24/10/2003
Terrorism Primary Cause Of Insecurity In Afghanistan

In a regular briefing of the 15-member body, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations underscored that as the final and most important stages of the peace process move ahead, "many fundamental, structural causes of insecurity remain unresolved." He , said that the insecurity comes from terrorist attacks, factionalized government ministries and weakening of the political compact that supports the provisional government. . He also cited a tank battle between two rival factions earlier this month, but said "the primary source of insecurity remains terrorist attacks and continued sizable cross border infiltration by suspected Taliban, al-Qaida and Hizb-i-Islami insurgents."

He said with one exception; every border district in the country has been labelled "high risk" by the UN Security Coordinator (UNSECOORD).

Mr. Guéhenno said the UN peacekeeping staff had noted that attacks against government, military and humanitarian personnel are "steadily increasing," especially against Afghans working with international organizations.

Such attacks, he said, "seriously jeopardize the safety of personnel and limit the ability to conduct reconstruction and political activities."

" The trend towards targeting civilians supportive of the central government and peace process supports the view that the UN must also be seen as a target," he said. As a result the UN has temporarily suspended operations in four provinces.

The Under-Secretary-General pointed to "worrying signs" that the political compact that helps support the government of President Hamid Karzai, "may be weakening." He added that further reforms are needed in national security ministries and all other government ministries, which remain influenced by factional and ethnic interests.

" Over the past few weeks, the division between those that would turn the corner of Afghanistan's past, and those that would preserve their entitlement appear to have deepened," he said.

Meanwhile, in a separate development this week, 1000 ex-soldiers in the northern province of Kunduz, marching without their rifles, were the first in what the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said would be a total of 100,000 soldiers to turn in weapons in a $134 million disarmament, demobilization and re-integration (DDR) programme.