Author: Sayed Hussain Hussainy

In the name of Almighty Allah The message of the Civil Society and Human Rights Organization (Network) 29 January 2011 Kabul – Afghanistan We have received the sad news of a suicide attack in Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul city. The attack killed a number of innocent people. Mrs. Hamida Barmaki, the Commissioner of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and her five family members were amongst the victims. Allah may bless all of them. The Civil Society and Human Rights Organization (Network), condemn this brutal act against human values and human dignity. Killing of civilians and innocent people is against the Islamic values, the national and international law and humanitarian values. The suicide attacks badly damage peace building, reconciliation and state building process in Afghanistan . Such actions strongly affect the Afghan people psychologically as well morally. The Civil Society and Human Rights Organization (Network), expresses its deep condolences to the families of the victims of this inhuman action. We would like to stand beside our partner organization the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission in this difficult period of time. The death of our innocent colleague and a good friend of civil society, Mrs. Hamida Barmaki, is a great miss amongst human rights family and civil society activist in Afghanistan. Civil Society and Human rights Organization (Network)

In the name of Almighty Allah Statement of Civil Society and Human Rights Network on the Afghanistan agreement in Lisbon 30/11/2010 Kabul – Afghanistan NATO leaders, the leaders of a number of NATO partner countries and representatives of some international civil society organizations, including the UN high commissioner, met the 19th and 20 th of November 2010 in Lisbon to discuss the relevant issues of Afghanistan. A resolution was signed between the Afghanistan state and NATO. According to the resolution, the procedure of security transition to Afghan national forces starts in the beginning of 2011 and last to the end of 2014. From the perspective of Civil Society and Human Rights Network the Lisbon meeting is an important event with regards to the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan. The meeting shows a change in the decisions of the international community, particularly NATO and the United States of America , regarding Afghanistan. Undoubtedly, the people of Afghanistan and civil society alike all want Afghan national forces to be capable of defending terrorism independently and shoulder all security responsibility of the country. But any decision must meet the reality and the context of Afghanistan . Quick decisions and lack of transparency regarding the content of the transition of security responsibilities is of great concern to the Afghan people and the member organizations of Civil Society and Human Rights Network. The international community for the sake of vital political decisions should not lie solely on state but also on civil society and public prospective. The Afghan Civil Society and Human Rights Network once again stresses, that the security and stability in Afghanistan not only concerns the rights and demands of Afghans, but it is also a need of the international community in securing their communities. To provide peace, stability and development…

In the name of Almighty Allah Statement of the Civil Society and Human Rights Network on the Parliamentary Elections Kabul – Afghanistan, 15 September 2010 Afghan people going to the polls for the parliamentary elections, experience once again an important historical test. Elections are considered in the country to be the most important component of democracy. In any political system, the people determine the legitimacy of the system through parliamentary elections. So the upcoming elections in Afghanistan plays an important role in the political , social, economic and cultural fields of our country. The Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN) appreciates that parliamentary elections are conducted. It requests however from the Afghan people to actively and sincerely participate in this process. In order to facilitate a better coordination among state institutions and non-governmental organizations during the parliamentary elections, the Civil Society and Human Rights Network suggest the following points: •  CSHRN requests from national and international security organizations in Afghanistan to do their best in order to provide security to citizens during the elections, because people participating in elections bring legitimacy to a democratic system. •  CSHRN requests from all civil society organizations in the country to actively contribute to the success of the elections day and to support the people during this historic day so that they are able to participate and to understand the importance of elections. •  CSHRN urges all parties involved in the country to respect this historic day and to respect the will of the people and therefore not to cause any conflicts that may lead to violence. •  CSHRN invites all Afghan media in the country to play an active role for a democratic culture and to avoid any ethnic, linguistic and tribal issue. •  CSHRN requests from political parties, private…

In the name of God Statement of the One-Day Conference on Justice and Reconciliation November 10, 2010, Kabul, Afghanistan Several decades of war, instability, and persistent insecurity in Afghanistan has made the need for sustainable peace urgent and necessary particularly as the level of safety has become progressively deteriorated. Continuation of war and insecurity has not only destroyed the socio-political fabric of society, but has had a drastic psychological impact on the people of Afghanistan. Today, when thinking and talking of peace, we should pay more attention to healing the social and psychological wounds of society, as sustainable peace cannot be achieved without paying attention to the needs of victims. Therefore, addressing issues of justice should be a priority in the process of strengthening peace in the country given that justice is as integral to sustainable peace as security. We, civil society and human rights activists, believe that peace can be achieved only if justice, human rights and human dignity are both respected and protected in the peace and reconciliation process. Only a just peace process can ensure long-term stability. At the same time, peace is and should be treated as a national rather than as an individual/group-centric process, in order to garner public trust and support, particularly in a multi-ethnic society. Peace can be a national process only if equal participation is guaranteed to all members of the society, from all walks of life, through a process that is open, transparent and inclusive. If government or other circles attempt to use peace as a means of achieving illegitimate or short-term political purposes, it is obvious that peace cannot be achieved; rather it would further weaken public support and trust of the process, resulting in the Government of Afghanistan's loss of further legitimacy. Therefore, if it genuinely wants…

In the name of Almighty Allah The Message of the symposium of “access to information: its role in the promotion of democracy and human rights in Afghanistan”. Kabul, Afghanistan, 28 June 2010 The access to information is one of the most needed components in the current situation, which provides facilities for promotion of human rights values and culture of democracy in a society. Access to information makes a better context for implementation of law and respect for rule of law and generates an appropriate condition for good governance. The experience of International community show that access to information mechanisms limit the circle of corruption in the society and consolidates the citizens to combat against corruption in a close collaboration with the state. Access to information summons the citizens to respect and fulfill social norms and binds the state to dissemination of accurate information about human and natural resources as well as the ability of government to citizens. It builds a transparent citizens-state relationship and makes the ground to walk toward socio-economic and cultural development. The analytical articles presented by today's symposium, indicates that in current situation of Afghanistan , establishing of an efficient mechanism for access to information is an immediate felt need. On the anther hand the presented articles by Afghan parliamentarians refers the common-sense of some committed members of the parliament and Afghan civil society to access to information program in Afghanistan . It also justifies that some members of the parliament are interested in collaboration and coordination with the Afghan civil society to work on legalization of access to information in Afghanistan. The participants of Symposium actively discussed the articles presented by parliamentarians and after having constructive dialogue with parliamentarians the participants insist on the need of access to information. The participants announced their support…

In the name of Almighty Allah Statement by CSHRN on the events in the Behsood and Dimerdad districts Of Maidan Wardak province Kabul , Afghanistan , 20 May 2010 Unfortunately once again Behsood and Dimirdad districts of Maidan Wardak province met armed and bloodshed conflict of Kuchis with local communities. According to received news during this conflict many people died, a lot of houses were burnt and thousands of local people displaced compulsorily. Many families including women and children were displaced and some even disappeared. This is not a new event, as already in the previous years, Kuchis (nomads) were coming to the areas when the weather got warmer and the conflict started between them and local people. Two years ago, the conflict lasted for more than two months in these two districts and many people were killed and thousands displaced from Behsood and Dimirdad. The state came up with a short term program to address the conflict, but could not find a useful long-term strategy to solve the problem. Therefore, Afghan citizens have doubts about the political willingness of the state to solve this social problem. Lowering and deterioration of trust of people toward the state creates other social problems as well as expansion of dimension of existing problem in the country. On the other hand, this type of conflict between citizens of Afghanistan is the result of a lack of governmental strategy and useful programs for national conflict resolution in the country level, but when there is armed conflict and usage of weapon, the case meets a new and complicated dimension and means. The disarmament program (DAIAG) was implemented in most parts of Afghanistan and many groups were disarmed, therefore any armed conflict and usage of weapons by some groups considered insurgency against the government and…

In the name of Almighty Allah Message on the upcoming Kabul Conference Kabul, Afghanistan, March 2010 The Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN) as umbrella structure would like to convey the message of its member organisations committed to human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Afghanistan with regard to the upcoming Kabul conference. CSHRN is devoted to the establishment of security and the building of peace in Afghanistan and raises the following points as the crucial ones to be discussed during the Kabul conference. •  To strengthen a productive dialogue between the United Nations peace making strategy and the strategies of other international actors regarding Afghanistan. •  To establish a constructive dialogue and a sustainable coordination between civil society and the state, in particular with the national security council as the responsible body for the national and international security in Afghanistan, on the establishment of security and conflict prevention. •  Justice is the main precondition for peace building. Therefore, no conditional justice should be offered in the name of reconciliation as it was lately done with the validation of the so called amnesty bill. •  To strengthen accountable mechanisms for the establishment of peace, where actors, stakes, objectives and so on are dealt with in a transparent manner. •  CSHRN asks that a professional research on the main reasons of the conflict and the best ways on how to resolve the conflict will be conducted. •  To organise a national dialogue about peace building in Afghanistan, creating thereby national legitimacy and national support for such a process. •  To strengthen the of rule of law as mechanism for reaching peace, security and stability. •  To implement human rights and international humanitarian law according to the international commitments. •  To concentrate on the realisation of economic,…

           In the name of Almighty Allah A joint statement of Afghan Women's Network and Civil Society Human Rights Network and on the occasion of 8th of March International women's day March 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------ On the occasion of 8th of March International Women's Day, the Afghan civil society organisations demand the Afghan State and international community to pay serious attention to Peace and security and find way of tackling of current violence. ------------------------------------------------------------------ The 8th of March is recognised as the International Women's day. International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. To celebrate this important day is distinguished as international advocacy for human rights of women, gender balance and social-economic and cultural security of women across the world. The Afghan women as a part of the Afghan and international community annually celebrate 8 th of March as an important day for Afghan society. During this day the Afghan women raise their voice and inputs on the role of women through civil society organisations and Afghan media. During the current year the Afghan women is practicing very difficult time. During this year the Afghan women badly suffered from lack of security and stability. Along with the security the Afghan women suffered from lack of economic and social security. Main social problems of Afghan women were the following issues: Domestic violence, rape and abuses, abduction of young girls, humiliation of women by warlords and criminals, lack of gender balance, misinterpretation of religious values concerning women and deterioration of the role of Afghan women. Lately the international and national military forces organised a series of heavy military operations where a number of civilians were killed and a big number of them were injured. The Taliban and other terrorists…