The Political, Security and Human Rights Situation in Afghanistan
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Danish 7/2002 Immigration Service ENG The Political, Security and Human Rights Situation in Afghanistan Report on fact-finding mission to Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan and Islamabad, Pakistan 22 September - 5 October 2002 Copenhagen, March 2003 The Danish Immigration Service Ryesgade 53 DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø Phone: + 45 35 36 66 00 Website: www.udlst.dk E-mail: [email protected] List of English reports on fact finding missions in 2002 and 2003 Security and Human Rights Situation, Entry and Exit Procedures and Personal Documentation in Sri Lanka May 2002: 4 Report on political situation, security and human rights in Rwanda 2002 May 2002: 5 Fact-finding mission to Islamabad and Peshawar, Pakistan and Kabul, Afghanistan 2002 September 2002: 6 Report on political, security and human rights developments in southern and central Somalia, including South West State of Somalia, and Puntland State of Somalia July 2002: 7 Fact-finding mission to Amman and Ankara regarding Iraqi asylum seekers 2002 August 2002: 8 Report on fact-finding mission to Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan and Islamabad, Pakistan November 2002: 9 The Political, Security and Human Rights Situation in Afghanistan Contents ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................................4 1. INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................5 1.1 LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN AFGHANISTAN..................................................................................6 1.2 TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR FACT-FINDING MISSION TO AFGHANISTAN ........................................7 2. POLITICAL SITUATION............................................................................................................9 2.1 POLITICAL SITUATION IN GENERAL AFTER APPOINTMENT OF THE TRANSITIONAL ADMINISTRATION ..............................................................................................................................9 2.2 EXERCISE OF POLITICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS IN KABUL/THE PROVINCES............11 2.3 THE POSITION AND INFLUENCE OF THE TALIBAN TODAY ...........................................................14 2.3.1 The situation for people who served the Taliban in the past (voluntarily or otherwise)..14 2.3.2 The possibility of amnesty for former Taliban fighters and the implementation in practice ....................................................................................................................................................16 2.4 THE SITUATION FOR PERSONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FORMER COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT ......16 2.5 THE SITUATION OF PERSONS PREVIOUSLY IN OPPOSITION TO/IN CONFLICT WITH THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE .......................................................................................................................................19 2.5.1 People evading military service with the Northern Alliance ............................................19 2.6 ANY NEW POLITICAL GROUPINGS ..............................................................................................20 2.7 THE EXISTENCE OF AN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE .........................................................................21 3. THE SECURITY SITUATION ..................................................................................................23 3.1 THE SECURITY SITUATION IN GENERAL......................................................................................23 3.2 REGIONAL DIFFERENCES ...........................................................................................................24 Kabul..........................................................................................................................................24 The South and Southeast............................................................................................................24 The North ...................................................................................................................................25 The West.....................................................................................................................................26 Hazarajat - The Central Highland.............................................................................................26 Other regions .............................................................................................................................27 3.3 FORCED RECRUITMENT, IF ANY - WHICH REGIONS/FORCES ........................................................27 3.4 DEMOBILIZATION ......................................................................................................................28 3.5 BUILDING A NATIONAL ARMY AND A POLICE FORCE..................................................................29 4. THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION.......................................................................................31 4.1 THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN GENERAL.............................................................................31 4.2 THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION..........................................................................32 4.3 RE-INTRODUCTION OF PARTS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF 1964 ..................................................34 4.4 THE EXISTENCE OF A JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND ANY REGIONAL DIFFERENCES, INCLUDING THE FUNCTION OF ANY LOCAL JUDICIAL AUTHORITIES ...........................................................................35 4.5 THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION ...................................................................................39 4.5.1 The importance of social networks ...................................................................................39 4.5.2 Access to resources ...........................................................................................................40 22 September - 5 October 2002 2 The Political, Security and Human Rights Situation in Afghanistan 4.6 ETHNIC GROUPS ........................................................................................................................41 4.6.1 Persecution based on ethnicity and any regional differences in this regard....................41 Pashtuns.....................................................................................................................................42 Hazaras ......................................................................................................................................44 Qizilbash ....................................................................................................................................45 Kazaks ........................................................................................................................................45 4.6.2 The possibility of ethnic groups settling in areas other than their areas of origin when they return..................................................................................................................................45 4.7 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.................................................................................................................46 4.7.1 Secularisation of the Afghan society.................................................................................46 4.7.2 The situation of religious minorities .................................................................................46 4.8 THE SITUATION OF WOMEN........................................................................................................47 4.8.1 General comments concerning physical security..............................................................49 4.8.2 Access to work and education...........................................................................................50 4.8.3 Arranged marriages..........................................................................................................51 4.8.4 Availability, if any, of support organizations for women..................................................52 5. ISSUE OF DOCUMENTATION................................................................................................54 5.1 ISSUING OF PASSPORTS ..............................................................................................................54 5.2 NATIONAL ID-CARDS ................................................................................................................54 5.3 MARRIAGE CERTIFICATES .........................................................................................................55 6. ISSUES CONCERNING LAW OF DOMESTIC RELATIONS.............................................56 6.1 WEDDINGS, MARRIAGES AND DIVORCES ..................................................................................56 6.2 PARENTAL CUSTODY .................................................................................................................57 7. ENTRY TO AND EXIT FROM THE COUNTRY ..................................................................58 ANNEXES ........................................................................................................................................62 ANNEX 1: MAP OF AFGHANISTAN...................................................................................................63 ANNEX 2: MAP OF AFGHANISTAN (ADMINISTRATIVE BORDERS).....................................................64 ANNEX 3: DECREE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE AFGHAN INTERIM ADMINISTRATION ON DIGNIFIED RETURN OF REFUGEES