Afghans bitter over sanctions

Many Afghans do not get enough food to eat

By Kate Clark in Kabul

The United Nations humanitarian mission to Afghanistan has released a report looking at the effect of sanctions on the country.

Next month, the UN Security Council will decide whether to impose further sanctions in an effort to force the Taleban to extradite the Saudi militant Osama bin Laden.

He is wanted to stand trial in the United States.

The report warns that the Afghan population is highly vulnerable and cannot cope with many further economic shocks.

But it says it found strong support for an arms embargo.

Bitter

The financial freeze, and an air embargo imposed last November, have had no effect in forcing the Taleban to hand over Osama bin Laden.

Strong support for an arms embargo

There is talk of the Security Council imposing further economic sanctions.

The United States appears to be pursuing a tough line, and that is being reinforced by Russia, which believes the Taleban is supporting Chechen rebels.

The report by the UN's humanitarian mission says ordinary Afghans are bitter.

They do not understand why the Security Council appears to be setting out to harm them when its quarrel is with the Taleban.

Many people here already have problems just getting enough food to eat.

Further sanctions would hit an economy in collapse from war, drought and widespread population displacement.

Arms ban

But the report said it did find a strong consensus among Afghans for an arms embargo.

At this stage in the 22-year-old war, Pakistan is backing the Taleban, while Iran, Russia and some of the central Asian republics support the Northern Alliance, which holds small areas of territory along the Uzbek and Tajik borders.

None of these countries have heeded the UN's call to stop supplying weapons.

But an official arms embargo might command more authority.

It would also avoid the humanitarian contradictions associated with economic sanctions.

The report said there was also widespread backing for the UN to upgrade its political engagement in Afghanistan and for it to intensify its peacemaking efforts to try to end the civil war.