Afghanistan does not want to be
shadowed by other countries, its representative told
the United Nations. While addressing the General
Assembly, A.G. Ravan Farhadi, Permanent Representative
of the Islamic State of Afghanistan to the UN spoke
on the state of his country today. He reassured the
Assembly that in the past 23 years of war, Muslim
Afghans have not engaged in terrorist acts.
He
stressed that his people should have a say in their
governance. "The future government of Afghanistan
must not be subjected any more to unilateralism that
has blanketed it for so long," he said. The new
government should be recognized as being sovereign
and the region should not be reduced to "a sphere
of influence."
Farhadi
went on to say that the government should be
broad based
incorporating all ethnic groups,
including Hazaras, Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Aimaks,
Turkmen and Balouch. He said Afghanistan is "not
complete without any of these groups."
He expressed his joy that Afghanistan's United
Front forces were gaining ground. He did however,
stress that this did not mean they intended to
monopolize power.
Farhadi said that United Front wants to govern
based on the law of Islam, democracy, fundamental
human rights and peace. While putting fears to
rest he said the United Front would abide with
UN resolutions.
He
emphasized that stability in his country was
key. "The meaning
of an ignored and ruined Afghanistan is a calamity
for the entire region
[Central Asia] and the whole world."
Speaking
of the present situation he said, "Today
Afghanistan finds itself in a major humanitarian
crisis." He elaborated by saying that with
the approach of winter the people are facing the
threat of famine and many aid agencies have left
due to the armed conflict and bombing.
He
appealed to the international community to turn
their attention
to his people and realize
the "horror and terror" that they have
faced for many years. He said they are not asking
for a favor. They only want to be placed back in
the situation where the "playing field is
level." Today however, he said, Afghans are
at a severe disadvantage with "20 million
mines, a nonexistent infrastructure and massive
illiteracy rate."
In
conclusion, he appealed to the international
community to
abandon their present perception of
Afghanistan and adopt a new one. "The change
must come from within each person who calls himself
a Muslim and an Afghan and it must also come from
each country that calls herself a friend of Afghanistan."
The General Debate in the General Assembly started
on Saturday and will end tomorrow. During the course
of the week more than 20 heads of state have addressed
the Assembly. |
