EU CONCERNED OVER AFGHAN WOMEN'S PLIGHT

By Shadaba Islam

BRUSSELS, Oct 2: Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and other world leaders must not continue to ignore the plight of millions of Afghan women whose basic human rights are being violated by Afghanistan's new Islamic regime, Emma Bonino, the European Union's Commissioner for humanitarian affairs said on Wednesday.

"I have respect for religious beliefs, but I'm very concerned about the violation of human rights in Afghanistan," Bonino stressed.

"Let's not forget that Afghanistan has signed the United Nations Convention on Human Rights and let's not forget the UN Conferences on the rights of women," she added.

Bonino said that she understood Benazir Bhutto's political reasons for wanting a stable government in Kabul. "But, this is a very high price to pay in human terms. I find the situation in Afghanistan unacceptable. Ms Bhutto should use her influence over the Taleban to demand the protection of human rights."

The Commissioner warned that she intended to raise the issue in the upcoming negotiations on a new EU-Pakistan cooperation agreement. "There will be pressure on Pakistan," she said.

Bonino added that she found the "silence" of the international community, including the United Nations, about the treatment of women in Afghanistan very difficult to understand.

"The international community must not sit back and wait until there is an explosion in Afghanistan," Bonino insisted. She said the Irish government, as current "president" of the EU, could raise it in the UN General Assembly.