25 November - 8 December 1997, No. 6

Many official and non-official voices joined in to voice condolences to the family of Ms. Mane and expressed outrage at yet another act of violence, directed not only against the civilian population of Tajikistan, but the international community as well, whose members are here to contribute to a noble cause - helping the people of this country.

President Rakhmonov in a letter to President Jacques Chirac of France conveyed condolences and assured that the government would take all necessary measures to

In response to the fragile security situation in greater Dushanbe area, several international and non-governmental organizations reduced staff and suspended operations. Several embassies also reduced the number of their representatives in Dushanbe. UN agencies strengthened security measures for their staff and issued a travel ban to Tajikistan.

On 2 December, Tajik power ministers and Deputy Prime Minister Abdurakhmon Azimov, together with few other government officials invited the international community to a meeting where they sought to reassure foreign representatives of their security in the country. Mr. Azimov said that international representatives should not have a particular reason to worry about their safety and the Tajik leadership requests them to continue their noble missions in the republic". Security Minister Saidamir

On 2 December, the Ministry of Security of Tajikistan announced the successful outcome of an armed operation against Rizvon Sodirov group in a southeastern suburb of Dushanbe. According to the Ministry, Rizvon Sodirov himself was killed during the operation and several tens of his group were captured. However, efforts to render this group fully inoperative still continue. Security Minister Zukhurov during a meeting with the international community on 2 December said that "a small number of active members of the group are still at large, but have been scattered following the death of their leader and the arrest of a number of his close associates".

Rizvon Sodirov group is reported to have been responsible for the hostage-taking of the two French nationals on 18 November, as well as other terrorist acts in Dushanbe, including bomb explosions in September and October. They are also said to be holding 14 other hostages, all Tajik nationals. The fate of those is still unknown.

Deputy Prime Minister Azimov during the 2 December meeting said that "following the killing of renegade commander Rizvon Sodirov, who had been implicated in the kidnapping, the possibility of another similar incident occurring again has been reduced by 90%". Minister Zukhurov, however, did not rule out the possibility of "bandit groups" in Dushanbe posing as security officials or opposition fighters.

The Foreign Ministry of Tajikistan, in a statement transmitted by its Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said that "certain forces are acting to undermine the authority of Tajikistan in the eyes of the world community, harbouring plans for active opposition to agreements reached between the Government of Tajikistan and UTO and continue to strike blows against the delicate shoots of peace initiatives which are being implemented in the country". The statement cited the

A two-day Donor Conference in Vienna on 24-25 November, organized by the United Nations, raised $56.5 USD in pledges for the ongoing peace process in Tajikistan. In addition to pledges to support the peace process in particular, the Conference also raised numerous tentative pledges beyond the envisaged transitional period, for humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance programmes. The Conference was convened by the UN at the joint request of President Rakhmonov and CNR Chairman Nuri to mobilize international support for the implementation of the General Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and National Accord in Tajikistan. President Rakhmonov headed the Tajik delegation, which included, among others, CNR Chairman Nuri. Both addressed the Conference. The meeting was attended by 112 delegates from 40 States, 65 participants represented intergovernmental, international and non-governmental organizations and foundations, as well as various UN agencies. Sir Kieran Prendergast, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and SRSG Gerd Merrem chaired the meeting.

President Rakhmonov in his opening remarks said that peace in Tajikistan would have been "impossible without the important work of the UN". Upon his return from Vienna, he gave high assessment to the results of the Conference. "During the two days in Vienna we witnessed an immensely important political event, which has an exceptionally important international meaning for deepening the peace process in Tajikistan. We view the Conference and its results as a significant contribution in rebuilding the national economy...establishing of peace and national accord, building of free, democratic society

During the Conference many participants expressed concern regarding persisting difficulties in creating conducive security conditions in the country.

On 27 November, CNR Legal Sub-committee organized a second round table on the Constitution in Dushanbe with the participation of government, OSCE, UNMOT representatives and national legal experts. Discussions focused mainly on those articles of the Constitution which deal with the rights and obligations of citizens. Several legal experts presented the view that the Constitution should provide better guarantees for human rights and private ownership. According to them, the new Constitution should provide more effective protection for individuals. Others noted that the discussion should not be whether the present Constitution is "perfect", but as how it can be realized into life. The first CNR round table on the Constitution was held on 8 October.

According to the General Agreement, CNR, together with the President of the Republic, is to work out proposals for amendments and additions to the existing Constitution and submit it to national referendum.

Also, related to the work of the CNR, considerable work has been completed on proposals to amend the Law on Political Parties and the Law on Public Associations. CNR Statute states that it is to "work out proposals regarding amendments" to these existing laws and submit them to the consideration of Majlisi Oli.

An agreement, in principle, has been reached between President Rakhmonov and CNR Chairman Nuri on the allocation of government posts to the UTO within the established 30% quota. Details, however, still need to be

There has been no further progress in the implementation of the Amnesty Law and the Protocol on Mutual Forgiveness. To date, fewer than 100 UTO prisoners have been released from a list of 1,366 submitted names.

During the reporting period, the registration of UTO fighters and weapons by CNR military sub-commission under UNMOT monitoring continued in Gorno-Badakhshan.

During its regular plenary session on 2 and 3 December, CNR discussed and adopted the Statute of Central Attestation Commission (CAC). The Statute has been forwarded to President Rakhmonov for approval. Once approved, it would guide the work of CAC which was established in accordance with the Protocol on Military Issues and held its first meeting on 13 November in Dushanbe.

According to the Protocol on Military Issues, CAC is tasked to evaluate the personnel of reintegrated UTO armed units, determine their suitability for continued military service and the nature of such service on individual basis and make recommendations on appointments to commanding positions. Criteria for continuing military service would be based on health, professional competence and whether the person had criminal conviction prior to May 1992. CAC will also review cases of those former employees of power structures who were forced to leave their employment because of the civil conflict and who wish to continue their service and make recommendations whether they should be restored to their previously held or equivalent posts. In addition, CAC will re-evaluate the personnel of power structures, within the reform of these structures. The same criteria as above-noted would apply in determining the suitability of government power structures personnel.

Also related to the implementation of the Military Protocol, according to an understanding reached with CNR military sub-commission, UNMOT will provide financial support to facilitate the repatriation of UTO fighters from northern Afghanistan to Tajikistan, as per UNMOT’s mandate.

A Presidential Decree, dated 1 December 1997, instructed the Government Committee on Land Resources and Land Settlements, together with local government authorities to allocate 25,000 hectares of land by 1 February 1998 to people for private farming. The modest plots - from 0.15 hectares in irrigated land and 0.50 hectares in dry-farming land will be allocated to citizens for farming only and not for building houses, other farming or communal facilities. Local authorities are instructed to submit estimates of demand within a month of the Decree.

More than 120 nations signed the Ottawa Convention Against Anti-Personnel Landmines on 3 December. The Convention bans the use, stockpiling, producation and transfer of anti-personnel landmines. The treaty requires

United Nations Secretary-General, who attended the historic event in Ottawa, Canada, will be the depository of the Convention. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said that the event marked a historic victory for the weak and vulnerable of the world. Anti-personnel landmines kill or maim an estimated 26,000 civilians every year. He called for the mobilization of resources to remove millions of mines that plague post-conflict societies in the world. "Each mine cleared may mean a life saved", said Mr. Annan. Nations signing the ban include some which formerly were major producers and exporters of mines, such as Britain, France, Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic. Even countries which did not sign the ban - China, Russia and the United States, among others, sent observers to the ceremony.

Countries attending the event, pledged $500 million USD for assistance in demining. The amount includes an $87 million from the United States, $70 million from the European Union, $24 million from Norway, $16 million from Japan, $14 million from Canada and another $11 million from Germany. The United Nations spent $80 million in 1997 for landmine clearing.

Tajikistan, like other countries which have experienced internal military confrontation, has sufferred from the scurge of landmines. Hundreds of civilians have been killed or maimed from landmine explosions, especially in the Tavildara-Sagirdasht area. Several countries pledged significant amounts of money at the recent Vienna Donor Conference to help rid Tajikistan of landmines.

1 December, marked World AIDS Day. United Nations Secretary-General in a message on the occasion called

By the end of this year, one million children worldwide under the age of 15 are expected to be infected with the HIV virus that causes AIDS. Every day, 1,600 children become infected. More than 8 million children have lost their mothers to AIDS. Millions more are living with a parent who has HIV. More than 30 million people now have HIV. Most HIV-positive children are infected through mother-to-child transmissions during pregnancy, birth and breasfeeding.

Tajikistan marked the Day with public announcements through national mass media.

Marking the International Day of Disabled Persons, on 3 December, Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary-General said that more than 500 million disabled persons worlwide face discrimination and poverty. He called this a "silent crisis" affecting not only disabled persons and their families, but also the development of entire societies. The United Nations has always been at the centre of global efforts to promote the rights of people with disabilities, he added.

Mass media in Tajikistan also marked the Day with public announcements. The Hukumat of Dushanbe organized a free lunch for the disabled.

To use its best efforts to promote peace and national reconciliation and to assist in the implementation of the General Agreement and, to this end to

• Provide good offices and expert advice as stipulated in the General Agreement;

• Cooperate with the CNR and its subcommissions, and with the Central Commission on Elections and the Holding of a Referendum;

• Participate in the work of the Contact Group of guarantor States and organizations and to serve as its Coordinator;

• Investigate reports of ceasefire violations and report on them to the United Nations and CNR;

• Monitor the assembly of UTO fighters and their reintegration, disarmament and demobilization;

• Assist in the reintegration into governmental power structures or demobilization of ex-combatants;

• Coordinate United Nations assistance to Tajikistan during the transition period;

• Maintain close contacts with the parties, as well as cooperative liaison with the CIS Peacekeeping Forces, Russian border forces and the Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Tajikistan.