Human rights organisations are reporting an alarming deterioration in citizen rights, particularly of women and children.
In its 2016 report, Human Rights Watch, an international organisation, expressed concern that Afghanistan stands to lose all the gains made over the last 15 years. Earlier, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs published shocking figures regarding the murder and rising violence against females. “Twenty three incidents of assassination of women, young girls and girl babies have been recorded in the ministry,” it stated. The reports were collected from 14 provinces including Kabul.
Spogmai Wardak, the technical deputy minister of women’s affairs says, “We want to put an end to this violence. It will happen only when the culprits are publicly punished and the law is enforced.”
In a recent instance, a young girl was sexually abused and murdered in Belcheragh district of Faryab province. One person was arrested by the police, but the murderer has not been found. Elsewhere – in Badghis province – an 18-year-old was shot to death for “links with a boy.” Mohammad Naser Nazari, a member of the Badghis provincial council told Killid the incident occurred in Regee village of Qades district.
He said the family of the girl killed her when they got to know of her links with the boy. Nazari insists that both the father and his relatives are involved but the police have arrested the boy who was involved. The girl’s family has threatened to kill him.
Zaher Bahand, spokesperson for the Badghis governor, also confirms that the girl was shot dead by her father and says about the boy that he surrendered to the police for fear that he would be killed.
Even in the Afghan capital the rights of women are trampled. Tamana Jahesh, a woman’s rights activist in Kabul, narrates the story of a plucky young bride whose mother-in-law gave her a sedative so she would not be able to resist rape. The girl managed to escape and seek police help. She was sent to a safe house. Now she is out but under investigation for “her behaviour”, says Jahesh. The blame is always on the woman, she adds.
The government of national unity is being blamed for the loss of rights, including the right to security.
Blatant crime
Aziz Rafeaee, head Afghanistan Civil Societies Union, sees the lack of law enforcement as one of the main factors for the increase in violence and breach in human rights. “Insecurity causes violence, and when the rule of law is not implemented, the violence worsens into blatant crimes,” he says. In response to a question on why the government has failed to prevent violence, he says no one seems to have the political will to counter corruption or violence. “Internal politics in the government, tribal differences, division of power and pressure of political heavyweights and mafia make governance weak and shaky,” he adds.
Mir Mohammad Sidiq Zaleeq, a university lecturer, thinks the compromise that was hammered out between Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, presidential rivals, to form the government has not worked; the two opposing teams are still in conflict. “When the government is joint (Ghani and Abdullah) and the executive posts are given to corrupt individuals and relatives and linked to the president and the chief executive, it is obvious that the process of governing would weaken instead of strengthen,” says Zaleeq.
Worsening security is a result of internal differences in the government, he argues. The continuation of the current situation is dangerous and of concern for Afghans, he warns. “It is only natural that in such a situation the human rights situation worsens day by day and the people face many serious problems, a situation that could make people hate the government and turn towards its armed opponents.”
There is lack of political will to enforce human rights. Mohammad Bilal Sidiqi, the spokesperson for the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) taking stock of the country’s terrible rights record in 2016 says in a majority of cases no legal action has been taken. He calls it the “culture of exemption”. Is there hope of change? “Unfortunately the government of national unity has not paid the slightest attention to the suggestions from the AIHRC regarding improvement of human rights,” he says. The AIHRC says there has been a 60 percent increase in rights violations.
“Fragile” state
In Sidiqi’s words the human rights situation is “very fragile”. “When 52 people are killed in just one day and many more get injured (it) shows that the human rights situation is very fragile in the country.” He cites three recent cases of killings of civilians: in Kabul, Talbarfak (Baghlan province) and Achin (Nangarhar). “All the victims were civilians and killed tragically,” he says.
Killid interviewed Omed Misam, deputy spokesperson in the chief executive’s office who denied the human rights situation was bleak. “Required reforms have occurred in judicial and justice institutions, the situation in jails has improved and national losses have decreased. This means serious attention was paid by the government to ensure human rights.” He dismisses the allegation that the internal differences in the government were a cause for the rise in violence. “There are differences of viewpoints and constructive criticism that improves governance. The leaders of the national unity government are in agreement regarding most cases.”
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