Afghanistan

HC Deb 11 November 2003 vol 413 cc151-4

1. Gregory Barker (Bexhill and Battle)

If he will make a statement on the proposed constitution for Afghanistan. [137395]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Bill Rammell)

The draft Afghan constitution was published on 3 November, following a process of popular consultation. It will be discussed and approved at a constitutional Loya Jirga which is expected to take place in Kabul in December.

It is for the Afghan people to decide on the form of the constitution, but the UK has made it clear to the Afghan Transitional Administration that, while we understand that the constitution must reflect Afghan culture and traditions, we also expect it to respect Afghanistan's international obligations and commitments in the area of human rights.

Gregory Barker

I am grateful to the Minister for that response, and it is clear that we have come a long way in the past couple of years, but what assurances can he give the House that the powerful regional warlords will buy into the constitution and the democratic process? That is especially important given that the respected group Human Rights Watch, which is based in New York, said recently that a climate of fear exists in every region of Afghanistan, and that numerous candidates have received death threats and want to stay away from the elections due to take place after the Loya Jirga has been held.

Mr. Rammell

First, it is important to make it clear that significant progress has been made, despite the difficulties that the hon. Gentleman has outlined. The Afghan economy grew by some 30 per cent. last year. Children—particularly young girls—are back at school, and hundreds of schools, hospitals and clinics have been rebuilt and repaired. Clearly, the security situation outside Kabul is not as good as it is in the capital. We need to work with the Afghan authorities to improve law enforcement, but the draft constitution contains significant safeguards that will ensure human rights and the protection of all the Afghan people. We will work with our Afghan partners to realise that.

Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford)

I congratulate the Afghan Transitional Authority and the British Government on the progress that has been made to get to a point that many thought would never be reached. I have read the draft constitution in English only, but it contains elements that do not seem comprehensively to protect the rights of women. My hon. Friend the Minister rightly said that that matter is not for us to choose or determine, so will he say what assistance the Government will give to ensure that Afghan women are present in numbers at the Loya Jirga, that they have security, and that they are able to make their voices heard so that they may determine the rights of Afghan women under the constitution?

Mr. Rammell

May I first pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the significant work that she has done on the rights of women in Afghanistan? She raises an important point: it is for the Afghan authorities to determine these matters, but we provide advice and assistance. When I visited Afghanistan in July, I took the opportunity—as all my colleagues do—to seek out the views of women and to ensure that they are involved in the political process. The draft constitution contains significant safeguards, especially in respect of Afghanistan making it clear that it will abide by the UN charter and the universal declaration on human rights. I welcome my hon. Friend's congratulations on the progress that has been made, but we are entering a critical phase and we must remain focused on the issue.

Mr. David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells)

Earlier this year, a Minister visiting Baghdad said that it was the Government's intention to give the Afghan people a final say on their constitution in a national referendum. Is it still the Government's policy to give the Afghans a say on their new constitution but to deny the British people a say on the European constitution?

Mr. Rammell

It is fascinating to observe that the old stories are still running, even after a change of leadership and of Front-Bench personnel. The previous Conservative Government held no referendum on Maastricht or on other changes, and we will take this issue forward in exactly the same way.

Mr. Michael Ancram (Devizes)

Although we welcome the new constitution as a potential element for stability in Afghanistan, does the Minister agree that it can be only one stabilising element at best, which on its own will not be enough? Does he agree that eliminating opium poppy production—as I saw for myself when I visited Afghanistan in July—would also contribute to future stability and that failure to do so will cause further instability? Given that Britain is officially responsible for international efforts to eradicate that problem and given that, in 2002, the Government promised to reduce poppy cultivation by 70 per cent. in five years", what progress has been made towards achieving that target?

Mr. Rammell

rose

Mr. Ernie Ross (Dundee, West)

Congratulate him on his appointment.

Mr. Rammell

I thank my hon. Friend; I was just about to congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his promotion. I think that the hon. Gentleman makes an important—[Interruption.] My apologies. The right hon. Gentleman makes—[Interruption.] The shadow Foreign Secretary makes an important point about the progress that is being made on stability through the draft constitution. Nevertheless, the situation in regard to drug production remains difficult. We have always said that it will be a long haul; a 10-year plan is in place and if the shadow Foreign Secretary considers those countries where there has been significant progress on tackling drug cultivation—for example, in Pakistan and Thailand—he will see that one could not have expected significant progress to have been made by this stage. However, the building blocks, in terms of law enforcement and alternative livelihoods, are in place to create a situation in which we are confident that over the five to 10-year period the problem will be removed.

Mr. Ancram

I am grateful to the Minister for his kind remarks; I take them in the spirit in which they were intended.

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Jack Straw)

We are very pleased, Michael.

Mr. Ancram

I am always pleased to please the Foreign Secretary.

Is not the true problem, which is not in any way covered by the constitution, that opium production has risen from a starting point in 2001—in terms of the five-year target—of 185 tonnes to 3,400 tonnes in 2002 and 3,600 tonnes in 2003? Does the Minister agree with the International Monetary Fund, which warned in September that Afghanistan was in danger of sliding into what it called a "narco-state"? Why were the Government's predictions so wildly and dangerously out of line? What has gone wrong?

Mr. Rammell

The specific year to which the shadow Foreign Secretary refers is the year when the Taliban, using all the repressive measures at their disposal, stopped cultivation while continuing to process and traffic to feed the regime financially. If the shadow Foreign Secretary looks at the figures for this year, he will see that, yes, there has been a small increase, and given the experience in Pakistan and Thailand, that is in line with what one would expect at this stage of the redevelopment of Afghanistan. As the infrastructure is improved, there is initially a small increase in production. However, with the other measures that are being taken, especially for alternative livelihoods and for the enhancement of law enforcement throughout the country, we remain confident that the objectives can be met.