Document #1300970
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
According to a Columbia University
professor specializing in Afghanistan, there is no evidence of
systematic persecution of royalist sympathizers in Afghanistan (13
Jan. 1993). However, he added that the situation at this moment is
unstable and unpredictable and that there are no reliable
institutions in Afghanistan for the defense of human rights
(Ibid.). Even the ruling government does not entirely
control the city of Kabul (Ibid.).
Among the members of the Council of
Ministers there are a few royalists. For example, the Minister of
Foreign Affairs belongs to a large family that is tied to the royal
family by marriage (Ibid.). The professor stated that this
family tie does not indicate in itself that the Minister of Foreign
Affairs is a supporter of the former king (Ibid.). He added
that the king himself considers that the era of the monarchist
regime in Afghanistan is over (Ibid.). On the other hand,
certain government officials are partisans of the monarchy
(Ibid.).
The source stated that since April 1992, in
the eastern part of the country, there have been reports of
ill-treatment of royalist sympathizers.
In addition, please find attached two media reports which provide some information on the relations between the Islamic fundamentalists and the royalists in Afghanistan.
Additional and/or corroborative information
on the above-mentioned subject could not be found among the sources
currently available to the DIRB.
Columbia University, New York. 13
January 1993. Telephone Interview with a Professor at the Political
Science Department.
United Press International (UPI). 15
June 1992. Anwar Iqbal. Untitled; Article on fundamentalists and
royalists in Afghanistan. (NEXIS)
The Washington Post. 19 April
1992. Steve Coll. "Afghan Crisis Turns Inward; Ancient Roles,
Modern Issues Steer Conflict." (NEXIS)