Haganum Model United Nations
Gymnasium Haganum, The Hague
Research Reports
Historical Committee in 1986
The question of the invasion of
Afghanistan
4th, 5th and 6th of March 2015
Haganum Model United Nations 2016| 4th of March – 6th of March 2016
Forum:
Historical Committee in 1986
Issue:
The question of the invasion of Afghanistan
Student Officer: Rana Kuseyri
Position:
President
Introduction
On the 27th of April 1978, the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA)
seized power in a Marxist coup d’état and the country was renamed the Democratic Republic
of Afghanistan (DRA), with Nur Mohammad Taraki as the DRA’s first president. Immediately
following the coup, Islamic and conservative insurgency against the PDPA began to grow,
coalescing mainly from Pakistan. However, the situation has deeply deteriorated with the
introduction of the invasion by the Soviet Union and the conflict has grown, turning into a
proxy war.
In December of 1979, the Soviet Union made the decision to intervene in the
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. Fearing the collapse of the DRA, their Marxist
neighboring state, and distrusting of the Amin administration, the Soviets invaded, and on the
29th, the puppet regime of Babrak Karmal was installed.
Resistance against both the Soviet Union and the DRA has now spread throughout
the country and the conflict has escalated into a war. The mujahideen, backed by countries
such as the United States of America and Pakistan, have continued to attempt to rid the
country of the Soviets. However, the violence has driven over 5 million Afghans out of their
homes. Half of the refugees have been taken in by Pakistan, which represents the world’s
largest refugee population. All efforts to end the conflict have proved unsuccessful thus far.
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Definition of Key Terms
invasion
An act of instance of entering a country of region with an armed force as an enemy.
mujahideen
Also spelled ‘mujahidin’, mujahideen are guerilla warriors fighting against non-Muslim
forces in Islamic countries. This is the general term for the insurgency groups during the
occupation.
refugee
According to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is
defined as an individual who is, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons
of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion,
outside the country of their nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to
avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being
outside the country of his former habitual residence, as a result of such events, is unable or,
owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.
Khalq and Parcham
These are two rival factions of the People’s Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. The
Parcham faction is more socialist and consists mainly of urban citizens. The Khalq faction,
consisting mainly of Pashtuns from rural Afghanistan, has dominated the government since
the Saur Revolution and initiated a purge of the Parchami faction two months after the coup.
repatriation
The process of returning a person to their place of origin or citizenship. In this case,
repatriation involves returning refugees.
proxy war
A conflict between nations which is fought indirectly, neither country directly engages
the other.
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Background Information
A map of Afghanistan produced by the United States Central Intelligence Agency.
In July 1973, the King’s cousin, former Prime Minister Mohammad Dauod, led a
military coup with the goal of removing the monarchy from power. Afghanistan was then
declared a republic with Dauod as its first president. However, this republic was short lived.
Dauod proved unable to carry out the necessary economic and social reforms at the time,
which resulted in the Saur Revolution of 1978.
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Saur Revolution
On the 27th of April 1978, the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA)
staged a military coup and seized power, and declared the Democratic Republic of
Afghanistan (DRA).
With only 600 men and little resistance, the government was successfully overthrown.
President Dauod and 30 of his relatives were executed, and Nur Mohammad Taraki
assumed leadership. Soon after, the Soviet Union recognized the new government and
supplied massive amounts of both military and economic aid to the DRA. The Afghan-Soviet
Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation was signed in December 1978. Over the next year,
Soviet presence in Afghan ministries grew extensively. By December 1979, 3,500 to 4,000
Soviet military advisers were working with the Afghan military, while the number of Soviet
citizens working in Afghan ministries had more than tripled. In fact, in some ministries, Soviet
advisors had to approve any major decisions before they were carried out.
Meanwhile, the Khalq and Parcham factions continued their rivalry, and in June 1978,
the Khalqis began purging the Parcham faction. Around 2000 were imprisoned, 500 were
executed, and a number were exiled, including future DRA president Babrak Karmal.
In September of 1979, President Taraki unsuccessfully attempted to have Hafizullah
Amin, Deputy Prime Minister of the DRA executed. Amin had triggered the 1978 coup
himself, and Taraki was growing wary of his political strength. The next month, Amin had
Taraki murdered and replaced him as president.
The Soviet Union did not trust Amin nor his administration. In early December 1979,
the Soviet Politburo, the highest policy-making authority of the USSR, convened to discuss a
plan of action for Afghanistan. They feared a collapse of the DRA, which would threaten their
own prestige as well as their foothold in their border state. They were aware of the growing
resistance against the Kabul regime, coalescing mainly from Peshawar in Pakistan, and had
taken note of the Herat uprising in March 1979 which had killed over 20 Soviet citizens as
well as the multiple mutinies in Jalalabad and Kabul. In order to preserve the DRA, they
decided to invade.
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Invasion
The invasion began on the 24th of December 1979 with only three Soviet military units
present in the country. In a mere four days, owing to nearly non-existent resistance, Kabul
was under Soviet control. The Soviets claimed that President Amin was captured by Afghan
soldiers and executed after a revolutionary trial. It was revealed in 1981 that President Amin
was shot by a KGB assault unit dressed in Afghan army uniforms with orders to leave no
Afghan alive to reveal the involvement of Soviet personnel. On the 24th of December, Babrak
Karmal was announced General Secretary of the PDPA, as well as president and
commander of the armed forces of the Soviet Union’s puppet government in Afghanistan.
After the invasion, the Soviet Union claimed that President Amin had requested on 14
occasions that they send armed forces into the country in order to ensure the security,
independence, and territorial integrity of the country. Later, it was revealed that it was in fact
Taraki who had done this, while Amin had only asked three times for support. However, the
Soviet Union has never elaborated on the dates of these requests nor the manner in which
they were made.
The invasion transformed the scale of the resistance against the DRA. Resistance
was now much more widespread as well as more violent. The conflict escalated into a proxy
war between DRA and Soviet forces and the mujahideen, who are being backed by the USA,
Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.
Soviet control
Soviet policy towards Afghanistan is three-dimensional. Militarily, their goal is to
defeat the resistance and consolidate their control over the country. Politically, they aim is
strengthen the authority of the Marxist PDPA, and diplomatically, they want international
recognition of their puppet regime. Much of this was aimed to be done through indoctrination.
However, the problems which have risen from the invasion and Soviet control were not
anticipated by the Soviet Union.
Economic and social devastation followed the invasion almost directly. Not only had
$432 million been done in damage due to fighting, but agricultural production had declined,
resulting in severe food shortages and starvation. Currently, malnutrition has become
widespread and the standard of living has fallen dramatically.
Moreover, human rights abuses have been brought to light. KHAD (Khadamat-e
Aetla’at-e Dawlati), the Afghan secret police and intelligence agency, is responsible for
detecting and eradicating any opposition, subverting the armed resistance, penetrating
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opposition groups, and providing military intelligence. Their practices, on the other hand,
include imprisonment without trial, torture, imprisoning people for freedom of expression, and
carrying out extrajudicial executions. Amnesty International issued a 19-page ‘Background
Briefing’ on Afghanistan in October 1983 after their inquiries were ignored. Inquiries were
also made by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN Commission on
Human Rights, which too were ignored.
There have also been mentions of usage of chemical weapons by the Soviet Union in
Afghanistan from reports from the United States of America. The UN also has strong
evidence of 300 chemical-weapon related deaths as a result of chemical attacks. Nothing
has been confirmed.
Resistance
The mujahideen the resistance against Soviet and DRA forces, originally consisted of
seven separate groups, but these groups came together in a loose alliance with their mutual
desire to free Afghanistan from Soviet control and communist ideology. Many groups were
formed in Pakistan, particularly due to the number of Afghan refugees convening and forming
resistance groups there. Compared with DRA and Soviet forces, the mujahideen have a
much higher morale, are better trained, and better armed. The Soviets have turned to
wearing down civilians as a response to this.
Pakistan’s Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has gained significant
influence in Afghan affairs as the war has progressed. The ISI is the organisation which
reorganised the resistance groups into the seven larger groups. Joining one of these seven
groups is the only way to receive support from the United States or the Arab funding led by
Saudi Arabia. Pakistan, too, has provided the mujahideen with weapons, supplies, and
training.
Refugees
According a 1984 UNHCR report, 5.07 million Afghan refugees have been registered
in destination countries. As of November 1986, Pakistan estimated that it hosts 2.8 million
Afghan refugees. This constitutes the largest refugee population in the world. They are
spread over 300 camps, and refugees continue to arrive in Pakistan, although at a lower
rate.
The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has been funding efforts to provide
healthcare, sanitation, and procurement of commodities for refugees, as well as the World
Food Program and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
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Pakistan is currently under a lot of economic pressure from hosting nearly three
million refugees and relief efforts are generally underfunded.
Major Countries and Organizations Involved
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA)
The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was declared after the Saur Revolution in
April 1978, which was triggered by the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA).
The PDPA is the current ruling party of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. The current
General Secretary of the party is Mohammad Najbullah, who took over from Babrak Karmal,
who is still President of the DRA, in May 1986. DRA forces have been fighting alongside
Soviet forces against the mujahideen.
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union)
The Soviet Union invaded the DRA in 1979 and is currently operating a puppet regime
with Babrak Karmal as President. Together with DRA forces, the Soviet Union has been
fighting to keep its strategic foothold in its neighbouring country. Due to the weak and
ineffective troops of the DRA and the superiority of the mujahideen, Soviet forces have
resorted to devastating villages and farmland as well as wearing civilians down.
United States of America
The United States of America is responsible for donating one-third of the UNHCR’s
current budget, and half of the World Food Program’s. Furthermore, it has been heavily
involved in the Geneva Talks as one of the unofficially involved parties. The United States is
also currently backing the mujahideen.
Pakistan
Pakistan has also been supporting the mujahideen with weapons and supplies, as the
majority of the resistance groups originate from Peshawar. It is the most popular destination
for Afghan refugees and currently hosts 2.8 million.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia leads the Arab funding scheme for the mujahideen.
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Timeline of Events
Year
Month/Date
Event
The People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) seizes
power in a Marxist coup d’état and renames the country the
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA). Nur Mohammad
27 April
Taraki becomes president and prime minister following the
killing of President Mohammad Daoud. Islamic and
conservative insurgency against the Soviets and the DRA
begins to spread.
Internal conflict in the PDPA grows as the dominating Khalqi
1978
June-July
faction purges the Parcham faction. 2000 are imprisoned and
500 are executed in this period of time.
The USSR places a 10-year moratorium on debt repayments
18 August
from Afghanistan. Soviet presence in Afghan ministries
becomes extensive.
4 October
5 December
The revolt against the DRA begins in Yurmur, Kunar,
spreading to Nuristan and into Badakhshan.
The USSR and the DRA sign a friendship treaty, which follows
and solidifies three decades of military and economic support.
The USSR extends its military and economic aid while the USA
diminishes its presence following the murder of their kidnapped
March
ambassador in Afghanistan. A mutiny by Afghan soldiers is
crushed in Herat, where 100 Soviets are reportedly killed.
President Nur Mohammad Taraki is killed by Hafizullah Amin.
September
Amin requests large numbers of Soviet forces in order to
counteract the growing insurgency against his administration.
1979
Distrusting of Amin’s administration and fearing the collapse of
12 December
the DRA, the Soviet Politburo makes the decision to invade
Afghanistan.
24 December.
The USSR invades Afghanistan. Four days later, Kabul is
under Soviet control.
President Hafizullah Amin is executed by the Soviet Union,
29 December
which installs the puppet regime of Babrak Karmal. More
troops are sent in by ground and air.
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Major uprisings take place in Kandahar, Heart, and Jalalabad.
1980
The United States, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia begin supplying
arms to the mujahideen
All 29 provinces experience guerilla warfare by the end of the
1981
year, and insurgency groups are present in all provinces, none
of which remain loyal to the Kabul government.
The unsuccessful DRA-Soviet Panjshir campaign is launched
1982
in an attempt to restablish government authority.
April
1983
December
Herat is bombed by Soviet forces, killing an estimated 3,000
Afghans.
Soviet units are established in all provinces.
Kandashar, Herat, and several villages are devastated by
1984
Soviet forces.
Six years into the occupation, 5 million Afghans become
displaced, with many seeking refuge in Iran and Pakistan.
1985
Mikhail Gorbachev, the new Soviet leader, increases the
number of troops which results in the bloodiest year of the war.
4 May
1986
December
Babrak Karmal is replaced by Mohammad Najbullah as PDPA
General Secretary.
Najbullah travels to the USSR to discuss the prospects for
ending the conflict.
Relevant UN Treaties and Events
•
The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security.
20 November 1980. (A/RES/35/37)
http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/35/37
•
The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security.
18 November 1981. (A/RES/36/34)
http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/36/34
•
The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security.
29 November 1982. (A/RES/37/37)
http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/37/37
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•
The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security.
23 November 1983. (A/RES/38/29)
http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/38/29
•
The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security.
15 November 1984. (A/RES/39/13)
http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/39/13
•
Question of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Afghanistan. 4 December
1986. (A/RES/41/158)
http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/41/158
Previous Attempts to Solve the Issue
Six resolutions calling for the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan have been
passed by the General Assembly. The General Assembly has also called for selfdetermination for the Afghan people, the restoration of an independent Afghanistan, and the
safe repatriation of refugees in each of these six resolutions.
The Secretary General has personally initiated a negotiating process to seek a
political settlement. These UN-sponsored peace talks began in June 1982 in Geneva with
the fifth round of talks ending in August 1985. Representatives from both Pakistan and the
DRA have been in attendance, along with unofficial involvement from the USSR and the
USA, but the mujahideen have not represented in any form. Due to Pakistan’s refusal to
negotiate directly with DRA, UN Under Secretary Diego Cordovez has shuttled between the
separate delegations. Similar to the UNGA resolutions, the agenda includes the withdrawal
of all non-Afghan military from Afghanistan, noninterference in Afghan affairs by any other
parties, and the voluntary repatriation of refugees. While all parties involved have indicated
that they would like the peace talks to continue, they have not produced any solutions thus
far. Rather, many problems have been brought to light as a result, including the time period
in which withdrawal of Soviet troops and the cease of assistance to the mujahideen would
occur: while it was suggested that both events occur simultaneously, the USSR has
suggested stretching out the withdrawal of their troops over four years, which would leave
the mujahideen exposed and vulnerable.
The most significant solutions have been those on the subject of refugees. The UN
High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Food Program, United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) and several other agencies and NGOs have contributed greatly to alleviating the
plight of Afghan refugees. As of 1984, 3.2 million Afghan refugees have been registered in
Pakistan, which now represents the largest refugee concentration in the world. 1.8 million
refugees have been taken in by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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Possible Solutions
The main issues at hand include voluntary repatriation of refugees, withdrawal of
Soviet troops, and the restoration of Afghanistan as an independent state free from any
outside influence. These issues must be tackled when approaching any solution.
On the topic of refugees, repatriation can only occur once the conflict is ended.
However, international aid for destination countries as well as funding for agencies such as
the UNHCR must increase. Aid must also be given in such a way that tension between
refugees and Pakistanis should not rise, as Pakistan is also heavily economically burdened
by the refugee crisis.
The Geneva Talks can also be pursued further, as there seems to be more hope for
bringing the conflict to an end with Najbullah travelling to the USSR to discuss the very same
issue. It might be an option to have the mujahideen represented, as self-determination for the
Afghan people is an idea expressed in many resolutions passed by the UNGA. Human rights
abuses and usage of chemical weapons can be added to the agenda at these talks.
The Soviet Union has expressed, on numerous occasions, that it will only withdraw if
the muhajideen, too, withdraw. A timeframe must be set that both the mujahideen and the
Soviet Union can agree upon. It is also necessary to emphasize the prohibition of
intervention in the DRA; it is likely that the Soviet Union will agree to withdraw their troops
once the threat of foreign intervention (Pakistan-backed mujahideen) is removed. Ironically,
the Soviet Union is also an intervening foreign power, so delegates must take care not to
give too much bargaining power to the Soviet Union.
Bibliography
"University of Texas Libraries." Afghanistan Maps. N.d. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/afghanistan_rel86.jpg>.
“United Nations Refugee Agency.” Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees. Web. 1 Aug. 1986. 29 Dec. 2015. <http://www.unhcr.org/3ae68c600.html>.
Phillips, James A. "Seven Years of War in Afghanistan; MAKE MOSCOW WANT TO QUIT."
The New York Times [Washington] 26 Dec. 1986: n. pag. Web. 30 Dec. 2015.
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Coffrey, Raymond. "Afghanistan: No End in Sight." The Chicago Tribune [Peshawar,
Pakistan] 18 May 1986: n. pag. Web. 30 Dec. 2015.
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<http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1986-05-18/news/8602040755_1_afghan-resistancesoviets>.
United States of America. Bureau of Public Affairs. Department of State. Afghanistan. N.p.:
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United States of America. Bureau of Public Affairs. Department of State. Afghanistan. N.p.:
n.p., September 1985. Web. 29 Dec. 1986.
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Witherell, Julian W. Afghanistan: An American Perspective. Washington: n.p., 1986. Web. 30
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Years of Tragedy." Current Policy no. 636. 1984. n. pag. Web. 30 Dec. 2015.
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Afghanistan." 1983. n. pag. Web. 30 Dec. 2015.
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United States of America. Bureau of Public Affairs. Department of State. "Afghanistan: U.N.
General Assembly Acts on Soviet Invasion." 1980. n. pag. Web. 30 Dec. 2015.
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United States of America. Bureau of Public Affairs. Department of State. Whitehead, John C.
"Afghanistan's Struggle for Freedom.” 1986. n. pag. Web. 30 Dec. 2015.
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United Nations. Security Council. Official Records from the 2186th Meeting on January 5th
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Nyrop, Richard F., and Donald M. Seekins. Afghanistan a Country Study. N.p.: American U,
1986. Print.
Isby, David C. Russia's War in Afghanistan. N.p.: Osprey, 1986. Print.
"U.N. General Assembly Votes To Protest Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan." The Toledo Blade
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Amstutz, J. Bruce. Afghanistan: The First Five Years of Soviet Occupation. Washington,
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Appendix or Appendices
Appendix I
It would be an excellent idea to look through the book Afghanistan: The First Five
Years of Soviet Occupation by J. Bruse Amstutz. The entire book is available on Google
Books for free and, while it does not include events in 1986, it is extremely thorough and
provides good background on the entire issue.
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