140 Afghan civil society organizations and women’s protest movement condemn normalization of relations with Taliban

Kabul Times News: In response to the recent statements of California Senator Aisha Wahab, 140 civil society organizations, human rights organizations, and the Afghan women’s protest movement issued a joint statement in Dari, Pashto, and English, resolutely condemning any attempt to legitimize and engage politically with the Taliban.

The signatories of the statement emphasized a clear demarcation between humanitarian assistance and political engagement with the Taliban, and said that humanitarian assistance should not become a tool to legitimize the Taliban’s ruling structure.

The statement also stated that the right of the Afghan people to self-determination should only be guaranteed through an inclusive, democratic process based on the genuine participation of the country’s citizens.

The 140 signatory civil society organizations and movements also supported the protection of Afghanistan’s national assets from abuse by repressive structures and emphasized the need to reflect the true voice of Afghan women, civil activists, and human rights defenders in the international arena.

At the end of this statement, the media and international organizations are asked to republish the full text of the statement and the list of signatory organizations in order to convey the voice of the Afghan people.