Voicing serious concerns about the continued presence of Al-Qaeda and increase in recruitment to the Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIL-K), India has stressed on the need to see concrete progress in ensuring that UN-proscribed terrorists and entities do not get any kind of support either from Afghan soil or from sanctuaries based in the region, a veiled reference to Pakistan. Speaking at the Security Council briefing on Afghanistan, Permanent Representative of India to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti on Wednesday noted that in reports of the Security Council’s Monitoring Team all countries in the region, especially the Central Asian countries, share grave concerns about the possibility of terrorism from Afghanistan affecting their own security. “Terrorism continues to pose a serious threat to Afghanistan and the region. There are serious concerns about the continued presence of Al Qaeda and the increase in recruitment to ISIL-K,” Tirumurti said.
“The Security Council has noted the commitment of the Taliban not to allow the use of the Afghan soil for terrorism, including from terrorists and terrorist groups designated under Resolution 1267. We need to see concrete progress in ensuring that such proscribed terrorists, entities or their aliases do not get any support, tacit or direct, either from Afghan soil or from the terror sanctuaries based in the region,” he said, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. Tirumurti underlined that as a contiguous neighbour and long-standing partner of Afghanistan, India has direct stakes in ensuring the return of peace and stability. “Our approach to Afghanistan, as always, will be guided by our historical friendship and our special relationship with the people of Afghanistan,” he said.
He stressed that as an immediate neighbour with strong linkages to Afghan people, India is concerned about recent developments in Afghanistan, especially the deteriorating humanitarian situation. “India calls for an inclusive dispensation in Afghanistan which represents all sections of the Afghan society, especially women. A broad-based, inclusive, and representative formation is necessary for both domestic and international engagement, he said, adding that peace and security in Afghanistan is a critical imperative that the international community needs to collectively strive for. “The recent developments in Afghanistan will have a significant impact on the neighbouring countries and the wider region.” UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons told the Council that Afghanistan indeed presents a complicated situation, with positive and negative trends occurring simultaneously. “We do not believe that we can truly assist the Afghan people without working with the de facto authorities. This must be difficult for some to accept, but it is essential.
“We must acknowledge, however, that as we move forward, there still remains an enduring distrust between the Taliban and much of the international community, and even the regional countries and neighbours. The Taliban feel misunderstood and complain to us that our reports do not reflect the reality as they see it. They tell me that we underappreciate their achievements and that we exaggerate the problems – problems which they acknowledge and which they claim they are trying to solve, she said. Lyons said that in response to all of this, the UN has articulated to the Taliban the concerns of the international community. As the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, “we must continue to report on what we see, even as we continue to build an understanding and the working relationship with the de facto authorities. We are concerned by restrictions on women and girls’ fundamental rights, on extrajudicial killings, on enforced disappearances, on arbitrary detention, on respect for minorities, and on freedoms of assembly and expression.
India had supported the Security Council Resolution 2615 that provided for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, while ensuring that the Security Council would continue to exercise its oversight to guard against any possible diversion of funds and misuse of exemptions from sanctions. Tirumurti expressed hope that the ‘humanitarian carve outs’ are fully utilised by UN agencies and their aid partners, reiterating that humanitarian assistance should be based on principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence. “The disbursement of humanitarian aid should be non-discriminatory and accessible to all, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or political belief. In particular, the assistance should reach the most vulnerable first, including women, children and minorities,” he said.
He also told the Council that over the past several months, India has vastly scaled up humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. Aiming to help tide over the dire food insecurity situation, India has recently committed 50,000 MT of wheat, out of which 2500 MT is being distributed through the World Food Programme. India has also delivered 500,000 doses of COVID vaccines, 13 tons of essential lifesaving medicines, as well as winter clothing, which are being distributed through WHO and Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul.
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