‘People want peace which ensures rights, national interests’

A large gathering of women in capital Kabul on Thursday asked negotiating teams of intra-Afghan talks to declare a truce, saying they supported a peace that can protect people’s rights and national interests.

The gathering titled, ‘Afghan women want a stable and honorable peace’ was organized by the Ministry of Border and Tribal Affairs in the ministry’s compound today.

Intra-Afghan talks between the Taliban and government officials begun in Qatar about three months back.

A day earlier, Kabul and the Taliban negotiating teams announced that both sides have agreed on procedural rules for peace talks, an issue that had stalled the negotiations for a long time due to differences.

Tahmina Merzayee, a member of Kabul University Students’ Union, voiced on the Taliban and the government to declare a ceasefire and said they supported a peace to protect the rights of women gained over the past several years.

She said that many women were left homeless and suffered from great troubles due to decades long conflicts in the country.

Tahmina Hamid, a journalist said that besides domestic violence, forced marriages and deprivation from education, the Afghan women also greatly suffered from ongoing war in the country.

Taliban should know that continued violence would not benefit any side and they should declare ceasefire to make the peace process a success, she said, adding that people were tired of war and they supported a peace that could protect their rights and national interests.

Mohibullah Samim, border and tribal affairs minister, talking to the gathering, said that the Afghan women suffered from four decades of violence in the country and their voice in the ongoing peace process should be taken into account and their rights respected.

The government works for a stable peace but it requires a ceasefire in the initial steps so Afghans reach their dreams, he said.

“I consider it as a shame for anyone who takes advantage by killing Afghans,” Samim said without naming anyone.