Almost every day, there are pieces of news from different parts of the country that show vehement human rights abuses by insurgent groups. There are in addition to many other cases that are never reported. The Taliban, which held power over roughly three quarters of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, still wages war against the Afghan government and targets both soldiers and civilians across the country.
Following the downfall of the Taliban’s regime, democracy and human rights were debated hotly and Afghan nation dreamed to live a peaceful life under the aegis of a democratic state. Afghan men and women celebrated democracy through flocking to ballot boxes. However, the Taliban remerged and sliced the fingers which were inked during the voting.
Recently, the US said on Friday that reports of violence and atrocities against Afghans indicate the Taliban is showing little regard for human life and human rights on the ground.
Addressing a press conference, the US State Department’s Deputy Spokesperson said “while the Taliban have stated they will not harm former interpreters or others who worked for foreign forces, recent reports of violence and atrocities against interpreters and other Afghans indicate local Taliban forces are showing little regard for human life and human rights on the ground.”
The spokesperson said the US vehemently condemns these targeted attacks, the destruction of vital infrastructure, and other attacks against the people of Afghanistan. “The Taliban must go beyond issuing statements denying territorial offensives and targeted attacks. If this is truly not Taliban policy, their leadership should condemn these atrocities and violations of basic rights. They must proactively prevent their forces from carrying out these actions on the ground,” she said.
US also reiterated what they and other countries have said in recent weeks that the world will not accept the imposition by force of a government in Afghanistan. “Legitimacy and assistance for any Afghan government can only be possible if that government has a basic right – basic respect, excuse me, for human rights.
Constitutionally, citizens are guaranteed the right to life and liberty, to privacy, of peaceful assembly, from torture and of expression and speech. If accused of a crime, citizens hold the right to be informed of the charges, to representation by an advocate, and to presumption of innocence. There is no discrimination on the ground of race, color, or sect in Afghanistan as Afghan Constitution states in Article 22, “Any kind of discrimination and distinction between citizens of Afghanistan shall be forbidden.
The citizens of Afghanistan, man and woman, have equal rights and duties before the law.” Furthermore, the current constitution officially recognizes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the United Nations Charter, both are mentioned in its preamble and in Article seven.
But Taliban’s militancy has badly impacted Afghan people’s hope for a bright and democratic future. The group has largely violated human rights and targeted vital infrastructures in their held territories. Despite of territorial gains, Taliban’s recent moves have been national and internationally condemned, where the international community said that Afghans would never go back to the past or accept a regime that belongs to other centuries.
Now, if Taliban seek to choose militancy over negotiations, the United States and its international allies have to change their approach and resume their military pressure on them the Taliban’s political office in Qatar has to be shut and their supporters must be pressured. The world needs to determine a timeline for the Taliban group either return to the negotiating table and honor their deal with Washington or face the consequences of military action.
