As Amnesty has been warning for years, talking to the Taliban about ending conflict in Afghanistan should not mean making concessions on human rights (Editorial, 3 June).
First, there must be no immunity from prosecution for Taliban leaders with the blood of civilians on their hands. As the world celebrates the arrest and trial of Ratko Mladic in Serbia, what message would it send if war criminals in a different part of the world were given a free pass over the heads of ordinary Afghans? Second, any negotiations with the Taliban must be unequivocal about the need for human rights for women and girls, all religious minorities and all ethnic groups. These must not be traded away for the "greater good" of an uncertain peace.
And third, the Taliban must not be allowed to block the work of human rights defenders in Afghanistan, whether journalists, women's rights advocates or foreign aid workers. One sure sign that Afghanistan is emerging from conflict will be if Afghan women are included in all conflict-resolution talks (as per UN resolution 1325). Let senior Talibs know that this endeavour is serious by confronting them with influential Afghan women across the negotiating table.
Kate Allen
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