IRIN Interview with Ambassador of Japan

Already a major donor to Afghanistan, Japan last month decided to sharply increase its aid contribution in response to the crisis this year. Disturbed by the numbers of displaced and refugees, Japan announced an emergency package of relief aid in March and has allocated over US $9 million so far this year, compared to US $6.9 million last year. Some of this aid has been airlifted in response to the needs of over 120,000 displaced people in camps outside Herat in western Afghanistan. Japan is also making efforts to promote peace in the country. Japan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Sadaaki Numata, told IRIN that representatives of the Taliban and Northern Alliance had attended indirect discussions in Tokyo last month and that invitations had been sent for a follow-up meeting in May. Question: Local media sources have reported that Japan hosted a meeting between the Taliban and Northern Alliance in Tokyo last month? Is Japan looking at a mediating role? Answer: Japan has offered political mediation. It is still early days, and peace does require long and painstaking measures for success. We support UN efforts and have maintained a neutral and objective position with respect to the conflict. We have kept channels of communication open with the Taliban and the Northern Alliance, as well as maintaining contact with the King and the Rome process, or Loya Jirgah. In March, we invited the Taliban and Northern Alliance and the Rome process people to Tokyo. The two warring parties were there at the same time, although they refused to meet directly, so we conducted separate dialogues with both of them. We are prepared to engage in a similar dialogue again, and if agreeable [to the parties], we would like both sides to come to Tokyo. This is what we’re moving towards, and while it is in process I would rather not comment on the details at this stage. I will add one point, though. We are extending the invitation to the Taliban, although we were very deeply disappointed by the Taliban’s destruction of the giant buddhas [in Bamiyan, central Afghanistan]. But efforts for peace must continue. We were deeply disappointed, but at the same time efforts to alleviate the suffering of civilians must also carry on. Q: With respect to the buddhas, the Taliban have said that they destroyed the statues because people had offered funds for their preservation rather than for the Afghan population. Is this something your delegation encountered on its visit last month? A: On March 8-11, we sent a parliamentary delegation to meet with the Taliban. Three parliamentarians went to Kandahar via Quetta on 9 March. Earlier, on 5 March, I went to visit the Taliban Ambassador [to Pakistan] to express my deep concern about the edict, and to convey from the Japanese people the view that the buddhas are part of the common heritage of mankind. The parliamentarians, who consisted of three different political parties of the governing coalition party, conveyed similar views. Many people in Japan are Buddhist, but this was not a question of religion. Given Afghanistan’s rich history of all Afghans living together, we felt these statues were of a valuable common heritage of mankind, and we were concerned that their destruction has had an immeasurable impact on the world. Q: Was there a proposal to make a payment for the preservation of the buddha statues? A: The idea was put forward - if the Taliban felt strongly - of a dismantling [of the buddhas] in an orderly fashion. When this was proposed to Mulla Wakil, he said that the only place the buddhas could go to was Japan. He did what he could and went back to speak to others, but as you know this was all to no avail. Q: Do you think that the destruction indicates that a hardline element has taken charge within the Taliban? A: People make all sorts of speculation, but I don’t think anyone has a close enough understanding of the situation. There was even the hope that the buddhas could be saved, but this turned out to be only speculation. Q: Do you think that the neighbouring countries are ready for peace? A: It’s difficult to tell. I can only speak based on my experience in Pakistan. I do not think that it was totally unrelated when the issue of the buddha statues came up that Pakistan sent its interior minister [Moinuddin Haider] to ask the Taliban not to destroy them. As you know, the Taliban did not comply, and the Pakistan leadership maintains that they do not have as much influence on the Taliban as others might think. In order for peace to proceed, it is important for neighbouring countries to influence and to actively work towards creating possibilities for peace. Fighting may resume at any moment. We have to try and stop that, so we need to appeal to both sides to stop a resumption of the conflict. This is the area that the international community has to concentrate on. Q: Has Japan increased its assistance to Afghanistan in light of the escalating humanitarian crisis? A: First, I would like to say that Japan has extended assistance through the UN and other international organisations since 1979 worth a total of US $400 million. This has been used for a variety of humanitarian activities, including assistance to refugees, mine clearance, food and medical aid. Second, we have been more recently focused in supporting the return and reintegration of 100,000 refugees since 1998. The US $5.6 million Azro Initiative, implemented mainly by UNHCR, has helped with the resettlement of over 100,000 refugees since then, providing shelter [and] building schools and common buildings. Third, we are also active in mine action and in providing mine-clearance equipment, handled through OCHA [Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs]. Japan has provided huge machines that destroy the explosive mechanism of mines and greatly increases the safety for mine-clearance operators. So far, this has all been assistance through international organisations. There was a new departure in 1999 when we started to extend grant assistance through NGOs [Japan’s grant assistance programme has channelled US $837,000 through 16 international and Afghan NGO projects since 1999]. Q: How has Japan’s humanitarian approach evolved in the light of the crisis this year? A: There is a new emphasis this year. We are very disturbed by the numbers of refugees and internally displaced people. On his visit to the region last month, Kenzo Oshima [Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs] gave a very realistic and harrowing account of conditions inside Afghanistan. After this, we decided to step up our aid to Afghanistan. In 2000, Japan donated US $6.9 milion, but so far this year - and we are only in April - we’ve donated US $9.4 million. This is reflective of Japan’s response to the increased needs of Afghans. In the recent Pakistan Development Forum [PDF], a meeting was scheduled to discuss the Pakistan refugee programme. The question of the Afghan refugees was raised as a big issue, and calls were made for the international community to collaborate. At the end of the Forum meetings, which were held on March 12-14, a special meeting was held to look at the refugee burden on Pakistan. On 21 March, Japan announced a new package of food aid [of over US $7 million] and airlifted supplies to the displaced near Herat. I’ve heard of the awful conditions from colleagues who have been to Herat to oversee the distribution of supplies. There are currently 200 families arriving daily to the camps, and there are no signs of abating. Q: Do you not think the situation in Afghanistan is too unstable to continue returning refugees? A: Where there is a possibility for return, then I think we should be trying to help them return. This is why we are involved in the Azro Initiative. It is a combined operation, and it is working. I know that this view is not shared by other donors, but there are institutions that are providing help [to returnees]. Q: Do you consider that the Taliban has been able to provide help to Afghans? A: It is very difficult to make a judgement on the Taliban’s ability to help its people. We channel aid through grassroot NGOs and those Afghans that can deliver in the field. What aid that we have provided is aimed at helping the people who are suffering, and we verify that it reaches them. Q: What is the solution to the crisis? What do you hope for? A: They [the warring parties] must sit down and talk. Unless there is an agreement, there will never be total control [of the country]. The fighting has to stop. Of course, this is not taking place. The Taliban is saying that the UN Security Resolutions are holding back the peace process. We are a member state of the UN Security Council and abide by the resolutions. Japan is not on the Security Council and, although we would like to become a permanent member, we are not involved in the deliberations. Japan can be a neutral party that could help the warring parties meet. We have been saying for some time that if there are prospects for peace, if there is serious dialogue for peace under way, then we would be willing to host, in cooperation with the UN, a meeting for peace and reconstruction. But some steps need to be taken before this can take place, and we need to get there first.