Robinson calls for safeguarding of Afghan civilians
United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson today expressed her deep concern about attacks on Afghanistan.
The United Nations Human Rights Commissioner told RTE radio: ‘‘I am very concerned.
‘‘I’ve just sent a mission of two senior colleagues to Islamabad to assess the protection needs of the Afghan civilians in Afghanistan itself and also across the various borders.
‘‘The mission has come back with a very serious and worthwhile report on the situation.
‘‘One of the concerns is that the poor civilian population in Afghanistan have suffered greatly from attacks and human rights violations, massacres on a continual basis when there are shifts between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance.
The former Irish President said: ‘‘If the Northern Alliance advance into Kabul there mustn’t be the massacre of civilians.
‘‘It’s very important that the effective power exercised by the United States also makes it clear that there must be no impunity from gross violation of human rights either by the Taliban or the Northern Alliance.
‘‘Another concern is the civilians who are suffering from the military attack itself. It’s really very important there be no civilian deaths, that if there are military attacks they are confined to targets that don’t put civilians at risk.’’
Mrs Robinson said the population of Afghanistan had now been suffering from famine for years, and with winter due to close in on November 15 there was huge concern among all the humanitarian agencies.
‘‘I heard this morning that there may be the suspension of attacks, I really hope that is the case, so that there can be a focus on saving hundreds of thousands of lives,’’ she said.
‘‘We have a window of opportunity between now and November 15 and we must have access to provide food supplies and shelter for the frightened people of Afghanistan.’’
She had the impression that there might be a pause in attacks to allow the Taliban another opportunity to surrender Osama bin Laden.
She condemned the terrorist attacks on New York but said there must be equal concern for innocent people in Afghanistan, and added that the deaths of four UN workers in Kabul during an American attack were ‘‘very serious’’.
Mrs Robinson added: ‘‘We have to bring home the message that those who work in the field for the United Nations are like firefighters.
‘‘They are heroes and heroines and they should get the same attention when they are living that they are not targets, and they should get the same appreciation when they give their lives.’’
