- Human rights violation
- Women and minorities persecution
Jai Kumar Verma
New Delhi. 13 August 2021. In last few days has Taliban captured several cities including few provincial capitals and it has changed the basic complex of war in Afghanistan which was prolonging for last 20 years. Firstly, Taliban captured sizable areas of countryside and now they are capturing cities including provincial capitals. Taliban have already captured Zarani, Sheberghan, Taloqan, Sar-e-Pol, Aybak, and Kunduz. On 10 and 11 August three more provincial capitals including Farah in western Afghanistan and Pul-i-Khumri in the north and Faizabad capital of north-eastern province of Badakhshan were captured by Taliban. Ghazni and Herat were fallen on 12 August while Taliban captured Kandahar and Lashkar Gah on 13 August. Ghazni is just 150 K. Ms away from Kabul and U.S. has sent 3000 troops to Kabul to withdraw embassy staff and rescue Afghans who worked with U.S. during wartime.
Taliban have also captured several money-spinning border crossing check posts. According to latest reports about two third area of Afghanistan is under Taliban control. The way Taliban are capturing large swaths of the country it appears that the deeply divided, ill-motivated, ill-trained Afghan security forces would not be able to face Taliban for long time. The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) is suffering from poor leadership, inferior communication, no actionable intelligence, shortage of food and ammunition. The soldiers are not getting their salaries regularly.
Afghan government is also ridden with internal dissensions and feuds. President Ghani spends his energies in downgrading powerful warlords hence, although the local militia leaders are opposed to Taliban but do not trust Ghani and present administration.
The pro government militias have constituted Public Uprising Forces (PUF) which is giving a tough resistance to Taliban. However, these forces are loyal to local warlords and not to Kabul regime and they are complaining that Kabul government is not providing them requisite arms and ammunition. President Ghani met several regional warlords on 9 August and requested them to expedite and strengthen their efforts and resist the Taliban. Nonetheless, these local warlords have no empathy with the present government and they may shift their loyalty to winning side which may be Taliban.
The withdrawal of foreign troops, which is more than 95 percent is complete, has severely crippled ANDSF which was immensely dependent on its air power, intelligence, and logistics. Just few days back President Biden told to press that “Look, we spent over a trillion dollars over 20 years. We trained and equipped with modern equipment over 300,000 Afghan forces. And Afghan leaders have to come together”. He further clarified that U.S. would continue air support but Afghan forces have to fight their own war and the Afghan security forces who outnumber Taliban have to fight for their nation.
Ghulam Isaczai Special Representative of Afghanistan in United Nations called for a special joint session of security council with Human Rights Council, as the situation in the country is worsening rapidly because of brutality of Taliban. In last four months they launched 5,500 attacks in 31 provinces of the country. Taliban and their foreign associates including Al Qaida, Islamic State are divided into 20 groups and they are attacking ANDSF as well as civilians. He mentioned that Taliban have support from Pakistan and their fighters take refuge in Pakistan. He also mentioned that more than 5,300 civilians including women and children were killed, Taliban have destroyed large number of schools, hospitals, bridges, public buildings, and communication towers. Because of the colossal destruction more than 13 million people are suffering.
Indian representative T.S. Tirumurti, Security Council President for August also charged that there are record number of human casualties, crimes against women, girls, and minorities. He stressed to the need of Afghan led and controlled peace process so that the constitutional democracy is safeguarded and the rights of women and minorities remain intact.
Once the foreign forces leave Afghanistan by August 31 it is expected that Taliban would conquer cities after cities and whole Afghanistan including Kabul would fall within six months to one year. Nevertheless, Afghanistan watchers by noticing the rapid victories of Taliban and pathetic condition of Afghan forces predict that Afghan government may fall much sooner than previous assessments. Once Taliban overthrow the elected government the violence and human right violations would enhance manifold.
The residents of the areas which are controlled by Taliban complain that the Taliban have imposed brutal restrictions on women and they are destroying educational institutions. The Human Right organisations are also receiving reports that Taliban are resorting to summary executions and destroying schools, hospitals and clinics in the areas captured by them. There are revenge killings, murdered a comedian in southern Kandahar while Dawa Khan Menepal the chief of Afghan government’s press was assassinated in Kabul just few days after a murderous attack on acting defence minister.
The International Committee of the Red Cross is treating thousands of injured persons putting their lives in danger. They reported that not only the hospitals but houses, electricity and water infrastructures are also destroyed. Taliban are using explosive weaponry which is wounding civilians.
Once Taliban comes to power, they will reimpose stringent Islamic law under which there will be very less rights to women while the persecution of minorities would enhance manifold. In 1990 when Taliban were in power, they awarded brutal physical punishments to women, minorities and people who defied rigid Islamic laws. There was no freedom of religion, education, or expression.
Taliban neither recognise the present elected government nor the constitution of the country. Taliban do not believe in present law and judiciary. Taliban would resort to indiscriminate detentions, summary punishments and executions. Taliban make purposeful attacks on civilians and there were crimes against women. Millions of Afghan girls went to school and women participated in public life since 2002 under Afghan government. Nevertheless, Taliban are destroying educational institutions especially girls schools and they would not allow girls to attend schools. Taliban have levied taxes on teachers salaries and threated if they continue teaching. There are announcements from mosques that the wives and young daughters of security force personnel should be given to Taliban who will either marry them or keep them as slaves.
Taliban do not allow free press to function. Journalists who depict the true picture which is critical to Taliban are regularly threatened and if they do not follow the instructions they are killed. Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui who was working for Reuter was killed by Taliban in Kandahar province few days back. The Doha office of Taliban made it clear that only those journalists who respect Islamic values would be allowed to function in the areas of their control. Taliban constantly attack journalists who criticise their policies and way of their functioning. Several Taliban commanders have banned T.V. as well as smart phones in their areas.
Locals fear that Taliban may create “vice and virtue” police as they did in 1990 when they were in power. The officials of the morality police harass the public if they do not adhere to the stringent rules pertaining to dress, length of beard, attending of Friday prayers, use of smartphones etc. Rigorous punishment including imprisonment, public flogging were common. Imams are also tasked to report about people missing the prayers. The moral police would enforce much harsher dress code and restrictions on movement of women.
The local Taliban commanders have considerable autonomy and several commanders award whimsical punishments. Taliban do not give any respite to women in case of domestic violence. Atrocious punishments are awarded for moral crimes. In nutshell once Taliban dethrone the present government the condition of war-torn Afghanistan would further worsen economically, religiously, socially as well as educationally.
The analysts claim that minorities would be persecuted, their temples, churches and Gurudwaras either would be demolished or damaged. The unmarried girls may be abducted and would be forced to marry Taliban workers and would be converted to Islam. Radicalisation in Afghanistan would increase and it would effect the neighbouring countries including India, China, Pakistan, Russia, and Iran. Islamic State and Al Qaeda would be strengthened and they may plan terrorist activities in India, U.S., Europe, and other countries.
