US Envoy Thomas West
The Taliban’s Quest for normalization of relations with the international community, which includes the relief from terrorism sanctions and the release of Afghan financial assets, faces significant obstacles due to the regime’s oppressive policies towards women, ongoing security threats and the failure of the group to form an inclusive government, according to a top US official.
Despite the failure to hold sway over all of Afghanistan for more than two years, no country has officially recognised the self-proclaimed Islamic Emirate. Thomas West, a US special representative for Afghanistan underscored the reasons behind the diplomatic standoff during an event at the Stimpson Centre, a non-partisan think tank in Washington.
Remarks of Thomas West
“Steps towards normalization, I think are not going to be possible. And I think that there will be remarkable unity among the international community until and unless we see a significant change in the Taliban’s treatment of the population,” West said. He mentioned that the United States of America was not leading the global consensus for non-recognition, but had a set of conditions that are unfulfilled by the Taliban.
“First the Taliban need to fundamentally fulfil their security obligations, West said, adding that Al-Qaeda had been reduced to a historic nadir since it moved from Afghanistan to Sudan in 1996, and concerns persist about the other terror groups still operating in the landlocked country.
He also highlighted the necessity for the Taliban to establish a more inclusive political system and guarantee women’s right to education and work as the two additional conditions for normal relations with the international community.
The Taliban have defied widespread calls for a reversal of their bans on women while maintaining that there is an interim government is inclusive enough.
Change from Within
Thus far, Washington has rebuffed calls from other Afghan groups that seek assistance in toppling the Taliban Regime. According to the West, meaningful reforms and changes in the war-ravaged nation should originate from within Afghanistan rather than external pressure.
If a change has to occur to allow women to access secondary schools, girls’ secondary schools, and then to the universities, it is going to come from inside the country. It is not going to come because I have asked for it. It will be an internal matter.
However, various Human Rights Organisations, vouch and continue to advocate for increased international pressure on the Taliban, including classifying the Taliban-run Afghanistan as a gender-based apartheid regime and prosecuting Taliban leaders for crimes against humanity.
West has acknowledged the active role played by many Muslim Majority countries such as Qatar and Indonesia as well as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in engaging the Taliban on women’s rights issues.
Last month, a delegation of Islamic Scholars from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other Muslim-majority countries visited Kabul to persuade and try to lift the ban on women’s secondary education and work. The group, however, has shown no sign of relenting
While the Taliban leadership has remained unbending in the face of domestic and international appeals for human rights and political inclusivity, they appear to have acknowledged to some extent the counter-terrorism demands put forth by the United States of America (USA).
“The Taliban understand that they need to fulfil their security commitments in order to protect their own sovereignty. So, they do not want the USA to act on Afghan Soil,” West said.
Notably, with the resurgence of the Taliban Regime in August 2021 in Afghanistan, the country’s educational system has faced a setback, Girls and women and war-torn country have no access to education, employment, and public spaces. The Taliban has imposed draconian restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, association, assembly, and movement for women and girls.
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