Taliban leaders seek UN aid but cadres threaten agency’s Afghan staff

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While the Taliban leadership has been desperately seeking humanitarian aid from the United Nations, their cadres are reported to be intimidating the Afghan staff of the UN, especially the women members.</p>
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Harassment and intimidation of the United Nations Afghan staff has been on the rise since the Taliban came to power last month, the U.N. special envoy on Afghanistan Deborah Lyons informed the Security Council on Thursday.</p>
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"The U.N. cannot conduct its work that is so essential to the Afghan people  if its personnel are subjected to intimidation, fear for their lives, and cannot move freely," a Reuters report from Geneva cited Lyons as saying.</p>
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"We are … increasingly worried by the growing number of incidents of harassment and intimidation against our national staff. We will continue to do everything possible to support our staff and keep them from harm's way," Lyons added.</p>
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Although the Taliban leadership had issued statements that they will respect people's rights, reports of reprisals and door-to-door searches show that the assurances are not being implemented in practice.</p>
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"We are outraged at reports that members of the Taliban have engaged in reprisals against U.N. staff throughout the country. This is simply unacceptable," senior U.S. diplomat Jeffrey DeLaurentis told the Security Council.</p>
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He called on the Taliban to respect the independence and neutrality of the U.N.</p>
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He also said the United States had heard reports that some female U.N. staff and female staff of U.S. aid partners had been stopped from coming into the office.</p>
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"To call these reported incidents 'outrageous' would be an understatement. All U.N. staff members must be able to conduct their work without undue burden and without discrimination as to who they are," DeLaurentis said.</p>
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Most countries are in favour of restoring humanitarian aid flows to Afghanistan as the country is reeling from a severe drought and the economy is on the brink collapse, but there are fears that the food and medical supplies could be controlled by the Taliban and not reach the people who need them most. Acts of intimidation of the UN staff by the Taliban cadres only go to reinforce these fears.</p>