Government reacts to MSF pullout

The Afghan government has reaffirmed its commitment to address the security concerns of aid workers on the ground following the pull out of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), an international NGO with over two decades experience in the country. "It is our duty to secure the security and stability situation for the people of Afghanistan, as well as the international community who are working to help the Afghan people," Lutfullah Mashal, a spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry told IRIN in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Sunday. His comments came within days of an MSF announcement that it would be withdrawing from the country after over 24 years of independent humanitarian work, following the government's failure to mount an adequate investigation into the killing of five MSF workers in June. "It is very sad to leave the country because we will fail to assist the population whom we have been assisting for a very long time, even in very difficult circumstances," Koen Henckaerts, MSF director of operations for Afghanistan, told IRIN from Belgium on Wednesday. "But working in the country is impossible now." NGOs throughout the country have expressed similar concerns following what they describe as an increase in security incidents involving aid workers. Since the beginning of 2003, more than 30 aid workers have been killed in the country, a fact seriously impeding reconstruction efforts outside the capital. But while Mashal regretted MSF's decision, noting their sympathy and concern for families of the victims, he did not believe the security situation warranted a pullout, nor would it compel other international organisations to do the same, he said. "Right now in every district of Afghanistan there are active police chiefs and police departments," he explained. "But with elections set to take place later this year, there are those who would like to disrupt this process, as well as the peace and stability of the country." "The enemies of Afghanistan do not have the ability to directly confront the armed forces or security forces of Afghanistan. For that reason they are targeting soft targets, such as international NGOs, aid agencies, community workers, local civilians and those without any have defensive power," he explained. And though they were focusing their attention on mitigating such incidents, he conceded sometimes unexpected incidents occurred, adding, however, they were doing their best to provide security to every individual, NGO and humanitarian organisations working in the country. According to the Afghan official, elaboration of an extensive security plan all over the country was underway with the cooperation of the Ministry of Defense, the National Directorate of Security (NDS), coalition forces, as well as International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). "We are ready to do whatever is necessary in our capacity to mitigate the security concerns of aid workers on the ground," he stated. This was the time that the people of Afghanistan needed the assistance and cooperation of the international community and NGOs, the spokesman stressed, adding they should not leave Afghanistan during this important time of reconstruction. "From our part we will do whatever we can regarding the NGOs," the Afghan official offered. "We have taken some necessary measures to escort NGO workers," he said, adding: "They can contact us and we will provide escorts to any NGO wherever they are."