKING NOISES WHILE THEY WALK, WE KNOW
IT IS NOT JUST A PHYSICAL BEATING THAT IS THE
OBJECTIVE. IT IS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SPIRIT OF THOSE
WOMEN AS WELL.
// END ACT //
WHILE THE TALEBAN CONTROLS ABOUT NINETY PER CENT OF AFGHANISTAN,
ITS FORCES ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO WIN THE REMAINDER. OPPOSITION
CONTINUES IN THE NORTHEAST, HELPED TO SOME DEGREE BY OUTSIDE
POWERS.
IN AN INTERVIEW WITH VOA, THOMAS GOUTTIERRE, DIRECTOR OF THE
CENTER FOR AFGHANISTAN STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA,
SAID THE TALEBAN MAY NEVER ENTIRELY PACIFY THE COUNTRY BECAUSE
THERE ARE SO MANY AREAS WHERE OPPONENTS CAN RETREAT AND REGROUP.
BUT HE CAUTIONS AGAINST ASSUMING THERE IS WIDESPREAD RESISTANCE
TO TALEBAN RULE. IT HAS HAD AN INTIMIDATING IMPACT, HE SAYS. BUT
IT HAS ALSO BROUGHT STABILITY TO AREAS OF CHRONIC INSECURITY AND
WARFARE. FOR THAT HE BELIEVES MANY AFGHANS ARE GRATEFUL, THOUGH
THEY ARE AWARE OF THE HIGH PRICE THEY HAVE PAID FOR IT:
// GOUTTIERRE ACT //
WE DO NOT HEAR MUCH ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE
RURAL AREAS OF AFGHANISTAN, WHERE LIFE IS VERY AGRARIAN
ORIENTED, VERY CONSERVATIVE AND VERY PROVINCIAL IN ITS
CONTENT. WE ARE NOT LIKELY TO SEE ANY MAJOR OPPOSITION
THERE UNLESS THAT OPPOSITION WERE TO COME FROM THE
TRADITIONAL TRIBAL ELITES WHICH PREVIOUSLY HAD BEEN IN
CONTROL IN THIS AREA, AND THEY MAY NOW BE TRYING TO FIND
WAYS IN WHICH THEY CAN REGAIN THEIR INFLUENCE.
// END ACT //
THE TALEBAN, WHO EMERGED FROM RURAL AFGHANISTAN, ALSO ENJOYS THE
SUPPORT OF MANY PASHTUNS, WHO FORM A NEAR MAJORITY OF THE
POPULATION. THE OPPOSITION CONSISTS MAINLY OF THE MINORITY
TAJIKS.
LEILA HELMS, A TALEBAN SUPPORTER IN THE UNITED STATES WHO HAS
WORKED WITH RELIEF AGENCIES IN AFGHANISTAN, SAYS TALEBAN LEADERS
WANT A GOVERNMENT THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WHOLE COUNTRY:
// HELMS ACT //
WHAT THEY DO NOT WANT IN TERMS OF A POLITICAL
SETTLEMENT IS HAVING PEOPLE WHO ARE BACKED BY FOREIGN
CONCERNS INTEGRATED INTO THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH AN
OUTSIDE PROCESS. THEY BELIEVE THAT WHATEVER PROCESS
LEADS TO A SETTLEMENT HAS TO BE INCLUSIVE OF THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE DEFINITELY PART OF THE LIFE AND INFRASTRUCTURE
OF AFGHANISTAN.
// END ACT //
ACCORDING TO THOMAS GOUTTIERRE, CONCERNED OUTSIDE POWERS ARE THE
KEY TO PEACE IN AFGHANISTAN. HE SAYS THEY SHOULD COORDINATE
THEIR EFFORTS WITH THE UNITED NATIONS:
// GOUTTIERRE ACT //
I THINK IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE UNITED STATES, RUSSIA,
PAKISTAN, IRAN, UZBEKISTAN, CHINA AND SAUDI ARABIA, IN
PARTICULAR, TO COME TOGETHER AND LEND SOME CREDENCE AND
ACTUAL POWER TO THE U-N EFFORT. IT DOES NOT EXIST
CURRENTLY BECAUSE IN AND OF ITSELF, THE UNITED NATIONS
IS REALLY NOT ABLE TO PERSUADE EFFECTIVELY IF THE
IMPORTANT PARTICIPATING MEMBERS DO NOT INVEST THEMSELVES
IN SOLVING THAT ISSUE IN A VERY INTENSE WAY.
// END ACT //
MR. GOUTTIERRE SAYS PAKISTAN, IN PARTICULAR, FOLLOWS ITS OWN
COURSE IN SUPPORTING THE TALEBAN AND ALARMING OTHER NATIONS WITH
POSSIBLE EXPANSIONIST AIMS IN AFGHANISTAN. BUT HE SAYS PAKISTAN,
TOO, HAS FOUND ITS INFLEXIBLE ALLY TO BE TROUBLESOME AND PERHAPS
A DANGER TO ITS OWN RATHER FRAGILE STABILITY. THAT SUGGESTS A
MEETING OF MINDS (SOME AGREEMENT) IS POSSIBLE AMONG OUTSIDE
POWERS WHO MIGHT FASHION, FINALLY, A SETTLEMENT FOR WAR-WEARY
AFGHANISTAN. (SIGNED)
NEB/EW/KL
30-Apr-99 1:20 PM EDT (1720 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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