Briefing the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto said the recent "security and political crisis was sparked by a terrorist bombing in Kabul's centre on 31 May."
He said this was followed by demonstrations protesting growing insecurity which turned violent, and then a suicide attack at a subsequent funeral of one of those killed in the demonstrations.
He told the Security Council that the "political fault-lines that emerged are increasingly along an ethnic basis, which is particularly worrying at a time when the Islamic State (Daesh) is attempting to provoke sectarian strife in the country through attacks against Shia Muslims."
"During the anti-government demonstrations on 2 June, we at UNAMA conducted extensive outreach to leaders on all sides, particularly leaders of political movements which were considering joining the protests. We urged restraint, warned of the negative consequences for everyone of loss of control, and requested them to give time to allow their grievances to be addressed without violence," he said.
He said that coupled with intensive efforts by government and members of the diplomatic community, the immediate risk of escalation was defused.
"I remain concerned, however, that without changes in governance practices we are likely to face future crises that might be more difficult to contain."
He said that there have been indications since last summer that Afghanistan's broad political consensus was fraying.
According to him, a growing number of political factions, some who were formerly part of the National Unity Government as well as a younger generation of political forces, have begun to criticise and demand reforms from government.
"The government, on the other hand, claims that opposition groups block important reforms and stoke tension by calling for the government to be replaced. Each side accuses the other of acting against the national interest. It appears to me undeniable that these perceptions have contributed to tensions that characterize today's political environment," he said.
"The existence of opposition is natural in any political scene, but the amount of mistrust is growing and there is an increasing resort to uncompromising slogans and statements which can fuel further violent protest. Efforts at inclusiveness and building consensus for political stability are critical," he added.
He said the Afghan vision for peace is premised on the fact that a stable Afghanistan would lead to a stable and more prosperous region.
"Achieving this vision will require the strong determination of all states concerned, particularly of the region and the neighbourhood," he said.
He said however that the recent series of security incidents has demonstrated the urgent need for reforms in the security sector.
He said Afghanistan was facing numerous internal challenges in addition to fighting an insurgency that appears to be gaining ground.
"These include deep rooted political tension, the difficulty of integrating socially and economically the thousands of Afghan refugees who return each day, an economy that is only very slowly recovering after the international drawdown in 2014, and pervasive corruption.
The economy remains heavily dependent on development assistance and that corruption undermines the legitimacy of the state. "It prevents a real economy from emerging. It contributes to insecurity. Corruption is at the heart of the problem of impunity, which itself is at the heart of the ongoing human rights challenges," he said.
He told the Security Council that the attack of 31 May and the events that followed should serve as a clarifying moment. "We are at a point where we need to take conscious decisions to reverse negative trends and seek stability or face far worse. The recent crisis has illustrated the dangers of pushing narrow interests, be they domestic or international, in Afghanistan's fragile context."
He said two areas need to be focused on, one, preparations must be accelerated for the next round of elections, parliamentary and presidential. And secondly a genuine peace process with the Taliban is essential and urgent.
On the issue of elections, he said decisions must be made regarding the use of technology, and the role and modalities of international electoral assistance, work must start on voter registration and the electoral calendar must be made clear.
"We understand that the Independent Elections Commission will make an announcement as early as tomorrow regarding the date for parliamentary elections. I believe that this announcement will contribute to allaying the political tensions I have referred to in this briefing."
On the second point, he said Afghans need to begin an internal dialogue on the meaning of peace and reconciliation. "The government and the Taliban need to engage directly with each other to define a political solution."
In conclusion he stated that UNAMA is doing all it can to help contain political tensions, "using our long-standing relationships and our experience."
"On the eve of the important Muslim holiday of Eid, I wish to again reiterate my call for unity and urge restraint so that families and communities can enjoy a peaceful end of Ramadan."
LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/7216
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