200 Afghanis in Norway protest against visiting Taliban delegation
Taliban, Western officials meet in Oslo “Norway” to discuss Afghanistan
After ‘a positive icebreaking meeting’ with Afghan activists, the group holds talks with Western officials.
After ‘a positive icebreaking meeting’ with Afghan activists, the group holds talks with Western officials.
Taliban and Western diplomats are holding a meeting outside Norway’s capital Oslo for talks focused on Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, which has escalated drastically since last August when the Taliban stormed back to power 20 years after being toppled in a US-led invasion.
The closed-door discussions with representatives of the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Italy, the European Union and Norway are being held on Monday at the Soria Moria Hotel, on a snowy hilltop outside Oslo.
On Sunday, during the first day of the three-day talks, the Taliban met with Afghan civil society members, including women activists and journalists, for talks on human rights.
Women’s rights activist Jamila Afghani, who attended Sunday’s talks, told the AFP news agency “it was a positive icebreaking meeting”.
The Taliban “displayed goodwill … Let’s see what their actions will be, based on their words”, she said.
The 15 members of the all-male delegation arrived on Saturday on board a plane chartered by the Norwegian government.
Oslo [Norway], January 24: Afghans, based in Norway, Protested outside Norwegian foreign ministry office on Sunday against Taliban delegation, Which is on a visit to capital Oslo.
Dozens of men and women protested, raising Afghan flags and placards that read, “Free Alia Azizi” and Do Not Recognize the Taliban. They have Blood in their hands. Can’t be trusted”.
A poster defined Alia Azizi as a Hazara woman and a former military officer. She was the head of women’s prison in Herat province, Who was detained and arrested by Taliban two months after they came to power in Afghanistan.
Protesters came out with slogans against Norwegain delegates.
The protestors also urged the United Nation to “Wake up” to the realities of Afghanistan.
They raised slogans “United Nations, wake up, wake up, No to Taliban”
Amid the ongoing talks between Taliban delegation and members of the international community in Norway, protests have erupted in Oslo. Some agitations are also scheduled to be held later today.
“The Taliban has not changed as some in the international community like to say,” said Ahman Yasir, a Norwegian Afghan living in Norway for about 20 years. “They are as brutal as they were in 2001 and before.”
Fawzia Koofi, former deputy speaker of Afghanistan’s parliament who is also involved in negotiations with the Taliban, told Al Jazeera that the current talks only help consolidate the group’s power.
Posters were posted in streets of Norway
Taliban Delegations to hold Humanitarian talks in Norway
Norway had invited representatives of the Taliban to visit Oslo from January 23 to 25 for talks.
The Taliban delegation is led by their Foreign minister Amir khan Motaqi who arrived in Oslo on Saturday and is supposed to meet with authorities from Norway as well as special representatives of France, Germany Italy, Britain, the United states, and the European Union, The Khaama press reported
This is their first visit to Europe since returning to power in mid-August last year. The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated drastically since the Taliban took control of Kabul.
A combination of a suspension of foreign aid, the freezing of Afghan government assets, and international sanctions on the Taliban, have plunged the country, already suffering from high poverty levels, into a full-blown economic crisis.
Unfreeze assets
The Taliban has been demanding that its assets of nearly $10bn held by the US be released and Afghanistan be linked to global trade.
International aid came to a halt following the Taliban’s return to power on August 15, worsening the plight of millions of people already suffering from hunger after severe droughts.
The freezing of Afghan central bank assets worth billions of dollars by the US and suspension of funds by international financial institutions have triggered a banking crisis and caused a near collapse of the Afghan economy.
“We are requesting them to unfreeze Afghan assets and not punish ordinary Afghans because of the political discourse,” Taliban delegate Shafiullah Azam told The Associated Press news agency, speaking at the end of the first day of talks.
“Because of the starvation, because of the deadly winter, I think it’s time for the international community to support Afghans, not punish them because of their political disputes.”
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SOURCE: HTTPS://ANINEWS.IN/
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