India at UN: Stop differentiating between good and bad terrorists, Syed Akbaruddin‏ tells international community | Read full statement here

India's Ambassador to United Nations Syed Akbaruddin‏ on Thursday (IST) urged the international community to 'ensure that the resurgent forces of terrorism and extremism do not find sanctuaries and safe havens anywhere and at any level.'

Presenting India's arguments during the debate on the situation in Afghanistan, Akbaruddin‏ stressed on the need of eyeing all terrorists with same lens, "We must not differentiate between good and bad terrorists, or play one group against the other."

"The Taliban, Haqqani Network, Al-Qaeda, Daesh, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and others of their ilk are all terror organizations, many of them proscribed by the UN. They should be treated like terrorist organizations with no justifications offered for their activities," he added. 

In the backdrop of ever increasing tension between India and Pakistan on the issues of Kashmir and Bolochistan, the Indian ambassador questioned the availability of the weapons and resources to terrorists in Afghanistan, "...where are these anti-Government elements getting their weapons, explosives, training and funding from? Where do they find safe havens and sanctuaries? How is it that these elements have stood up against one of the biggest collective military efforts in the world?"

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Akbaruddin‏ also strongly condemned international community's lack of attention towards the crisis in Afghanistan, "Despite the worst possible violence witnessed in Afghanistan, this Council doesn't think appropriate to meet more often than at routine quarterly debates on the situation in Afghanistan. At times, the Council has even shied away from condemning some of the terrorist attacks in Afghanistan. Is it that they are far too many to keep track of? Is it because there is a threshold below which human lives lost to terrorism are not required to be addressed?"

India is Afghanistan's one of the closest allies and has remained committed to support and strengthen capabilities to not only fight terrorism and violence but also to aid development and nation building, he said. 

A few days ago, the first cargo of goods arrived, marking the beginning of first such regular service between the two nations. 

Where are anti-Government elements in Afghanistan getting weapons, explosives,training & funding from? - India @UN https://t.co/dFkMQ923mL pic.twitter.com/eJ4TDgHqY8

— Syed Akbaruddin (@AkbaruddinIndia) June 22, 2017

Read Syed Akbaruddin‏'s full statement in UN here: 

Mr President,  

Thank you for organizing this debate on the situation in Afghanistan. We appreciate the briefings by SRSG Mr Yamamoto and the account presented by the distinguished Permanent Representative, Ambassador Mahmoud Saikal that have added to our understanding of the current crises in Afghanistan.

Mr President,

2.The recent flurry of terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, including the massive Kabul bomb attack, have left many of us horror struck. The civilian casualities, most of them being children, is sadly at an all-time high. 

3.Clearly, the international community is dealing in Afghanistan with an adversary who is not averse to flagrantly violating international humanitarian and human rights laws; an adversary flush with resources, weapons and operational support; an adversary that has access to sanctuaries outside the sovereignty of Afghanistan and operational command of the international forces deployed there; an adversary that sees no reason or incentive to give up violence and participate in the creation of a democratic, united, stable, secure and prosperous state. 

4.Unfortunately, the multiple crises that have been inflicted on the war-torn country have once again made Afghan territory attractive for criminal and terrorist groups, which seem now well connected to international terror and crime networks that prey themselves on the resources of Afghanistan. This situation affects the security in South & Central Asian regions and beyond. 

Mr President, 

5. A crisis, more often than not, is seen as a catalyst for real change and genuine solutions. However, for this to happen, one's perceptions need to be straight and forthright. After all, you can't change what you can't or are unwilling to see. This we believe, for a long time, has remained the conundrum that the international community has faced in Afghanistan. The international community's collective inability and unwillingness to see the problem for what it is has inflicted huge costs on the people of Afghanistan. 

Mr President,

6. While no two conflicts are comparable, one wonders why, despite the worst possible violence witnessed in Afghanistan, this Council doesn't think appropriate to meet more often than at routine quarterly debates on the situation in Afghanistan. At times, the Council has even shied away from condemning some of the terrorist attacks in Afghanistan. Is it that they are far too many to keep track of? Is it because there is a threshold below which human lives lost to terrorism are not required to be addressed?  

Mr President, 

7. We see a growing tendency of treating violence in Afghanistan as a routine. Brutalities by terrorist and criminal networks are ignored under the label of anti-Government elements or a consequence of a civil and political conflict. In doing so, we appear to be failing in asking some crucial questions. For example, where are these anti-Government elements getting their weapons, explosives, training and funding from? Where do they find safe havens and sanctuaries? How is it that these elements have stood up against one of the biggest collective military efforts in the world? How is it that these elements collaborate with the world's most dreadful terrorists in killing and brutalizing the Afghans? How is it that the phenomenal rise of opium production, accompanied with a rise in global narcotics drugs prices, have gone totally unattended by the 1988 sanctions committee? 

8. Why is it that the 1988 sanctions regime is still being maintained when there is no will to utilize its leverage for progress in the peace process? Why is it that we do not hear anything about the stalled peace process from those involved and the activities of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group? Why is it that we are not hearing discussions about ideas and plans of action of the Security Council on a conflict which has left many Afghan lives shattered and brutalized? 

9. In the last few months, Afghanistan has faced some of the worst attacks on its territories. Attacks on hospitals, schools, funerals, or international development agencies and diplomatic missions seem to be aimed at sending a message to a nation trying to stand on its feet.  We salute the Afghan National Security Forces who are doing their best in countering the forces of terrorism and extremism which strike persistently one after another. 

10. India remains committed to stand with Afghanistan and support and strengthen capabilities to not only fight terrorism and violence but also to aid development and nation building. Our efforts to this end will be strengthened with the initiation of a direct air corridor between our two countries agreed last December. A few days ago, the first cargo of goods arrived in both our countries overcoming the obstructions our two countries have faced in connecting and trading with each other.  

11. While we welcome the efforts at renewing the UN's approach to dealing with Afghanistan through the upcoming strategic review of UNAMA, such efforts should be guided by the needs and priorities of Afghanistan, its people and its Government. We would appreciate broader and more informal discussions on the matter with all important stakeholders. In this regard, the international community's assistance to the people and Government of Afghanistan needs to address the gaps between the efforts of the country in nation building and quandaries of death and survival.

12. In this regard, it is international community's first and foremost duty to ensure that the resurgent forces of terrorism and extremism do not find sanctuaries and safe havens anywhere and at any  level.  We must not differentiate between good and bad terrorists, or play one group against the other. The Taliban, Haqqani Network, Al-Qaeda, Daesh, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and others of their ilk are all terror organizations, many of them proscribed by the UN. They should be treated like terrorist organizations with no justifications offered for their activities. 

Mr President, 

13. The first and foremost priority of all of us should be to assist Afghanistan in dealing with the humanitarian and security situation in the country, as was outlined by the Secretary General in his report of his visit to Afghanistan. 

14. India, for its part, will continue to stand, in the words of our Prime Minister stand not behind but shoulder to shoulder, with the democratically elected Government of Afghanistan, while it battles against terror and the multiple crises inflicted on it. We hope that this Council, which is tasked with the responsibility of maintaining international peace and security, will also play their role in restoring peace in Afghanistan.

Thank you, Mr President

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