From: tgray@igc.apc.org (Tom Gray)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.afghanistan
Subject: AFGHANISTAN: Left in the cold by ex
Date: 4 Jan 93 18:07:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1592700011:000:5473
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!tgray    Jan  4 10:07:00 1993


/* Written 12:03 am  Dec  6, 1992 by newsdesk@igc.apc.org in igc:ips.englibrary */

AFTSCopyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to
re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Trade & Finance
Title: AFGHANISTAN: Left in the cold by ex-allies from the West?


an inter press service feature

by nasim zehra

islamabad, dec 4 (ips) -- after a decade of fighting a proxy war
for the superpowers in which a million afghans were killed while
five million became refugees, afghanistan is learning to fend for
itself.

to rehabilitate itself, the war-ravaged and impoverished
central asian country is counting heavily on outside support. but
response for emergency aid has been tepid, even from those
nations that once supported the mujahideen guerrillas against the
soviet-backed government of then president mohammed najibullah.

as early as june this year, united nations secretary-general
boutros boutros-ghali had issued an appeal for emergency
humanitarian assistance for afghanistan.

he reminded the international community of its ''obligation''
to see that afghans ''be provided an opportunity to live in
conditions of relative dignity and security''.

but until last month, only 80 million dollars have been
pledged by donor countries -- 100 million dollars short of what
boutros-ghali had said the land-locked nation desperately needs.

the united states, which had financed nine billion dollars
worth of covert war operations in afghanistan, pledged a mere 50
million dollars for the country's rehabilitation.

earlier, washington had ''advised'' the afghan government
against calling a pledging conference in new york, under the
united nations' auspices, to ask for bilateral-level commitment.

others that raked in huge profits from selling arms to the
afghan mujahideen are now adopting a ''hands-off'' policy toward
the country. the italians, whose companies made big business out
of selling land-mines to the muslim guerrillas, are even wary of
providing substantial support for de-mining efforts.

this has prompted one u.n. official to tell an italian
diplomat: ''let some of those war-time profits that your
companies made be ploughed back into clearing these death traps.''

after 14 years of civil war, mujahideen guerrillas succeeded
in finally overthrowing the najibullah government early this
year. a coalition government formed by the different mujahideen
factions has been in place since, and afghan refugees from nearby
iran and pakistan have begun returning home. (more/ips)

afghanistan: left (2)

but land-mines have killed many of the returning refugees.
hundreds have also been killed after the coalition began to crack
along tribal lines and the radical hezb-i-islami group launched
attacks on the capital of kabul.

western donors have argued that substantive support for
reconstruction should come only after afghanistan gains political
stability and peace.  said one western diplomat: ''who do we send
aid to when afghans are fighting among themselves?''

indeed, german foreign minister klaus kinkel told reporters in
islamabad, pakistan last month that while there is a lot of aid
for afghan reconstruction in the pipeline, these will not be
released until there is a stable government in kabul.

the afghans have counter-argued that fighting has been
restricted to kabul while the rest of the country seems to be at
peace. they have also pointed out that people have remained
determined to rebuild their homes as refugees come back in
droves.

outside the capital, traditional administrative networks have
begun functioning once more as life returns to normal.

experts say afghanistan's rehabilitation needs are two-fold:
immediate needs include essentials to get refugees back on track
such as basic water supply and seed and fertiliser to grow crops.

for the long-term, the country needs to do major road repairs
and build communication networks and irrigation channels.

as the country waits for aid to arrive, international
organisations are trying to fill in the gaps. the united nations
development programme (undp), for instance, has contributed one
million dollars, to be used in a comprehensive review and
technical appraisal of afghanistan's rehabilitation needs.

the office for coordination of the u.n. humanitarian and
economic assistance programme (unoca) is also putting together
efforts of various u.n. agencies in getting international
donations of food, fuel, medical supplies and shelter material.

meanwhile, afghanistan's neighbours have proved more
forthcoming than the west in providing aid. pakistan has donated
10 million dollars plus 50 tonnes of wheat to the new government.

iran has also extended it an export credit facility of one
million dollars while saudi arabia has provided the country with
25,000 tonnes of fuel.

india has opted to help on a 'swap' basis. in exchange for tea
provided by india to kazakhstan, alma ata will supply 50,000
tonnes of wheat to afghanistan. (end/ips/cd/nz/cb/92)

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Tom Gray (tgray@igc.apc.org)