Mujahid: NGOs obliged to act according to decrees, laws

ATLANTA (Pajhwok): Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in Afghanistan need to act according to the country’s laws and decrees.

Responding to the comment by the US charge d'affaires, Mujahid tweeted: "We do not allow anyone to talk rubbish or make threats regarding the decisions of our leaders under the title of humanitarian aid."

The Economy Ministry, which issued the ban on Saturday, threatened to suspend the operating licences of aid organisations that failed to stop women from working.

The ministry said it had received "serious complaints" that women working in NGOs were not observing a proper Islamic dress code, a charge also used by authorities to justify banning university education.

The latest ban on women drew strong condemnation from the international community and the charge de affairs of the US, Karen Decker wrote in her twitter: “As a representative of the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, I feel I have the right to an explanation of how the Taliban intend to prevent women and children from starving, when women are no longer permitted to distribute assistance to other women and children”.

Responding to her comment, Mujahid wrote: “American officials should stop interfering in our internal matters”.

He said all NGOs operating in Afghanistan were obliged to act in accordance to its laws and accept the decrees.

Many countries including the United States, European Union (EU) condemned the ban on women to work in NGOs.

"We cannot effectively reach children, women and men in desperate need in Afghanistan without our female staff," said Save the Children, the Norwegian Refugee Council and CARE in a joint statement on Sunday.

"Whilst we gain clarity on this announcement, we are suspending our programmes, demanding that men and women can equally continue our lifesaving assistance in Afghanistan”.

The Economy Ministry in a letter on Saturday said as a representative of the Islamic Emirate it had the responsibility to coordinate and monitor the activities of all national and international organizations.

All national and international organizations are directed to suspend jobs of female workers until further notice, the order said.

aw/ma