Lantern of Freedom Movement: Consultations to Grant Afghanistan's UN Seat to the Taliban Ignore the Rights of the People

Sent to Zan TV

The Lantern of Freedom Movement of Afghan Women has expressed concern in a statement regarding the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)'s consultations about handing over Afghanistan's permanent UN seat to the Taliban. The movement described this action as an attempt to gradually legitimize the Taliban and ignore the rights of the Afghan people.

According to the statement released by the movement, initiating these consultations while the Taliban lacks any popular or legal legitimacy is a worrying step towards disregarding the will and rights of the Afghan people. The movement emphasized that the Taliban, through their "authoritarian" practices, systematic exclusion of women from social spheres, and suppression of fundamental freedoms, have repeatedly proven that they do not represent the real voice of the Afghan people.

The movement also referenced the United Nations' "Mosaic Plan," launched by UNAMA to create an inclusive framework for dialogue with all stakeholders in Afghanistan. According to the Lantern of Freedom's statement, this initiative is proceeding without the genuine participation of the people, especially women, and risks becoming a tool for legitimizing the Taliban instead of facilitating national dialogue.

One of the movement's members stated, "The United Nations, as the largest human rights authority, should not engage with the terrorist Taliban. No country in the world has the right to shake hands with the blood-stained hands of the Taliban."

The Lantern of Freedom Movement called on the international community, human rights organizations, and the United Nations to pay greater attention to the will and rights of the Afghan people in decisions related to Afghanistan's political future. The movement also stressed the need to review the current processes.

It is worth mentioning that the "Mosaic Plan," introduced by UNAMA, aims to create a dialogue space among all political and social stakeholders in Afghanistan. This plan is designed to facilitate the peace process and establish a framework for political engagement in Afghanistan. However, some human rights activists and civil society groups have expressed concerns that it could potentially lead to the legitimization of the Taliban.