Global Policy Forum

By Chris Hawley

Sanctions aimed at forcing Afghanistan to hand over suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden are not working and the United Nations should review the policy, some U.N. Security Council members said Thursday. The members expressed their concern during a closed-door discussion of a report on Afghanistan by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The report said sanctions were hurting U.N. credibility but blamed most of the civilian suffering in Afghanistan on war, drought and widespread human rights violations.

``Quite a few members noted the imposition of the sanctions have not changed the present situation in Afghanistan,'' said China's U.N. Ambassador Wang Yingfan, the current council president. ``That is why some of the members suggested that we should have some kind of comprehensive review of the whole problem in the country.''

A statement from the entire 15-member council noted Annan's ``important conclusion,'' and the continued provision of humanitarian assistance under an exemption from sanctions. Nonetheless, council members expressed concern about ``the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and called on the international community to continue with generous donations.'' Members said they would also work within the council and with the U.N. Secretariat ``on a comprehensive strategy'' toward Afghanistan.

The council's discussion Thursday reflects a growing debate within the United Nations over its policies toward Afghanistan. Last week, Human Rights Watch criticized the sanctions as self-serving and accused Russia, Iran and Pakistan of prolonging the civil war.

The Taliban militia has seized over 95 percent of the country and imposed a harsh regime based on Islamic law. Millions of refugees have fled the battle zones and spilled into neighboring countries.

Last year, at the urging of the United States, the United Nations imposed sanctions on the Taliban to flush out bin Laden, a Saudi billionaire suspected in the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that left 224 dead. The Taliban have refused to hand bin Laden over, calling him a guest and saying the United States has not offered proof of his involvement.