10 October 2001
Text: Rocca Blames Taliban for Humanitarian Disaster in Afghanistan
(Says U.S. considering future development needs of Afghanistan) (1310)
Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian affairs Christina Rocca
says the Taliban regime is responsible the humanitarian disaster in
Afghanistan.
"The Taliban have done nothing to alleviate the suffering of the
Afghan people, Rather, they have done much to intensify the anguish of
Afghans by pursuing policies that victimize their own people, and that
target women and girls and ethnic minorities. The Taliban have shown
no desire to provide even the most rudimentary health, education, and
other social services expected of any government," Rocca said in
testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee
on Near east and South Asian Affairs October 10.
Saying that as many as seven million Afghans will be at risk of famine
and the number of Afghan refugees will rise, Rocca said, "The blame
for this lies squarely on the Taliban."
While attacking the Taliban and the al-Qaida terrorist network in
Afghanistan, Rocca said the United States has no quarrel with the
Afghan people.
"The United States has been the largest provider of humanitarian
assistance to Afghans," Rocca said.
Rocca said that other countries are also pledging to do their share.
"The UN has estimated that $584 million will be required to meet
humanitarian needs over the next six months," she said. "This past
weekend in Geneva, the United States and major donor countries pledged
more than $600 million in response to the humanitarian crisis."
Rocca said the Bush administration has begun discussions for the
future reconstruction and development of Afghanistsn.
"We are beginning discussions with other potential donors,
international financial institutions, and the U.N. to examine what the
reconstruction needs will be for a future Afghanistan. We hope the
internal situation in Afghanistan will stabilize so we can move
forward on such a program," Rocca said.
Following is the text of Rocca's October 10 testimony:
(begin text)
Christina Rocca, Assistant Secretary for South Asian Affairs Testimony
before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee on Near
East and South Asian Affairs
October 10, 2001
Mr. Chairman, distinguished Members of the Subcommitte, it is my
privilege to appear before you with Mr. Natsios and Mr. Kreczko to
discuss the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Andrew and Alan will
speak to you on the details of the evolving crisis and the U.S.
response. I will be brief, and restrict my remarks to providing an
overall political perspective. I will describe for you the context in
which this crisis has fermented and grown.
It is important to bear in mind that the humanitarian crisis in the
region did not begin on September 11. Its causes lie in the tragic
history of Afghanistan over the last two decades. Twenty-two years of
conflict have steadily devastated the country, destroyed its physical
and political infrastructure, shattered its institutions, and wrecked
its socio-economic fabric. The crisis has been exacerbated by a severe
and prolonged drought, now in its fourth year. Average life expectancy
in Afghanistan has been reduced to 46 years; according to the World
Health Organization, the infant mortality rate at birth is 152 per
1,000 births; the mortality rate for children under 5 is 257 per
1,000.
The Taliban have done nothing to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan
people. Rather, they have done much to intensify the anguish of
Afghans by pursuing policies that victimize their own people, and that
target women and girls and ethnic minorities. The Taliban have shown
no desire to provide even the most rudimentary health, education, and
other social services expected of any government. Instead, they have
chosen to devote their resources to waging war on the Afghan people,
and exporting instability to their neighbors. Instead, they have
welcomed terrorists, provided them with safe haven and allowed
Afghanistan to become the hub of international terrorism.
In contrast, the United States has been the largest provider of
humanitarian assistance to Afghans. As the President has said, our
quarrel is not with the Afghan people. Quite the opposite. President
Bush announced last week a package of $320 million in humanitarian
assistance for Afghans. This brings our food and nonfood assistance to
about $680 million since 1999. As the United States began military
action this weekend against terrorist and Taliban defense sites in
Afghanistan, the military air dropped tens of thousand of humanitarian
assistance packages for the Afghan victims of this humanitarian
crisis. Mr. Chairman, the United States has played its role in helping
ease the suffering of the Afghan people.
Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the U.N. predicted that
the situation will deteriorate even further. The U.N. anticipates 5-7
million people will be at risk of famine, and that there will be
further large scale displacements of Afghans. Once again, we need to
be clear. The blame for this lies squarely on the Taliban. Their
failure to comply with the international community's demands -- to
hand over Usama bin Laden and his lieutenants, to close down the
terrorist training camps, and to release the foreign aid workers --
has resulted in further suffering for the Afghan people. They have
continually obstructed the delivery of humanitarian assistance by U.N.
and other international agencies. The Taliban and the foreign
terrorists they harbor bear responsibility for the political decay,
economic devastation, and international isolation of what was once a
proud, tolerant, and fiercely independent land.
Immediate US humanitarian efforts have been directed at getting as
much humanitarian assistance as possible into Afghanistan before the
onset of winter. AID Director Natsios will elaborate on our efforts
and those of the World Food Program to feed the Afghan people. We are
also preparing for the possible flow of refugees into neighboring
countries. Acting Assistant Secretary Kreczko will elaborate on the
refugee situation. There are already over 3 million Afghan refugees in
Pakistan and Iran. The U.N. estimates there will be hundreds of
thousands more as a result of the current tensions. Most of these
refugees are expected to come to Pakistan. We also expect smaller
movement to Iran and other Central Asian countries bordering
Afghanistan. To minimize displacement of people we will provide
assistance inside Afghanistan to the extent possible. However, we are
also urging all neighboring countries to allow entry to fleeing
refugees.
Let me note that Pakistan has been a generous country of first asylum
for millions of Afghans since 1979. We acknowledge that Pakistan has
borne a heavy social and economic cost for its generosity. It has
legitimate political and security concerns as a result of large scale
refugee inflows. Yet, Pakistan has given its unconditional cooperation
to the international community in combating terrorism. We will work
with Pakistan and U.N. agencies to help Pakistan shoulder the economic
and social costs of the current crisis. We have already lifted many of
the sanctions, and are now assembling a package of economic assistance
for Pakistan. Iran, too, has also been traditional host to many Afghan
refugees. We will work through UN agencies and others to make sure
that resources are available for Afghans in Iran.
President Bush has taken the lead in responding to the Afghan
humanitarian crisis, but other countries are also pledging to do their
share. The UN has estimated that $584 million will be required to meet
humanitarian needs over the next six months. This past weekend in
Geneva, the United States and major donor countries pledged more than
$600 million in response to the humanitarian crises.
Finally, let me refer to President Bush's radio address this weekend.
He raised the prospects of a future reconstruction and development
package for Afghanistan. We are beginning discussions with other
potential donors, international financial institutions, and the U.N.
to examine what the reconstruction needs will be for a future
Afghanistan. We hope the internal situation in Afghanistan will
stabilize so we can move forward on such a program. Thank you.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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