Humanitarian agencies operating in Afghanistan have been largely insulated from frustrations over sanctions. However, aid agencies are likely to face more serious fallout, amounting to security threats, in the event of further economic sanctions. There is no public opinion as such in Afghanistan, in that there are no representative institutions and no civil society mechanisms through which international coercion might be translated into public debate and domestic pressure for policy change. The population of Afghanistan is already highly vulnerable. It has limited ability to continue to withstand the accumulated as well as the direct effects of warfare, the drought, and a political and economic system that disallows the right of a significant proportion of the population to participate in action that is essential for its well-being.
Afghans have little capacity to cope with further economic shocks.
Any increase in prices of basic staples and medicine or any reduction in income and employment possibilities will have a significant impact on a population that is already operating on the margins of survival. Afghanistan has a minimum requirement of more than 4 millions tons of cereals per year, which raises the need for imported cereal to a record level of 2.3 million tons in 2000. A letter signed by 154 of 290 Iranian parliamentarians on August 13, stated that the presence of Afghan refugees created problems for Iranians and called on President Khatami to start preparing for their return home. The Online Center for Afghan Studies , All rights reserved.