Withdrawal from Afghanistan Threatens Human Rights

The American withdrawal from Afghanistan could pose grave threats to human rights. The rights of minority, children, and women would be in peril. The most important question is whether the world can afford another humanitarian crisis and expected genocide in Afghanistan as global leaders and UNO already failed to overcome the disastrous humanitarian crises in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and other parts of the world? World There are still uncountable unaddressed questions regarding the power-sharing formula to avoid anarchy in the country, developing mechanism to control the unbridled powers of the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, ISIS, Al-Qaida and other ethnic militia in a failed state, and protecting fundamental rights of the public.

The situation regarding human rights is grim in the country. According to the report of World Human Rights Watch 2020, more than 8000 civilians have been killed from January 1 to September 30 in 2019. According to the recently issued Global Gender Gap Report 2021 presented by the World Economic Forum, Afghanistan is the worst performer in South Asia regarding women’s rights. Afghanistan has ranked 156^th among156 countries in Global Gender Index 2021. Thus, the situation of human rights is already alarming in the country, and it can endanger human rights in the future, especially if foreign forces are withdrawn from Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is already facing intractable and insoluble challenges as a crippled economy, and a politically fragile and ethnically polarized society. Sectarianism, social disintegration, and blatant violations of human rights have also gripped the country badly. It has been bogged down in the most disastrous challenge of proxy wars for the interest of the supremacy and other illegitimate ambitions of India, Iran, Russia, China, and other regional and international powers. So, the situation of law and order would be more perplexing, and Afghanistan would be more dangerous for global peace than before 2001, if the USA fulfills her commitment of withdrawal of forces by 11 September of this year. US agencies also warned of the adverse effects of the withdrawal not only for the USA but also for global peace.

There must be a written document with Taliban and other influential groups that there should be no violation of human rights in the country, and some American troops will remain in the country to monitor the situation. The UNO should also expedite its role and efforts for the protection of human rights instead of passing ineffective statements of condemnation of human rights violation after aggravation of the situation in Afghanistan. 

However, under the perennial warnings of intelligence agencies, President Joe Biden decided to end the “Forever War” by withdrawing US forces by September 11 of this year. It is important to mention that the USA was supposed to withdraw her forces by 1^st May of this year, but President Biden extended the date of withdrawal by violating the Doha Accord. The Taliban conducted two attacks against the US forces in eastern Afghanistan before the statement of Mr Biden that could be termed a warning over violation of the Doha Accord regarding the date of withdrawal.

The reaction to the deviation from the Doha Accord by the Taliban leadership could be severer, that will exert its effects on the peace negotiation process by igniting violence in the country. The Taliban leadership also refused to attend the US-backed summit on Afghan peace in Turkey. The attacks and refusal of Taliban leadership to attend the summit in Turkey could be termed as a “warning” for foreign troops and may be meant to convey a clear message to the signatories of the Doha Accord about the aggravation of the situation in the country if the signatories fail to ensure the withdrawal of US troops by May 1. So, the peace talks and negotiations could be in peril, if the Taliban does not accept the new deadline of Mr Biden for the withdrawal of foreign forces.

US agencies also warned about the ability of the Taliban to target the USA once again because they are more powerful, well-equipped, well-prepared, well-experienced, and more influential than they were in 2001.  According to the article “Biden and Austin must listen to the intelligence community in charting Afghanistan withdrawal” contributed by Daniel N. Hoffman to The Washington Times, US agencies warned about the perpetual threats for US interests within Afghanistan and out of Afghanistan after her withdrawal. Mr. Daniel also corroborated the narrative that agencies also informed Mr. Biden that the Taliban can target Americans within three to four months after the US withdrawal. So, the newly shared date of withdrawal polarized not only the US community but also Congressmen because one segment appreciates the Biden decision, but another segment of US society and Congress perceived such statements as being against the ground realities of Afghanistan.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who is a moderate New Hampshire Democrat, also supports the foreign interventions in Afghanistan nearly two decades ago, lashed out at President Biden by her remarks that Mr Biden’s decision would encourage the Taliban to pose grave threats to US interests.

Thus, the Biden Administration must play its pivotal role by devising a new strategy to keep troops in the country by restoring the US role as a global leader. The Taliban must not be given a free hand at all, otherwise, the efforts of The USA and its allies would be wasted. Never make a decision that does not jibe with ground realities for temporary peace. Cautious and circumspect steps must be taken rationally for American and global cause by engaging the Taliban in the dialogue process for a different power-sharing module under the auspices of America and other global powers.

There must be a written document with Taliban and other influential groups that there should be no violation of human rights in the country, and some American troops will remain in the country to monitor the situation. The UNO should also expedite its role and efforts for the protection of human rights instead of passing ineffective statements of condemnation of human rights violation after aggravation of the situation in Afghanistan.