Statement from the Taliban: “Full Text Delivered By the Head of the Political Office at the Oslo Conference (Forum)”

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نحمده ونصلي علی رسوله الکریم اما بعد

اعوذ بالله من الشیطان الرجیم

بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ). المائده ـ ۸( ) صدق الله العظیم).

Translation: (O ye who believe! Be steadfast in the cause of ALLAH, bearing witness in equity; and let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be always just. That is nearer to righteousness. And fear ALLAH. Surely, ALLAH is Aware of what you do.)

Prior to my expressions according the scheduled agenda of this Forum, I would like to clarify and renounce, to the present Afghans in our native Pashto language, the wrong perception that instead of reconciling with Afghans, the Islamic Emirate is negotiating with foreigners. For the last five years, due to some relaxation in the circumstances, the Islamic Emirate has initiated a series of meetings with various Afghan individuals and circles. Several sessions have been held and the process is incessant. The reason for not holding direct talks with the Kabul administration is their lack of authority in solving strategic issues as the essential element of the present Afghan dilemma and various other issues is America and her foreign allies. It is a bitter fact which should be realized. Now I would like to address the foreigners in their own language.

Respected participants! Regretfully saying that two of our prominent colleagues each Moulavi Shahabbudin Dilawar and Qari Deen Mohammad Hanif could not come here to participate in this meeting due to the ‘Black-List’ restrictions. Now, I would like to come to the main issue.

If you ponder over the recent past history of Afghanistan, it is quite clear that the Islamic Movement of Taliban inside Afghanistan came into being to safeguard the lives and properties of our own people, to preserve the integrity of our country, to control the anarchy and to end the warlord system.

The Islamic Movement of Taliban was an indigenous Afghan and national movement whose source of strength was the overwhelming support and devotion of our own people and this was the main reason in their successful restoration of peace and stability in most parts of the country. The properties, lives and honor of the people were protected, opium cultivation and drug trafficking were banned, the country was unified and a single stable Islamic System was implemented in the country. But unfortunately, from the very beginning, negative propaganda was launched against it and their progress was halted by various lame excuses. Eventually America invaded Afghanistan without any legal justification and occupied it.

During the entire span of previous fourteen years of occupation, a military strategy was adopted by America against Afghanistan and Mujahidin, in which thousands of innocent Afghans who had no links with the 9/11 incident were martyred, injured and made to suffer from various fatal diseases due to the indiscriminate use of chemical weapons.

Numerous innocent people were imprisoned in Bagram, Guantanamo and various other visible and hidden detention centers and were brutally tortured. They were kept in these jails for years without any trial, many of them are still living there in excruciating and oppressed conditions. Our houses and orchards were demolished, our religious sanctities and dead bodies of martyrs were desecrated, even the funeral and wedding processions were indiscriminately bombed. But this strategy of force and suppression had no outcome except killing and demolition which left behind an irredeemable human catastrophe inside Afghanistan.

On the other hand, with the occupation of Afghanistan, America was dragged into a prolonged futile war. They suffered heavy casualties and colossal financial losses and the repercussions were not confined to America only but the whole world was shocked by worst economic recession. Similarly, the international political role of America was significantly undermined. They violated the very basic human rights which were highly claimed and boasted by them in the past. And their short and long term colonial plans remained deficient. If this strategy remains persistent, it will achieve them nothing except prolonging the sufferings of the oppressed Afghans. It will also incur, just like the past, irremediable losses and casualties for both America and her allies. If the invading countries sincerely want a change inside Afghanistan, first of all, a reality based policy must be adopted. The sovereignty of Afghanistan and the formation of self-governed system, which is the legitimate right of all Afghans, should be realized as peace can only be restored when justice is assured. Peace can never be restored in Afghanistan by domination, suppression and protraction of military invasion and the Islamic Emirate do believe in peaceful solution of all issues including the end of foreign occupation.

Peace and stability are the most basic needs of every individual, community and country. Tranquil life, economic, educational, cultural, social and political development cannot be achieved without peace.

Afghans are not fond of fighting. Actually, they hate the war. They are not involved in any detrimental activities anywhere in the world rather they have always been attacked and violated by others.

Afghans are deeply devoted to their creed and country. They have bravely defended their homeland and national values throughout the history and are ready to defend their just rights even today.

Afghans do believe in reciprocity though they need support in all the economic, educational, social and cultural walks of life.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which has evolved from its people, has simultaneously undertaken both military and diplomatic endeavors to defend the country and to get rid of foreign occupation. The objective is the restoration and implementation of an Afghan-inclusive Islamic system of life which could preserve the previous tremendous sacrifices of the people and could guarantee justice, stability, progress, economic prosperity while representing all the people.

In 2010, for the first time the Islamic Emirate agreed, after getting approval from honorable Amir-ul-Momineen Mulla Mohammad Umar Mujahid, to sit on the negotiating table with the United States of America for finding a peaceful solution for the Afghan problem. As confidence building measures, the following issues were discussed:

1. Exchange of prisoners.
2. The nullification of ‘Black List’ and ‘Award List’.
3. Inauguration of a Political Office.

But it was the Kabul based administration which created hurdles against the implementation of above measures. In 2011, when America and the Islamic Emirate agreed upon opening the office and exchange of Guantanamo prisoners, the Kabul administration protested and summoned their ambassador from Doha back to Kabul.

In 2013, when the political office of the Islamic Emirate was re-initiated, the Kabul admin protested again that having a flag and title of ‘The Islamic Emirate’ implies parallel government and these inconsistent excuses were accepted by America which inevitably resulted in closing the office and cessation of this process.

Every likely peace process should include the restoration of Islamic system, the end of occupation and the abolition of all hurdles mentioned above.

In this perspective, we inferred that the decisive and main role player in the Afghan dilemma is America therefore, negotiation with Kabul administration without holding talks with the Americans are useless.

Islamic Emirate do believe in all rights of women which are conferred by the sacred religion of Islam. She is the founder of our Muslim society. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘The best amongst you is the one who is the most benevolent to his family (i.e. spouse)’. The Islamic Emirate is determined to abolish all the prevailing un-Islamic traditions against women and provide them a secure and conforming circumstances where they could live a peaceful and serene life.

The Islamic Emirate is committed to all human, political, economic, social and cultural rights of every individual Afghan. We have struggled for it and this process is incessant.

The Islamic Emirate follows a clear and well-organized policy and strategy for the prevention of civilian losses and casualties which is made public from time to time. It has been conveyed to all Mujahidin and severe measures have been taken for its effective implementation.

The Islamic Emirate is never interested in dragging its own people into the flames of war. Since it has emerged amongst the people and works for the people therefore, whosoever suffers, the Islamic Emirate equally feels and suffers. On the contrary, recent reports and surveys testify that in the previous fourteen years of American occupation, nearly two hundred thousand (200,000) people have been killed and wounded inside Afghanistan and this process of slaughter is incessant.

Similarly, building of public welfare foundations is considered as an inevitable and essential requirement for our war ravaged homeland. Bridges, tunnels, dams, irrigation systems, power stations, mines extraction, oil refineries, educational institutions, madrassas, mosques, schools, universities, health centers, clinics, hospitals and likewise other places of public welfare are considered as public property by the Islamic Emirate whose protection is amongst one of its foremost obligations. The honorable head of the Islamic Emirate, Amer-ul-Momineen, Mulla Mohammad Umar Mujahid has always, in his regular Eid felicitation messages, insisted upon the protection of lives, properties and honor of the ordinary people so that civilian losses are prevented and public foundations are safeguarded.

The Islamic Emirate reiterates its policy and reassures the neighboring and regional countries and the world community that the Islamic Emirate has no intentions of either harming them or their citizens nor will it allow anyone else to exploit the soil of Afghanistan for carrying out such activities.

On the basis of reciprocal reverence, the Islamic Emirate insists on having cordial relations with other countries of the world and welcomes the positive and constructive role of each and every country which really aims at the sustaining development of Afghanistan and the true prosperity of Afghans.

The Islamic Emirate does not want Afghanistan to become the arena of rivalry and proxy war for others. For ensuring regional peace and stability, the Islamic Emirate is ready to co-operate with every country which believe in mutual understanding and does not interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.

Respected participants! Now I would like to draw your attention towards the responsibilities and obligations of the international community:

The International community, America and all the neighboring countries should realize and admit all legitimate political and social rights of the Afghan nation besides their right of self-defense and the freedom of Afghanistan.

By keeping the prevailing ground realities in mind, the international community should play a constructive, impartial and positive role for the restoration of peace and stability in our country.

The United States of America and our neighboring countries should, by keeping in mind realities about the Islamic Emirate, respect its unity and independence. The more the people are oppressed, the more their spirit of freedom is aroused. Therefore, America and other involved sides should take constructive steps regarding the following issues:

1. A place in the form of an office should remain open for negotiations and other necessary contacts. The Islamic Emirate should have the right to name this office as its Political Bureau (Office) and hoist its own flag there.

This office should be a permanent address for contacts, negotiations and meetings with Afghans, foreigners and international humanitarian organs. The Islamic Emirate should enjoy the right to utilize media and other resources for its political purposes.

Similarly, this office should not remain confined to negotiations only as talks can flourish, fail or even postpone.

Those members and officials of the Islamic Emirate who want to visit this office for participation in peace talks or tackling any other human or health issue, should have the right of safe and unrestricted movement.

2. Peace Process, Black List and the Award List are contradictory terms to one another therefore the United Nations and America should remove the leadership and other members of the Islamic Emirate from these lists because, in these reciprocal processes, it is necessary that all sides should have free and safe movements.
3. The Americans are not committed to their own pledges as well as the international norms. I would like to mention the example of those detainees who were freed from Guantanamo Jail last year.

Our five dignitaries were freed from Guantanamo Jail in exchange for the American captive Bowe Bergadahl and were living in Qatar according to the conditions agreed upon. Though a complete year has lapsed but still they are under restrictions which should have automatically been annulled after one year according to the agreement.

The Islamic Emirate seriously calls upon the Americans to fulfil their promises and comply with international rules and regulations and to refrain from impeding the freedom of these detainees as it is completely against the agreement.

4. Similarly, it was committed by the Americans that the colleagues and relatives of the above mentioned detainees can visit them in Qatar but when one detainee was visited by two of his relatives, Anas Haqqani plus another one, on the way back from Qatar via Bahrain as transit passenger, contrary to all promises and commitments, they were detained by American agencies and were handed over to Kabul regime which later on deceitfully announced that they were arrested from ‘Khost’ province during operations.

Therefore, we reiterate that Americans are not committed to their own pledges nor to the international norms and rules and this issue has been repeatedly conveyed to the envoy of the United Nations.

Our demand is that America, the United Nations and other related sides should play an urgent and serious role in the earliest possible release of these individuals.

Thanks.

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Source: http://shahamat-english.com/full-text-of-the-statement-delivered-by-head-of-the-political-office-of-the-islamic-emirate-of-afghanistan-in-oslo-conference-forum/