Taliban’s Religious Education Could Lay Foundation of Radical Ideas, Says UN Expert
Richard Bennett, UN's Special Human Rights Rapporteur for Afghanistan on Tuesday, said that the Taliban's focus on "religious education" promotes extremism.
Richard Bennett, UN's Special Human Rights Rapporteur for Afghanistan on Tuesday, said that the Taliban's focus on "religious education" promotes extremism.
Bennett added that the focus on madrassas (religious schools) increases the risk of homegrown terrorism and regional and global instability.
He presented a report on the human rights situation in Afghanistan to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.
In the report, the repressive policies and measures of the Taliban, the continuous humanitarian and economic crisis, and the recent deadly earthquakes have been mentioned as factors causing the deterioration of the human rights situation in Afghanistan.
Regarding the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Bennet said that a grave picture has emerged that provides “a glimpse of what may lie ahead for the human rights of many Afghans, particularly women, and girls, and also for other groups including human rights defenders, journalists, ethnic and linguistic minorities, LGBTI person, people with disabilities, former government officials and military and security personnel”.
He added that despite promises, there is torture and inhumane treatment in Taliban’s detention centres as well as violation of human rights of the former government officials and security forces.
The UN Special Rapporteur has also mentioned the continuation of arrests of human rights defenders.
Also, Bennett stressed on lifting the ban on girls' education, referring to the Taliban's claim of "temporary suspension" of girls' education.
Bennett expressed concern that the actions of the Taliban could potentially be categorised as gender-based persecution. He stressed on the need for a more thorough examination of the systematic discrimination, oppression, and separation of women and girls, which he referred to as a form of “gender apartheid”.
This UN official also considered the arrest of journalists as an example of the collapse of the civic space in Afghanistan.
Referring to the recent earthquakes in Herat province and their wide-ranging consequences, Bennett urged the international community to provide needed assistance.
He also mentioned the concern of Afghans regarding the normalisation of the situation and that human rights are being sidelined in favour of larger geopolitical interests.
He expressed his hope that the member states of the United Nations will stand by the women and people of Afghanistan.
