All India Human Rights Association (AIHRA)

 

Afghanistan turning out to be a Wobbly  vicinage

 

By- Tanya Pandey , 3rd Year Student of BALLB(Hons.), Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

With the Taliban taking the responsibility for the recent bomb and gun attack targeting the Defence Minister Bismillah Mohammadi of Afghanistan, the situation has been exacerbating for worse constantly in Afghanistan. With Taliban making territorial gains across the country, bringing the majority of rural areas and some of the provincial capitals under his control, the hasty withdrawal of the international forces does not seem to promise peace too soon, rather making the road. To normalcy, a harrowing one for the citizens of the nation. According to the United Nation's International Organisation of Migration, more than 3 lakh people have been internally displaced owing to the ongoing escalation of conflict and approximately 40,000 people continue to flee to neighbouring countries as Iran , Pakistan per week; and in consonance of the same the country continues to witness long queues of people standing at the Passport and Visa Offices for facilitating their travel in pursuit of a livelihood at a safe place in contrast to their homeland having a pernicious influence on the residents.

Unfolding of one of the World’s largest Refugee Crisis

Though terribly dismaying it might have appeared to the residents of the country, to leave their homeland and start their life from scratch at an absolutely new and an alien place, the thought and concern of the same itself must have put them off their stroke. But as reported by one of the persons standing in queue before the visa offices for procuring the Turkish visa, the idea of commencing from merely nothing didn’t abash him in proportion to the fear caused by The Taliban. Alongside there are people who are prepared to leave their homeland by any means be it legal or illegal , with incidents being reported of people cramming into the smugglers' pickup trucks giving testimony to the fact, while others flooding into makeshift tents and relatives' houses until they could arrange to leave the country . In contrast ,there are also people who continue to return to Afghanistan , despite nationwide offensive being carried out by Taliban, with hopes of having a normal life and aspirations of having a small hope for their survival and an opportunity of educating their children! Though so far as normalcy is concerned, it seems to stand in stark contrast of the Taliban's offensive which is nurtured by the ideas of violence, orthodoxy, aggression , gender discrimination and alike. But amidst the entire strife the most deplorable plight is of the people who, within a short span of time have become Refugees, while others have been displaced in their own nation, while those who are returning to their country Afghanistan face scepticism and insecurity with respect to their potential future. At the same time, bearing the risk of getting subjected to violence at the hands of the According to the UN Estimates, almost half the Afghan population, i.e around 18.5 million people, will require humanitarian support in 2021 to cope with the multifaceted crisis, caused by conflict, COVID-19 and widespread under-development and poverty.

However, as fighting intensifies and spreads, the operating space for humanitarians providing life-saving assistance continues to shrink dramatically. Special Representative Deborah Lyons, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said –

“Afghanistan is now at a dangerous turning point,” she said. “Ahead lies either a genuine peace negotiation or a tragically intertwined set of crises: an increasingly brutal conflict combined with an acute humanitarian situation and multiplying human rights abuses.” Warning that the consequences could extend beyond the country’s borders, Ms. Lyons urged ambassadors to seize the opportunity and demonstrate commitment “to prevent Afghanistan from descending into a situation of catastrophe so serious that it would have few, if any, parallels this century.” She also called out to the international community to set aside their own differences and come together in facilitating the restoration of peace in Afghanistan and help in the resumption of the negotiations in furtherance of the same soon. And owing to the dubious turn of events in Afghanistan, the returnees as well as the people who are already putting up in the nation would be needing food, clothes, rent for a new house as many have lost their homes, and payment to cover transportation to their final destination, though many are being supported by the IOM, but as submitted by Stuart Simpson, IOM Afghanistan Chief of Mission. “Now is not the time to turn a blind eye to Afghanistan’s critical situation. International attention and advocacy is urgently needed to convey the suffering of Afghan civilians to the world “, so as to facilitate in a negotiated ceasefire ,before the situation further worsens.

Plight of Afghanistan entailing International Support

 As one of the commiserate humanitarian crisis uncoils itself in Afghanistan, the Afghan led government and the people of the country at large awaits international support in this hour of cataclysm. Though the recent statement at the hands of United Nations Security Council, which is being presided by India 's T.S. Tirumurti at present, was declaring the fact that ,it didn’t support the Restoration of Islamic Emirate , and that the members of the SC calls on both the Islamic Republic and the Taliban to engage meaningfully in an inclusive Afghan – led, and Afghan- owned peace process to make urgent progress towards a ceasefire, but the current predicament showcases prominently the inefficacy of the Afghan Government to do the same and hence the situation requires the intervention at the hands of the Global Players for an effective resolution of the struggle via deliberation over a table .The phlegmatic decision of USA regarding the disengagement in Afghanistan if at all is based on the assertive approach that even if Taliban wrests control of the nation , it 'ld not be able to nurture a terrorist like Osama bin Laden owing to the country’s effective surveillance as has been pointed out by Mr . Uday Balakrishnan ( from IISc Bangalore), it seems an overtly confident approach as even if it doesn’t hold true , turning a blind eye to the ramifications a terrorist regime could have over the entire world at large is quite audacious Though it has been estimated that the present move of USA , is to focus on the contemporary and more crucial challenges posed by China, North Korea and pandemic as such, and the country has been considering the problem of the migrants from Afghanistan by extending its support mission for them, but the current scenario awaits a more concerned approach towards the nation which is almost on the brink of passing over entirely to the clutches of The Taliban. 

The current situation requires the countries especially the ( 6+2+1 ) group , whose meeting was also held last year, on regional efforts to support peace in Afghanistan ( comprising of the 6 neighbouring countries – China, Pakistan, Iran , Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and 2 Global players Russia and ISA and Afghanistan itself.) , to take a more considerate and humane approach at the current unravelling of events as their say is going to have the greatest eminence owing to the fact that these are the countries who are going to get directly affected by whatever takes place in Afghanistan. Also India hasn’t been invited to this peace process , and the reason given was the fact that India shares no ' boundary' with Afghanistan , and India’s stand that its territory borders Afghanistan (along Wakhan Corridor) and is currently under Pakistan’s illegal occupation, has been ignored by the 6+2+1 grouping.

Potential Role of India in the Afghanistan Crisis 

 India has certain really indispensable economic and strategic interests in the nation, like Afghanistan acts as a gateway to the oil and mineral- rich Central Asian Republics and since the times when Soviet- Afghan was (1979-1989), India has enjoyed amicable and cordial relations with the nation , being even the only South- Asian country to recognise the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, also India has been involved in providing developmental assistance to the nation by being engaged in the construction projects of the Afghan Parliament, the ZaranjDelaram Highway, and the Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam (Salma Dam), along with hundreds of small development projects (of schools, hospitals and water projects) have cemented India’s position in Afghanistan.Also in the military realm as well , India has been quite proactive in giving it’s support to the nation, like India had gifted 4 MI-25 attack helicopters and has also promised the aid of Light combat helicopters and even the powerful Tejas aircrafts for assisting the nation militarily. A number of India backed projects (Chabahar port project) are running there, and Stability can be brought only when Afghan Army is equipped with modern weapons! But the present condition of the country requires India to take a more pro- active stance and use it’s diplomatic seat in the Security Council to engage in the negotiations with the Taliban alongside the (6+2+1) grouping , though marking a departure from its policy of dealing only with recognised governments but still a departure most suitable to the current hassle in the region. ;in contrast with supporting a Afghan-led and Afghan- owned political settlement , an approach which seems quite futile, keeping in mind the ineffectualness of the Afghani Government! Also the amplifying fears in Afghanistan would not only act as a restraint to Indian companies’ ability to tap into Afghanistan’s mineral resources, estimated at $1 trillion, but can prove to be detrimental to ever-increasing India’s energy demands, and can act as a deterrent to India's security as already India continues to suffer from the state-sponsored terrorism emanating from Pakistan supported terrorist group operating in the region (e,g. Haqqani network), henceforth it becomes even more crucial for India to assist in the setting up of a politically stable and firm Government in the nation and hence to avoid the return of jihadi groups, like al Qaeda, which could strike in India.\

Also India as has always taken a very considerate and altruistic approach towards situations of crisis worldover , it’s required of India to address the distressing scenario unfolding in Afghanistan in a likewise manner upholding the ideals of International morality and comity. It should consider providing all the aid and support to the people who have been displaced within their own country to those who have been seeking asylum after leaving their country escaping the violence, which is now taking a toll on the civilians marking more than 1000 casualties of the civilians alone, in a period of just three months, at the hands of The Taliban .Hence it’s the appropriate time for India to reconsider it’s Afghan Policy for safeguarding the national interests and security concerns of the Nation to ensure the sustenance of the people across in peace and harmony. It’s only through co-ordinated efforts that we can hope of reaching a day when we'll turn on the News, and hear, There’s Peace on Earth.

References

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/12/1027541 ( Last visited on August 5,2021) • https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/08/1097222 ( Last visited on August 6 , 2021) • https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/08/1097312 ( Last visited on August 6,2021) • https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-options-in afghanistan ( Last visited on August 5,2021)