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CE Abdullah Urges Prosecution of Mine Suppliers, Manufacturers
Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on Tuesday urged the international community to prosecute the suppliers, manufacturers and facilitators of mines under international law.
Addressing Conference of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in Geneva, Abdullah said: “We urge international community to use all legal tools and instruments to not only work on the ban of these devices, but also, investigate and prosecute under international law – when it applies – the suppliers, manufacturers and facilitators of IEDs, whether state or non-state.”
He, meanwhile said the Mine Action Program in Afghanistan has cleared 3,000 square kilometers of land and destroyed over 19 million landmines and explosive remnants of war since the commencement of its humanitarian demining operations in 1989.
The Chief Executive also stated that the landlines have no boundaries nor differentiate between its victims.
“That is why we need a global perspective and approach to make countries and all armed groups, whatever their affiliation, to realize that it is inhuman and illegal to deploy landmines,” he said.
Elaborating on his country four decades of struggle from landmines, Abdullah said that the Afghan government is committed to completing the destruction of the anti-personnel mines in Afghanistan by March, 2023.
“Today, not only does Afghanistan make every effort to deal with the traditional anti-personal mine and unexploded ordinance that were used during the conflicts of the 1980s and 90s. It is also struggling to counter the use of improvised anti-personnel mines and other Improvised Explosive Device (IED), which is a weapon of choice used by terrorist groups and outfits such as the Taliban and local IS/Daesh cells,” he said.
According to Abdullah, the death toll and suffering caused by IEDs, whether targeting civilians or security personnel, is staggering and should raise many questions about their origins, raw material procurement, transfer and facilitation.
He said Afghanistan sees many incidents where thousands of families are on the move, either fleeing conflict and difficult conditions, or who are new returnees, looking to resettle after having spent years as refugees.
The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines is the cornerstone of the international effort to end the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines.
The Convention was concluded by the Diplomatic Conference on an International Total Ban on Anti-Personnel Land Mines at Oslo on 18 September 1997 and went into force on 1 March 1999. 164 States have formally agreed to be bound by the Convention.
Officials at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) say 7,000 incomplete projects of the World Bank are at risk of destruction in Afghanistan. They call on the World Bank to resume the work of these projects.
According to them, discussions have been held with the World Bank about these projects, but there has been no result yet.
“7,000 incomplete projects are being destroyed, and if the work is not started, these projects will be destroyed. We ask the World Bank to resume the work of these projects as soon as possible,” said Noorul Hadi Adel, the spokesperson of MRRD.
Meanwhile, members of the private sector also ask international institutions to resume their work in Afghanistan.
According to the officials of this sector, with the start of these projects, job opportunities will be provided for thousands of people in the country.
“These projects create employment for our people and the country will grow a lot,” said Mirwais Hajizadeh, a member of the private sector.
However, economic experts stated if the work of these projects does not start soon, they will be destroyed and the investments made in them will be wasted.
Ten people have been killed and six others injured by floods in Helmand province in the past week, local officials said on Friday.
According to officials, seven of those were members of the same family, and they were killed in Kajaki district last night.
“Most of the people moved from vulnerable areas to high lands and mountains, and thanks Allah the number of casualties is low,” Sher Mohammad Vahdat, the head of information of the Directorate of Information and Culture in Helmand, said adding rescue teams and security forces have been dispatched to help people.
It is said that the telecommunication system has also been disrupted due to the effect of floods in Kajaki district. Floods have also destroyed thousands of acres of agricultural land.
Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, met with the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi and discussed issues related to Afghanistan, it was announced on Thursday.
During the meeting, Otunbayeva thanked India for “its critical humanitarian support and longstanding friendship for the Afghan people” and discussed the importance of regional and international cooperation to address prevailing challenges in Afghanistan, UNAMA said on X.
Jaishankar also said on X that the sides exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan.
“Underlined that India has provided wheat, medicines, pesticides and school supplies. Appreciate the role of UN agencies as partners in these endeavors,” he said.
IEA urges World Bank to resume work on 7,000 incomplete projects
Ten people killed by floods in Helmand
Rashid Khan threatens BBL pullout after Australia postpones Afghanistan T20I series
UN envoy meets Indian foreign minister to discuss Afghanistan
Traffic accident leaves one dead, four injured in Herat
ATN secures TV and digital rights to broadcast IPL 2024 in Afghanistan
Blinken meets with Saudi Crown Prince to discuss Gaza
Afghanistan and India play out goalless draw in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Dead body of Quran-burner found in Norway
ATN secures rights to produce, broadcast second season of KPL
Tahawol: China’s call for inclusive government in Afghanistan
Saar: UN’s report on poverty in Afghanistan discussed
Tahawol: Russia and Tajikistan hold joint military drills along Afghanistan border
Saar: Anti-corruption efforts & better public services discussed
Tahawol: Abdul Kabir’s recent remarks discussed
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