“Open Letter to the United Nations Committee on Participation Regarding the Continued Suspension of Afghanistan’s Voting Rights in the General Assembly” 

Honorable Chairperson and Esteemed Members of the United Nations Credentials Committee,  

 

With our respectful greetings,  

 

Afghanistan, following the disgraceful takeover by the Taliban, is currently facing catastrophic and unprecedented conditions that are beyond the control of its people. The country now endures one of the darkest periods in its history, where not only its independence and national sovereignty are under severe threat, but the innocent people of Afghanistan, particularly women, vulnerable ethnic groups, and religious minorities, find themselves voiceless and unrepresented at the international level. According to Article 19 of the UN Charter, the General Assembly has the authority to allow a member state to retain its voting rights if “the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the member.” The current situation in Afghanistan clearly falls within this definition. Denying Afghanistan its voting rights in the UN General Assembly is not only an injustice to the people of Afghanistan but also amounts to silencing the voices of millions of Afghanistan women and girls who, under the most dire circumstances, continue to fight for their rights, justice, and freedom against the Taliban’s brutal regime. The suspension of Afghanistan’s voting rights persists while the Taliban, lacking any domestic or international legitimacy, control all internal revenues and receive weekly financial assistance ranging from 40 to 80 million US dollars to the Central Bank of Afghanistan, which is under their control. The Taliban have repeatedly attempted to appoint their own representative as Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN. It remains unclear how Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative can be expected to meet the country’s financial obligations to the UN under such circumstances. Therefore, we express our deep concern and regret that the continued suspension of Afghanistan’s voting rights could be politicized, paving the way for the Taliban to take over Afghanistan’s representation at the UN. This would not only further oppress the people of Afghanistan but also expose them to increased systematic collective punishment. In such a critical situation, it is imperative that the United Nations, the Credentials Committee, and the international community do not punish the Afghanistani people but instead support them. On this basis, we, as representatives of the millions of Afghanistan citizens, especially the women and girls who have been taken hostage and oppressed by the Taliban, urge you to recognize the gravity of the situation. Denying Afghanistan’s voting rights in the UN General Assembly adds yet another layer of injustice to the suffering of its people. We respectfully request that you consider one of the following measures to restore Afghanistan’s voting rights: 1. Payment of Afghanistan’s membership dues through the UN Trust Fund to prevent further deprivation of Afghanistan’s voting rights. 2. A temporary exemption from membership payments until a legitimate government, elected by the will of the Afghanistan people, is established. 3. Allocation of a portion of the weekly 40 to 80 million USD financial aid provided by the United States to the Central Bank of Afghanistan under Taliban control, to address the issue of unpaid membership dues. Additionally, we strongly urge the United Nations and the international community not to, under any circumstances, hand over Afghanistan’s permanent seat at the UN to the Taliban. Recognizing the Taliban’s representation would amount to legitimizing an illegal regime that systematically violates human rights, enforces gender apartheid, and continues to oppress the people of Afghanistan. We trust that the United Nations remains committed to its core principles of supporting human rights and the oppressed and understands that any attempt to transfer Afghanistan’s seat to the Taliban would be a grave betrayal of the Afghanistan people, especially the women and girls who are suffering under the atrocities of this group.  

 

With utmost respect, The Women Protestors of the “Purple Saturday Movement” from inside Afghanistan