Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway

To:

H.E. Ms. Anniken Huitfeldt, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway

PO Box 8114 Dep.
NO-0032 Oslo, Norway
@AHuitfeldt

Subject: gatherig of 23-25 January 2022 on Afghanistan.

Her Excellency Ms. Anniken Huitfeldt,

First, I appreciate your great initiative to bring about some movement first among UN Security Council and now within international community by organizing the Oslo meetings to look for ways of solving the dilemma around humanitarian crisis and lack of respect by the Taliban for rights and freedoms of the people of Afghanistan.  

Your colleagues in the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, while speaking to the media quoted you as you had stressed that the meetings Oslo is hosting will “not represent a legitimization or recognition of the Taliban.” However, you have emphasized the need for engaging with the “de facto authorities” in Afghanistan to help the civilian population there. We appreciate this.

Federation of Afghan Resident Organizations in Europe, is FAROE the best organized umbrella of tens of social-cultural and human rights organizations, representing a significant part of Afghan diaspora in Europe. Afghan diaspora in Europe counts for more than half a million EU citizen of Afghan origin. We are deeply concerned about the situation in Afghanistan and want to be involved in important meetings in Europe concerning Afghanistan. But unlike the members of Afghan civil society, we are unfortunately not invited in Oslo meetings. Through this letter, we want to share our views with you and other participants of current Oslo meetings.

We can understand your pragmatical approach for paving the way for delivering international humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. But we hope you will, in the meantime, insist on Taliban’s official commitment to the civil, economic, and political rights of women in Afghanistan and to Human rights of the people of Afghanistan.  A semi- official discrimination against women is going on and dozens of women protestors are detained by the Taliban. This is a shame. Massive international humanitarian help may be the most urgent need of the people of Afghanistan. But the basic human rights and freedoms of women and men in Afghanistan are as essential for the people, as food and medicines.

With regards,

Mrs. L. Wali, the chairperson of FAROE