World Organizations Disappoint Afghans

According to the chairwoman of the Afghan Women Council, international organizations such as the UN have disappointed thousands of Afghan refugees who are living in extremely undesirable circumstances in various refugee camps throughout the world.

Fatana Ishaq Gialani said that the crisis is particularly dreadful for women and children: "The Afghan women in Afghanistan are leading extremely miserable lives in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We, the Afghan women, have serious complaints against Muslim rulers, particularly those of Pakistan and the Pakistani ulema, for ignoring them in this difficult time. The Pakistani politicians and the ulema have never contacted the Taliban as to why they have deprived the Afghan women of their basic human rights." Gialani also noted that Afghans are concerned that their children will have no opportunity to receive an education and concerned because they have no jobs and healthcare facilities.

Gialani added, "The women of Afghanistan are living like prisoners under the rule of the Taliban. Although the Taliban claim they have given women their rights according to the Islamic injunctions, they are contradicting their own claims by not allowing the women to get education and health facilities in their war-torn country. The Afghan women can not even raise their voice for the solution of their problems."

The UN and other international organizations have only begun to prepare reports on the status of Afghan refugees. Gialani claims that UN officials wish to solve the war-torn country's problems overnight, which is impossible to achieve. She reports that Afghan people have lost faith in the UN, and that organizations claiming to help had little interest in aiding Afghan refugees.

Media Resources: Foreign Press Report- July 23, 1999

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