DATE=3/29/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=AFGHAN / U-N WITHDRAWAL (L)
NUMBER=2-260716
BYLINE=SCOTT ANGER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations says it has withdrawn its
international staff from southern Afghanistan, in
protest against raids by armed Taleban soldiers on U-N
offices in Kandahar. As V-O-A's Scott Anger reports,
the international body says the action taken by the
Taleban violates its written agreements with the hard-
line Islamic movement, which controls about 90 percent
of Afghanistan.
TEXT: The United Nations says armed Taleban soldiers
forced their way into U-N offices in Kandahar, on two
separate occasions, while looking for two men who
escaped from a Taleban jail last week.
U-N spokesperson Stephanie Bunker says the first raid
by the soldiers occurred Sunday. Shortly afterward,
the Taleban foreign ministry apologized for the
action. But another raid by armed Taleban soldiers a
day later damaged property and intimidated the U-N
staff. Ms. Bunker says, as a result, the decision was
made to suspend operations.
///BUNKER ACTUALITY///
We have taken out the international staff. We have
asked the national staff to stay at home. We have
cancelled missions in the area and we have -
temporarily - suspended all U-N activities in southern
Afghanistan.
///END ACTUALITY///
Programs involving agriculture, health, housing and
education have been suspended.
The raids on U-N offices occurred as the Taleban
continue to search for Ismail Khan -- a former
governor and top opposition commander, who escaped
with a son of another opposition commander from jail
in Kandahar, Sunday. The pair has been reported to
have reached Iran.
Stephanie Bunker says the Taleban raids have violated
United Nations security agreements.
///BUNKER ACTUALITY///
We work in Afghanistan under a signed agreement, with
the Islamic Emirate, which guarantees security and it
specifies what can - and cannot - happen. So, these
actions violate the principle of United Nations
immunity and violate our agreements we have signed
with the Taleban.
///END ACTUALITY///
Taleban authorities have refused to comment on the
raids by their soldiers.
The United Nations returned its international staff to
Afghanistan in March last year -- seven months after a
U-N worker was shot dead in Kabul. The killing
followed a missile strike by the United States on
suspected terrorist training camps run by Saudi
dissident Osama bin Laden in southern Afghanistan.
Last November, U-N offices throughout Afghanistan were
attacked in protest against U-N sanctions imposed on
the Taleban for failing to hand over Mr. bin Laden,
who is wanted by the United States for his role in the
bombing of two U-S embassies in Africa in 1998.
The United Nations says it will try to get security
guarantees from the Taleban before allowing its
international operation to resume to the war-ravaged
country. (SIGNED)
NEB/SA/wd
29-Mar-2000 05:21 AM EDT (29-Mar-2000 1021 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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