AFGHANISTAN: IRIN Interview with Taliban ambassador
ISLAMABAD, 8 November (IRIN) - Abdul Salam Zaeef is the Taliban Islamic
Movement of Afghanistan's Ambassador to Pakistan. In an interview with
IRIN on Tuesday, he discussed the prospects for peace in Afghanistan and
the effects on the country of UN sanctions, and called for an end to
foreign interference in the country. The Taliban, which rose through the
country's Islamic 'madrassah' schools to become a military force and
claims legitimacy as the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,
now controls some 95 percent of Afghan territory. It is recognised as the
national authority of Afghanistan by just three countries: Pakistan, the
United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
QUESTION: On Friday [3 November], the UN announced a written agreement
between the Taliban movement and the Northern Alliance concerning
UN-mediated peace talks. What are your views on these talks, and how
important are they to your movement?
ANSWER: Firstly, we have always tried to solve all issues and disputes
through understanding and peaceful means. Unfortunately, prior to the
emergence of the Islamic movement of the Taliban, there was a great deal
of infighting and factional fighting within the country. The Taliban
developed out of public demand, which has always endeavoured to bring
peace and security to the country. In the beginning, the Taliban asked the
military commanders of these groups to give up their arms peacefully and
stop the bloodshed. They would say they would negotiate, and then they
themselves would break the pledges given at the negotiation table. The
Taliban Islamic movement emerged in order to put an end to the anarchy and
the chaos. It developed in an effort to disarm these unscrupulous men.
As before, we have extended to the opposition an invitation for peace in
an effort to stop further blood shed in Afghanistan. Previous negotiations
with the opposition did not bring any fruitful results but again we have
shown our readiness to sit with them for talks. These talks, however,
should continue and should be based on the rules of the holy religion of
Islam and the culture of Afghan society. I believe the opposition, having
seen defeat in the recent fighting and considering that defeat, should
come to the table with honesty and sincerity, and should willingly want to
participate in the government. I think if the UN plays a positive role in
the negotiations, the talks could bring a fruitful result.
Q: After so many years of war, why has it taken so long to reach this
point? What has changed?
A: Our movement was established in the beginning in order to ensure peace
and security in the country. That is our goal. If you remember, our
leadership told the Turkmenistan foreign minister [Boris Shikhmuradov],
who was visiting Afghanistan, that we were ready to talk with the
opposition anywhere, anytime. I myself have twice conducted negotiations
with the opposition. We believe, at this point, any issue that can be
solved through peaceful means, should be solved through peaceful means.
But the solution should be within our culture and our religion.
Q: Last week, the UN again refused the Taliban's request for a seat in the
UN, leaving the seat with deposed president Burhanuddin Rabbani for
another year. Why do you think this is this so?
A: As I said, solutions to the issues can be found if the United Nations
plays a positive role. We suspect that the UN, the world body itself,
doesn't want the war in Afghanistan to end. You know, Rabbani has no seat
of government and no administration in the whole country. How can he
enforce the resolutions and decisions of the UN inside Afghanistan? How
can he receive any official delegation from other countries to
Afghanistan? It should be a government based on the people only. This seat
should have been given to the representatives of the people of
Afghanistan, and we consider this decision to be a factor in the
continuation of war in the country.
Regardless of whether the UN gives the Afghan seat to Rabbani - or if the
UN gives him all the seats that are available for that matter - he will
not succeed in gaining control of Afghanistan without the support of the
people. We believe this decision is unjust and unjustified, and we
believe this decision can be a factor to strengthen and encourage the
opposition to continue the war.
Q: On Thursday, you met with the US Ambassador to Pakistan, William Milam.
What did you discuss?
A: We discussed different topics on the current situation in Afghanistan.
We discussed illicit drug-trafficking in Afghanistan and the steps taken
in this regard, as well as the visit of the Americans to Moscow and their
meetings there. We also discussed the recent meeting between Masood and
the Russian defence minister [Igor Sergeyev], and had detailed talks in
this regard. [Ahmad Shah Masood is commander of the Rabbani-allied
Northern Alliance, which is still fighting the Taliban.]
Q: Do you expect talks with the Americans to continue?
A: Yes, we agreed to continue with the talks and that if there were any
issues to be resolved, it should be done so on this basis.
Q: A Taliban official was on Sunday [5 November] quoted as saying that
Afghanistan would not expel Osama bin Laden, even if evidence linked him
to the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Can you
confirm your movement's position on this?
A: We offered three solutions to solve the Osama question. Firstly, if the
Americans produce evidence and proof, they should hand that evidence over
to the Supreme Court of Afghanistan and Osama will be tried by the Court.
Secondly, religious scholars from Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and from a
third or fourth country could come together as a combined group and decide
the solution to the Osama question. They should serve this decision
collectively. The third option would be for the OIC [the Organisation of
the Islamic Conference] to monitor and oversee these activities.
Furthermore, we also said that if there was no evidence and these scholars
did not reach a solution to this question, we would contain and supervise
Osama's activities within Afghanistan, safeguarding his promise that he
would not use the territory of Afghanistan for activities against any
third country.
In addition, if there were a fourth solution that did not violate our
rules, Islamic rules, we would be ready to solve the issue through this
means. Maybe there are some people who do not know the official position
of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, or do not know this issue properly.
That being the case, their assertions and their views are not credible and
have no validity.
Q: The UN Security Council imposed flight and financial sanctions against
the Taliban last November for its refusal to expel Osama bin Laden, among
other reasons. What are your views on the sanctions currently in place
against your movement?
A: Sanctions are not the way solutions are brought about. The sanctions
already imposed on the Islamic government of Afghanistan are actually
imposed on the people of Afghanistan, not the government. It is a false
description that they are imposed on the government of Afghanistan. It is
the common people that are affected, not the official government of
Afghanistan. The sanctions mean that the people of Afghanistan are denied
medicine and items of critical necessity. This is a violation of the
rights of the nation. By imposing the sanctions, the UN is saying to the
people of Afghanistan: 'You are deprived of medical treatment and you are
deprived of food to eat.' Due to the closure of our national airlines
[Ariana], our people have not been able to travel and the transport of
life-saving drugs to alleviate the suffering of our people has been made
impossible.
[Security Council resolution 1267 of 15 October 1999 states that all UN
member states "shall deny permission for any aircraft to take off from or
land in their territory if it is owned, leased or operated by or on behalf
of the Taliban" unless the particular flight has been approved in advance
on the grounds of humanitarian need.]
In fact, the sanctions have not caused any loss to the government of the
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan itself, but have caused great loss and
suffering for the Afghan people. The UN should once again consider its
decision and the impact it is having on the people.
Q: Drought and civil war has seriously affected your country, and WFP now
estimates that up to one million people face starvation? What is the
situation now, and how are you coping?
A: The voice of the people of Afghanistan has reached us regarding the
suffering brought on by the drought. Actually the number of people facing
starvation is not one million, but 10 million people. Almost half of the
people in Afghanistan were living on livestock breeding, they received
their revenue from livestock breeding, but now - due to the drought - they
have lost their livestock and all means of their livelihood. The drought
situation in Afghanistan is not just for the current year, it will
continue. Already, the people who had kept their seeds for cultivation
have used these seeds for foodstuffs.
In addition, there is now a ban [by the Taliban] on poppy cultivation in
Afghanistan. A decree has been issued in this respect. Some alternative or
substitute projects should be found for the farmers, or some measures
should be taken to provide them with some means of livelihood. We have
tried to reach the people of Afghanistan through our press conferences and
through our individual meetings with embassy leaders and relevant
organisations.
Q: What role do you feel the international community has in Afghanistan?
A: The international community can help the people of Afghanistan, and
they have already rendered assistance as such. This includes the USA, the
European countries and Islamic countries. We are thankful for all
assistance rendered by China, the United Arab Emirates, America, France,
Saudi and all other countries. And we hope that this aid and assistance
shall continue in view of the scope and extensive suffering of the Afghan
people.
Q: Your foreign minister in Kabul [Wakil Ahmad Mutawakel] said at a recent
news conference that a safe environment would be provided for aid
organisations working in Afghanistan? Could you elaborate on what measures
are being taken to provide such an environment?
A: There is effective security in Afghanistan. NGOs can travel throughout
the country without any fear or obstacle. There was, of course, the
unfortunate incident in Herat [seven demining workers were killed, and one
injured when their vehicles were ambushed in the vicinity of Sabzak Pass,
Badghis province, near Herat on 5 August], which was carried out by the
opposition in an effort to scare the NGOs from rendering their assistance
to Afghanistan. We believe this was a betrayal on the part of the
opposition against the people of Afghanistan. With regard to a safe
environment, actually it is already in place. I don't know any further
details than this.
Q: Many of Afghanistan's neighbours have expressed the fear that
Afghanistan's internal problems could spill over into their countries,
bringing instability to the region. What do you say with regard to this
fear?
A: There has never been any evidence that we are a threat to the Central
Asian region. We have never claimed - nor do we claim - to be a threat to
our neighboring countries. This is just propaganda launched by Russia in
order to expand its influence in the region - the same Russia which has
martyred two million Afghans, the Russia which has taken 60,000 Afghans
that are still missing, and the Russia which is still providing logistical
assistance and arms that are being used to kill Afghan people today.
Russia wants to spread its influence in the region and to play
neighbouring countries against Afghanistan. For this reason, they have
launched a campaign to scare other countries about Afghanistan.
As I said, we have always said that we want to solve all issues through
dialogue and talks. Some of our neighbors have come to the conclusion that
this is mere propaganda. One of these countries is Uzbekistan, which now
knows this was merely exaggerated Russian propaganda. We have other
neighbours, like Turkmenistan, that have no concerns about Afghanistan
whatsoever. We have Pakistan that has no concern. We have Iran which,
however, supports the opposition. We also have our neighbor China which
has no concern. It is only Tajikistan, where Russian troops are deployed,
that has concern. However, in this regard, Tajikistan is not speaking for
itself as it is dominated by Russia.
If anyone has evidence to the contrary, they should produce it. If they
have no evidence, and we have never claimed to be a threat, than this
allegation should be seen as nothing more than a baseless accusation.
Q: Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have recently held diplomatic talks on a
wide range of issues in an effort to improve relations. What are the main
issues, and do you see a normalisation of relations between your two
countries?
A: We have no problems with Uzbekistan. The problems were actually created
by Russia. In fact, no insurmountable obstacle exists between Afghanistan
and Uzbekistan. We have assured them that we will never be a threat to
Uzbekistan. We want to have commercial trade with Uzbekistan. We have had
different meetings with their envoys and these talks will continue. With
the progress made, we hope there will be fruitful results in the future.
Q: There have been many accusations in the press that the Taliban is not
doing enough to stop the drug trade in Afghanistan. What measures are you
taking to halt it?
A: The supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan [Mullah
Mohamed Omar] has issued a decree to ban poppy cultivation in Afghanistan
completely. We have also called on people living in areas under the
control of the opposition to stop cultivating poppy on their lands. If the
Islamic Emirate [Taliban] forces capture those areas, they will destroy
the poppy cultivation there promptly.
We recently destroyed 25 heroin processing plants in Chattu, near the
border with Pakistan. This was a great step taken by the Emirate.
Unfortunately, however, the UNDCP [the UN Drug Control Programme, recently
renamed the UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP)], has
not even issued a report in this regard. They ought to send a letter to
embassies informing them of the destruction of the heroin-processing
plants, given that their own representative was there to witness it. We
will continue our war - without any conditions - against poppy cultivation
and illicit drug-trafficking in Afghanistan, even if we receive no
international assistance.
The UNDCP previously claimed that Afghanistan was the center of
drug-trafficking and demanded that the Afghan authorities do something
about it. When the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan issued it decree banning
poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, they held a meeting in the region and
announced that they would form a belt around Afghanistan. We believe that
they have done nothing to cooperate in banning poppy cultivation in
Afghanistan. We believe this organisation, the UNDCP, is not sincere in
putting an end to poppy cultivation. If there is no poppy cultivation or
narcotics, there would be no need for the UNDCP to exist. In other words,
in order to continue their existence and to receive further donations from
other countries, they exaggerate the situation. They do not sincerely want
to put an end to poppy cultivation, and their desire to survive is at the
expense of others.
Q: There is a great deal of pessimism in the world regarding Afghanistan.
Do you see an end to Afghanistan's problems? And what are the prospects
for peace in your country today?
A: The problems of Afghanistan would be immediately solved, even within a
time-frame of two months, if foreign interference was stopped immediately.
The UN supports a few gunmen to continue the war; Russia, the USA and Iran
- they give logistical aid to these armed men. We believe if there was no
interference, no foreign interference in Afghanistan, these problems would
be solved.
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