UN Council stresses need for security in Afghan

United Nations, Dec 8: Highlighting the ''precarious'' securitysituation in Afghanistan, caused by the growing insurgency, the UNSecurity Council has urged Kabul and its donors to do more to ensurepeace and safeguard human rights.

The powerful 15-member body yesterday discussed the final reportof last month's Council mission to Afghanistan and Pakistan, led byJapanese envoy Kenzo Oshima, which held high-level talks withgovernment officials in Islamabad before meeting Afghan President HamidKarzai and others in Kabul and elsewhere.

''The mission found that the spread of insurgency, and terroristactivity by Taliban, al-Qaida and other extremist groups, linked withthe illegal drug trade, coupled with corruption and failures ofgovernance and the rule of law, collectively pose a grave threat toreconstruction and nation-building,'' the report stated.

''However, the mission is convinced that the government ofAfghanistan and the international community have established a soundstrategy to overcome these challenges,'' it added, referring to theAfghanistan Compact, a five-year all-inclusive development blueprintfor cooperation with donors launched earlier this year.

Nevertheless, the report noted that progress this year towardrealising the vision of the Compact had not been as rapid as hoped,adding that the ''security situation in general remained precariousthroughout the country'' and urging the government and donor communityto urgently reform this sector. ''The mission affirms the importance ofestablishing a strong and sustainable Afghan National Army and urgesdonors and the government of Afghanistan to redouble their collectiveefforts to establish a trusted and effective Afghan National Policethroughout the country.''

The report also recommended priorityattention to establishing the rule of law and good governancethroughout the country. ''To this end, the mission encourages thegovernment to take immediate steps to strengthen justice sectorinstitutions.'' It pointed out that security issues depended on''regional cooperation,'' noting that many officials who spoke to theCouncil mission highlighted ''the existence of sanctuaries in Pakistanfor the Taliban'' and other insurgent groups.

Pakistani Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan told the missionthat his country was doing its best to improve security along theborder area, adding also that a stable Afghanistan was essential tothis effort.

The mission's report further called on the Afghan authorities anddonors to ''sharpen their focus on human rights and protection ofcivilians,'' noting that along with the insecurity, corruption andimpunity for criminals, all these factors have ''tempered thelegitimate hopes of Afghans with signs of despondency anddisillusionment.''

UNI