AFGHANISTAN’S HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

- Monika Godara

INTRODUCTION

Afghanistan has been facing calamitous humanitarian crisis since past few months. The level of cruelty and inhumane approach towards the public has been degraded even by the standards of war. The President of United States of America, Joe Biden, had announced the removal of US forces from Afghanistan in April. Since then, the country has been facing escalated violence increasing at a terrifying rate. Taliban had started advancing through the large and larger regions of the country. They approached and seized overs major cities including Kandahar, that is second largest city of Afghanistan.

THE CURRENT SITUATION OF CRISIS

On 15th of August, 2021, the Taliban gained control over the national capital, Kabul and took over the government. The Talibani seizure of the government witnessed huge humanitarian crisis throughout the nation. A large number of religious monuments, government buildings, schools, hospitals, etc. were destroyed. Thousands of people have been displaced and large number of them have been killed or injured by the Talibani Army. The lives of women, especially girls, have become terrifyingly horrible. Reports also show that a large number of women have been tortured, assaulted, raped and even forcefully married by the Talibani people.

People have been trying their best to escape the country and thousands of people even reached the Kabul Airport, the only way available at that time, to do so. All the nations started evacuating their ambassadors to Afghanistan and other officials in the Embassy. But the mercy of citizens of Afghanistan, particularly the women, remained unsolved.

BACKGROUND

The crisis was not the only way out. Peace could also be considered as a possibility. Since a long time, it was thought that the conflict between Taliban and the government, the government with foreign nations and United Nations would be solved by the way of militarily means. However, the United Nations remained in the backdrop and did not interfere in the condition of Afghanistan for many years. Between 2008 and 2009, the USA implanted its military envoys in Afghanistan. During that time, the United Nations took the initiative for creating ways for the peace settlement but could not achieve the desired result of the same. In 20210, the USA and Taliban made an agreement by which the USA agreed upon to withdraw its forces from the country and Taliban would not take up violence but sadly the condition for Taliban resulted in anything but peace.

UNITED NATION’S STAND

The United Nations must step up on the issue and address it at the earliest. Though it has employed two U.N. envoys to Afghanistan, they are not sufficiently empowered to make any difference. The U.N.’s humanitarian appeal for supporting the basic needs of the citizens of Afghanistan, out of whom more than half needs material assistance, it is out of funds. Looking upon the diplomatic steps taken, the Security Council of United Nations has organized several failed peace talks held in Qatar and Doha.

Looking upon good things, in contrast to the past situations when disagreement among the member nations halted any effective response on any crisis at global level, the United Nations is now at a good position to take any action. The United States, Russia and China — three of the five permanent members of the Security Council — all have a stake in the stability of Afghanistan’s situation. These nations also released their official statements calling for peace by the way of political settlement that can be negotiated with terms. They said that the settlement should be made in such a way that it protects the rights of citizens, especially the women and religious minorities. They also advocated that the U.N. should play “a positive and constructive role in the Afghan peace and reconciliation process.” Considering all these statements, they demonstrate a firm hope of political will to settle down the crisis and establish peace.

But on the other hand, Taliban is not responding to the peace process in a positive attitude. It has been resisting any kind of talks and negotiation with government. Instead, it continues to spread its rule to as many areas as possible. The violence remains to take place throughout the nation. At this deadlock, it seems like the situation of civil war that took place in Afghanistan during the 1990s and the standards of living, education, economy descended drastically.

CONCLUSION

The Taliban has formed its government that functions its aristocratic powers upon the citizens. The condition of women is worst even to express in words. This needs to be addressed at international level. The United Nations must now interfere and take a firm stand for the situation of Afghanistan. It implies that the permanent members of Security Council must come up and mandate the United Nations to negotiate with Taliban for a considerable settlement. All the nations must come together and show their solidarity for the entire Human Race which is at the verge of crisis.

REFERENCES

1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/08/24/afghanistan-is-facing-vasthumanitarian-disaster-not-only-airport/ visited on 27th of October, 2021 at 6.18 am

2. https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/09/03/afghanistan-humanitarian-crisis-needs-urgentresponse visited on 27th of October, 2021 at 6.42 am

3. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2021/09/10/the-evacuation-of-afghan-refugeesis-over-now-what/ visited on 27th of October, 2021 at 07.24 am

4. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/02/opinion/afghanistan-taliban-americawithdrawal.html visited at 27th of October, 2021 at 8.19 am