Opponents of the Afghan Regime to Doha Meeting: Do Not Negotiate with the Taliban in the Absence of the People

A few days before the United Nations meeting in Qatar, several groups opposing the Taliban issued a joint statement reminding participants that no deals should be made with the Taliban in the absence of the Afghan people. This statement, released on Thursday, calls for the United Nations to allow all political parties and movements in Afghanistan to participate in the Doha meeting and other consultative meetings regarding Afghanistan. The signatories of this statement, which include several political parties and former armed groups opposing the Taliban, including the Resistance Front, emphasized that legitimate political, security, and economic interactions of regional and global countries with Afghanistan are prerequisites for peace and security in the region and the world. They stressed that considering the demands of the people, cooperation of effective political movements and stakeholders, and avoiding any political-diplomatic engagement with the Taliban in the absence of the Afghan people are conditions for the success of this meeting. They also welcomed the efforts of the United Nations in issuing Resolution 2721 of the Security Council, which appoints a special envoy for Afghanistan and places Afghanistan at the center of the organization's attention. These parties and movements stated, 'We are committed to comprehensive cooperation with the United Nations special envoy tasked with helping to change the situation through inclusive national processes that lead to a change in the status quo.' The statement mentions that since August 2021, the Taliban has put the Afghan people in a 'major crisis' and has seized political power in Afghanistan through violence and force, ruling over the people 'oppressively and illegitimately.' The Taliban's opponents pointed out the negative consequences of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, including depriving people of basic rights, gender apartheid, genocide, and supporting terrorist groups, noting that inviting the Taliban to international meetings emboldens the group to continue its violent behavior. The signatories of this statement further called for the opportunity for all Afghan political parties to participate in the Doha meeting to create a legal government 'arising from the will of the people' through an 'inclusive national process.' The Taliban has not yet responded to this statement but has stated that if the conditions for consultation for the Taliban delegation with the UN Secretary-General in Doha are not provided and if representation from Afghanistan is not granted to the Taliban at this meeting, no delegation will be sent to Qatar. The second consultative meeting of the United Nations on Afghanistan is scheduled to be held on February 18 and 19 in Doha, and according to Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Taliban representatives have been invited to participate in this conference. The United States is considering the possibility of consular presence in Afghanistan without recognizing the Taliban government. The United Nations: Al-Qaeda and the Taliban assist in carrying out terrorist attacks in Pakistan. British Parliament representatives are investigating 'gender apartheid' in Iran and Afghanistan. Afghan expatriates in the US gather to protest the massacre of Hazaras and the oppression of women by the Taliban. Verification: Are Afghan women being detained for 'bad hijab'? A Taliban official confirmed the detention of women and girls in Afghanistan under the pretext of 'bad hijab.' The United Nations: The Taliban imprison Afghan women for 'protection' from gender-based violence. Malala Yousafzai: Women in Afghanistan are under 'gender apartheid.'