BLEEDING AFGHANISTAN IN 1st WEEK OF SEIZE BY TALIBAN
Media nowadays is abuzz, rather, over flooded with news and views on Afghanistan. Awful and disturbing items, snaps & snapshots, hurriedly recorded pain giving and savage videos of shooting of people in cold blood, flogging and stoning to death incidents, dropping of people from a rescue plane, firing on innocents thronging Kabul airport etc. are dominating the social media.These keep drawing attention of right thinking individuals.
But is there anyone to suggest a solution to this unthinkable, never ending mayhem ?
Even a desperate and passionate appeal by the World level Cricketer Rashid Khan and fearless, rather daredevil interviews by a few women anchors & human right activists is not making any dent.
However, one difference looks discernible – Faint hope about a changed & moderate face & facade of pall bearers of phenomenon of Terrorism – TALIBAN, appears to be Emerging.
Simultaneously, one also sees headlines, namely,
***President Ghani flees country to reappear in UAE,
***Vice President claims Presidency,
***Former CEO Abdullah Abdullah’s utterance that God will decide fate of Ashraf Ghani,
***Afghanistan in Strife Again,
***Women Fearing For Torture & Flogging,
***Public punishments are going to be daily events,
***Chaos clouds Kabul Airport,
***Joe Biden sticks to his decision to withdraw troops,
***Taliban Return May Threaten India’s Security,
***Changing equations among Superpowers
AND WHAT NOT ?
RECAPITULATION
To throw light on contemporary situation, with a view to hint at some perspective on future scenario, it may be advisable to RECAPITULATE.
Well, a Hindu, Sun worshiping, Buddhist & Jewish land of erstwhile Khorasan, till 7th or 8th Century, gave way to invaders, looters as also stay backers, such as, Ghengiz Khan, Ahmed Shah Abdali (Durrani), Mohyal Shahi and many others owing to lack of clarity about a dream, vision, understanding and unity among four major regions of Balkh, Herat, Ghazni and Kabul.
Looks as if two major languages of Dari and Pashto did not get influenced in a populous region. Present fertility rate of 2.33% per year has led to a fertility incidence of 4.56 births per female and almost negative net migration has been recorded with passage of time.
Even SEIZE of Delhi Sultanate for 75 years by the Lodi Dynasty of Afghanistan and much later their victory in Anglo Afghan war did not have any impact. As such, an average Afghan is considered “controversial” for taking revenge, probably at the cost of progress of his region.
Once an unknown belief system of Islam for this part of isolated world, now not only dominates but has become all pervading, so much so ,that basic necessities like sanitation, education, health, immunization, upkeep of rural areas, maintenance of haphazard urban conglomerates, proper tapping of vast metallic resources, rich handicraft traditions etc appear largely neglected.
Interestingly, Kaffirstan region of Hindukush was not converted until 19th Century.
Despite obvious constraints and shortcomings, show of “Might is Right” was carried forward from one empire to another.
VIRAL VIDEOS
As regards factors contributing to current mayhem in Afghanistan, one may have been misled by the ongoing propaganda of West as opposed to attempts at assertion by the East.
All of a sudden, one video of a Media house called “Timeline” has gone viral.
In a nutshell it divulges:
^^^Popular belief of beginning of Mujahedeen upsurge against the USSR “sponsored” regime in Afghanistan was July 1979, not December 1979.
^^^The then U.S. President Jimmy Carter is reported to have sanctioned a sum of US$500 millions for giving birth and sustaining Mujahedeen, which also boosted simultaneous growth of Osama-bin-Laden, Taliban, Al-
Quaida and September 11 Groups.Also at the same time, a vast gas & oil pipeline was launched between Central Asia and Afghanistan, in which Mujahedeen continue to have a “cut”.
^^^While Mujahideen were a pampered lot for some more time,President Bush, Senior, never felt comfortable. They became a target group of U.S.immediately after 9/11 happening in New York.
^^^As per disclosure of Ray McGovern, an Ex-senior CIA officer, U.S.never believed in attacking ‘Strong’ countries, even though she, as per statement of one former Secretary of State, was too slow in getting involved anywhere consequent upon lapse of cold war period.
^^^As per McGovern, as many as 72 interventions were made by USA since 2nd World War.
CHANGE OF US STAND ?
Don’t we think that the referred video does not open a Pandora’s Box but lifts a certain suspense over many gory acts and conspiracies of western designs, spearheaded by USA ?
Taking a further cue, one may believe the brand new announcement of USA to the effect that US led forces may stay back in Afghanistan if situation did not improve.
At least, realising deterioration in situation, USA has strengthened its vigil inside and outside Kabul Airport.
Temporary halt to Indian rescue efforts followed by back to square one situation in no time, also prevents even a casual assessment of situation or making a fluid prediction over the future scenario.
TALIBANS KEEP GUESSING
Why only next stand of USA, even India is not divulging her trend or plan clearly vis-a-vis Neo-Talibans.Late statement of the latter that India like other four major players, viz, China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran should not have shut her embassy in Kabul, may lead to some degree of interest, if not optimism.But the immediate and past deeds of new controllers of Afghanistan can not inspire confidence.
This much is certain that common man of the war torn country leading to a shattered social system had enough of it. So they MAY NOT take things lying down.
OPEN DISPLAY OF TORTURE & MURDERS
Afghanistan, despite regular appearance of terrifying, horrible and savage acts being perpetrated on men and women alike, reflected through the social media, continues to gather news but silence or further announcements by China,Russia and Iran also, at the same time, bring in an element of surprise. Continued ,if not Well thought of SILENCE on the part of Islamic nations may also make right thinking individuals very shocked and upset.
WHERE ARE SAVIOURS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ?
One may also like to Ask-
Where are the loud mouth Human Right activists of USA,West EUROPE or Pakistan, who normally make a bee line for severely criticizing Govt.of India with regard to situation in J&K in general and Abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in particular ?
STOP PRESS – DARK DAYS RETURN AS
(a) MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH STATUE IS VANDALISED IN PAKISTAN
(b) TALIBANS BLOW UP A STATUE OF A.A. MAZARI, A SHIA MILITIA LEADER IN BAMIYAN &
(c) THREE KILLED AS TALIBAN FACE FIRST ROUND OF PROTEST IN JALALABAD
Last one may be a setback to Taliban’s resolve to re- consolidate Islamic rule, their “promises” of peace , respecting rights of women within the framework of Islamic law and NOT taking revenge against old enemies.
BUT THINGS MAY NOT BE AS EASY AS THEY APPEAR
(The author is a retired Chief Secretary, Sikkim)
