INTERNATIONAL ACTION TO MEET THE EMERGENCY SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN, COMPOUNDED BY THE RECENT DESTRUCTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE BY THE TALIBAN

Resolution adopted by consensus by the 105th Inter-Parliamentary Conference
(Havana, 6 April 2001)

The 105th Inter-Parliamentary Conference,

Recalling its resolutions "Promoting greater respect and protection of human rights in general and in particular for women and children" adopted at its 96th Conference, "The prevention of conflicts and the restoration of peace and trust in countries emerging from war, the return of refugees to their countries of origin, the strengthening of democratic processes and the hastening of reconstruction" adopted at its 99th Conference, and "Action to combat the consumption and illicit trafficking of drugs and organised crime" adopted at its 100th Conference,

Recalling also the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, especially Nos. 1267 (1999) and 1333 (2000), United Nations General Assembly resolution 55/243 of 9 March 2001, and the statements by the President of the Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan,

Calling attention to the relevant international conventions on combating terrorism, and especially the obligation of signatory States to hand over terrorists or prosecute them under criminal law,

Recalling the human rights principles to which the international community is committed, which are established in various United Nations declarations, conventions and covenants on political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights and have been repeatedly reaffirmed by the Union,

Recalling in particular that the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted in 1993 emphasise, inter alia, that the human rights of women and children are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights,

Appalled by the persistent violations of human rights in those parts of Afghanistan which are controlled by the movement known as the Taliban, especially the flagrant violation of the most basic rights of men, women and children,

Recalling the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, adopted in The Hague on 14 May 1954,

Condemning the Taliban's decision to destroy Afghanistan's pre-Islamic and Buddhist cultural heritage and their implementation of that decision despite all the appeals by the international community and, indeed, the efforts of spiritual leaders from the Islamic world,

Also condemning the fact that the areas of Afghanistan controlled by the Taliban continue to be used as safe havens for terrorists and for training, planning and organising terrorist activities,

Deeply concerned at the fact that the territory under the control of the Taliban has emerged as one of the largest drug-producing areas of the world,

1. Calls on the Taliban to comply immediately with United Nations Security Council resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1333 (2000);

2. Urges all States to ensure strict compliance with all the measures stipulated in those two resolutions;

3. Exhorts the Taliban to respect human rights, in accordance with the relevant international declarations, conventions and covenants;

4. Urges the Taliban, in particular, to end the grave violations of the human rights of women and girls, and all forms of discrimination against them;

5. Calls on the Taliban, in particular, to guarantee that women and girls have unrestricted and equal access to health care, education and employment outside the home;

6. Strongly urges the Taliban to lay down their weapons and initiate negotiations with the Afghan Government, immediately and without conditions, under the auspices of the United Nations, with the objective of forming a multi-ethnic, democratic and representative government;

7. Demands that the Taliban reverse their decision to destroy Afghanistan's pre-Islamic and Buddhist cultural heritage, and cease the destruction immediately;

8. Enjoins the Taliban to close all terrorist training camps in the areas under their control, to surrender wanted terrorists to countries where they could be tried and to stop granting sanctuary to international terrorists and their organisations;

9. Calls on the Taliban once and for all to end all illicit trafficking of drugs in the areas under their control and to impose a genuine and permanent ban on the cultivation of opium poppies, the proceeds of which finance Taliban activities;

10. Urges the Taliban to guarantee safe and unrestricted access for aid agency workers and humanitarian supplies to all those in need of assistance in the areas under their control without discrimination or conditions;

11. Calls on the United Nations Security Council to condemn energetically the actions of the Taliban in Afghanistan and to appeal to UN Member States to take appropriate measures with a view to ending violations of the fundamental principles of international law and human rights in Afghanistan.

Note: you can download a complete electronic version of the brochure "Results of the 105th Conference and related meetings of the Inter-Parliamentary Union" in PDF format (file size approximately 442K). This version requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, which you can download free of charge.