Military

DATE=10/25/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-282249

TITLE=U-N AFGHANISTAN / L-ONLY

BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE

DATELINE=ISLAMABAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: United Nations officials say they are concerned about the possibility of civilians being killed in large numbers, as territory changes hands between warring factions in Afghanistan. V-O-As Jim Teeple has more from our Islamabad bureau.

TEXT: Earlier this year, the New York-based Human Rights Watch said

Taleban fighters massacred more than 300 civilians who belonged to the

ethnic Hazara, Shiite Muslim group, in Afghanistans central Yakaolang

district.

Citing eyewitnesses, Human Rights Watch officials say the victims were

assembled at several locations in Yakaolang and shot by firing squads --

to discourage the local population from supporting the anti-Taleban

Northern Alliance.

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan called the reports of civilian massacres by Taleban troops in Yakaolang credible,

Taleban authorities denied the killings, accusing human rights groups

of ignoring atrocities against their supporters near the central city of

Bamiyan, after opposition Northern Alliance forces earlier recaptured the

city.

Now, as fighting between the Taleban and the Northern Alliance is

increasing, U-N officials are saying they are worried about more civilian

massacres as territory changes hands in the fighting. The U-Ns

special reporter on Human Rights for Afghanistan Kamal Hassain, a former

Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, says anyone who deliberately kills

civilians will be held accountable.

// HASSAIN ACT //

I would really like to underline that I think that we should get the

message out to those who are engaged in these situations that these

kinds of massacres are a breach of international humanitarian law and

that although immunity has been enjoyed in the past, that in a way has

allowed such massacres to take place with impunity for those who have

been responsible, this time that anyone responsible for any massacre or

for any breach of humanitarian law will have to account for the breaches

of law they have committed.

// END ACT //

Mr. Hassain says international humanitarian law also applies to the

coalition now fighting terrorism in Afghanistan, and that maximum care

must be taken to avoid civilian casualties and damage to non-combatants.

Mr. Hassain says he believes the United Nations will have to come up with measures to protect the lives and property of civilians inside Afghanistan, but he says the best protection against human rights abuses in Afghanistan will be a broad-based government that represents all of Afghanistans people. (Signed)

NEB/JLT/FC