STATEMENT BY
MR MOHAMMAD KAMAL YAN YAHAYA
CHARGÉ D’AFFAIRES A.I.
PERMANENT MISSION OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
ON THE ISSUE OF AFGHANISTANFRIDAY, 7 APRIL, 2000
Mr. President,
My delegation would like to once again welcome Minister Axworthy to preside over this very important and timely meeting. We express our appreciation to Canada for convening this formal meeting of the Council on the issue of Afghanistan. The immediate aim of the international community is to undertake the difficult task of providing humanitarian relief to the long-suffering Afghan people who are caught in an armed conflict situation. Its longer term aim is of course to work towards a political resolution of the Afghan problem and the rehabilitation and reconstruction of that war-torn country.
2. We would also like to take this opportunity to commend the work done by the former Special Envoy of the UNSG, Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi. The peace settlement that has eluded us is not for want of effort and initiatives on his part. It is a reflection of the complex nature of the problem revolving around the seemingly irreconcilable differences of the various warring factions and intertwined with the geo-strategic interests of Afghanistan’s neighbours. We would like to extend our full support to Mr. Francesc Vendrell, the newly appointed Personal Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNSMA, as he takes up his challenging appointment and attempt to hammer out a negotiated settlement, under the auspices of the United Nations.
Mr President
3. The heavy toll exacted on Afghanistan and its people following the long and debilitating war weighs heavily on the minds of the international community. This impoverished country can ill afford to squander its scarce resources to the war effort. As a result, Afghanistan has been consigned to the backwaters of the economic development, with dire consequences to the long-suffering Afghans – regardless of their ethnicity and political orientation.
4. Among the debilitating effects of the armed conflict in Afghanistan is that vast tracts of the country have been sown with landmines that have claimed many lives and limbs. It is estimated that around 10 million landmines have been laid in Afghanistan, making it the most heavily mined country in the world. Such is the legacy bequeathed by the belligerents of the last Afghan war. This is further compounded by other social ills, not least of which is the pernicious effects of drugs, guns and violence and an entire population dependent on handouts from the international community. In addition to these ills, there is also the catastrophic effects related to the so-called "internally displaced persons", who are in fact refugees in their own country, as a result of the long war, exacerbating an already grave humanitarian situation.
5. We are also mindful of the effects of the protracted war on the children of the land – the lost generation that is growing up with no memory of life in a peaceful state, many of whom are illiterate. Thousands of children die each year from malnutrition, respiratory infections and other diseases. Children are by no means the only vulnerable sector of society. Maternal mortality is one of the highest in the world.
6. Malaysia is totally against practices of gender discrimination. It is deplorable that Afghan women have been denied their right to education, as indicated in the Secretary-General’s report. This right as well as the right to earn a living and to enjoy participation in other facets of life are very much compatible with Islam which promotes them. We believe women have the legitimate right and obligation to play a constructive role in society, including in the realm of nation building.
7. We commend the Canadian Presidency for making human security the thrust of this month’s deliberations. In this regard, the Taliban’s recent intrusions into United Nations premises in Kandahar, in violation of the UN’s inviolable principle of diplomatic immunity, is to be deplored. The incident dramatised the risks faced by well-meaning humanitarian workers in the performance of their duties in areas of armed conflict. The subsequent withdrawal of international staff, including the NGOs, have set back relief efforts in an already difficult environment. We recall the murder of Lt. Col. Carmine Calo of Italy, an UNSMA official, in 1998 as well as other Afghan employees of the UN. We pay tribute to their sacrifices in the service of humankind.
8. My delegation deeply regrets the lack of progress made by the Taliban to bring to justice those responsible for the murder of the Iranian diplomats and journalist in Mazar-e-Sharif in August 1998. We are dismayed at the apparent lack of cooperation extended by the Taliban to the UN.
Mr. President,
9. We reaffirm our belief that a durable peace can only be achieved through political negotiations and not military means. We therefore strongly support efforts, under the auspices of the United Nations, for a negotiated settlement through dialogue and the formation of a broad-based, multi-ethnic and fully representative government. In this regard we would strongly encourage early follow-ups to the OIC meeting in Jeddah and the Rome process.
10. It is incumbent upon the Afghan parties to recognise that the search for peace must start with a sustained political will to reach a negotiated settlement, free from external influence. It is regrettable that despite the lofty principles of the Tashkent Declaration, external military support continues to be received by the contending Afghan parties thereby fuelling the war indefinitely.
11. It is clear that the people of Afghanistan are weary of the war and wish to end the cycle of violence as soon as possible so that they can pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. It is imperative that the country’s major ethnic and religious groups cooperate among themselves to decide on their own leadership rather than have one imposed on them. In this regard we are of the view that the Rome process i.e. the convening of the Grand Assembly or "Loya Jirga" – which is the embodiment of this mechanism should be encouraged as it can contribute to the overall peace process.
Mr President
12. Barely six months into sanctions imposed on the Taliban, we are beginning to hear talk about further measures to be imposed on Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Sanctions when imposed as a matter of necessity must have certain safeguards so as to mitigate the unintended consequences to the civilian population. Therefore, before additional measures can be considered it is imperative for the Council to evaluate the impact of the on-going sanctions. We wish to remind the Council that contrary to requirements there was no analysis made on the possible impact of the sanctions before they were imposed on the Taliban. In the absence of that pre-assessment of the impact of the sanctions it is important that periodic impact assessment be carried out so as provided for para 6 (c) of Resolution 1267 (1999) which the Council unanimously adopted. This provides the Council with the possibility of modifying the sanctions regime if and when deemed necessary.
13. The ongoing war has contributed to the continuing human rights violations, sustained interference by foreign powers and far reaching environmental damage - not to mention the staggering social cost of the long civil war. Afghanistan has become the world's largest producer of illicit drugs. These developments raise serious questions about the commitment of Afghan groups themselves and that of their external supporters on a peaceful resolution of the debilitating conflict. The extent of the humanitarian catastrophe is perhaps more pervasive than we really know. It is imperative therefore every effort should be made to ameliorate the plight of the people and to find an early political solution to the conflict.
Thank you, Mr. President.