[NOTE: This is the tenth in a series of letters from an Afghan friend whose identity shall remain confidential. He writes about the situation in his country since the Taliban assumed power in August.]
Dear David:
This is a tale of four Afghan women, who once lived in relative freedom but now are anything but free. It is a story about education, independence, and choices – or lack thereof.
Bahar and Sahar grew up in a rural district of Daykondi Province. They were classmates, with two very different ideas about education and opportunity. Bahar went to school every day with great enthusiasm. She dreamed that one day she would graduate from college, earn her own money, and have financial independence. She had many suitors during school days, but never accepted one, for she knew that if she were to get married, she could forget about her goals.
Her classmate Sahar didn't have any interest in continuing her education, so she married the first suitor who came along, an Australian Afghan. After two years, her husband was able to take her to Australia. Now they have two children and a successful marriage. Sahar is a domestic worker.
Now that the Taliban are in power, Bahar has her education but is no longer allowed to work. Sahar escaped Afghanistan, but given her lack of education will likely never have meaningful employment. Who’s better off?
Maryam, another girl from Bamiyan, finished high school and went to Kabul to prepare for Konkor (a qualifying test to be admitted to university). She studied for two years for the test. During this time, she was far away from her family. She lived in a room where there was no cooler in the summer nor heater in the winter. She studied day and night on little sleep. This year she passed the test, scoring high enough to get into her first choice college. But now that Afghanistan has been taken over by the Taliban, her efforts may have been in vain.
Beheshta Arghand, an anchor for TOLOnews who fled to a European country, told the BBC: “My message to the Taliban: you take all of the country, but one day, you know, you lost the generation. They are like a diamond. They shine. You lost a powerful generation. I never thought of leaving my country. I lost everything. From my childhood up until now, I struggled for my dream, but now it's become zero. I really miss my job. I love my job."
Through tears, she says: "I just hope one day, I will go back."
Billions of dollars in aid flowed into Afghanistan during the past two decades for state-building, redevelopment, education development, human rights, etc. Even though half of these funds were embezzled and transferred abroad, there was real progress in education. Under Taliban rule in 2001, school attendance among girls was zero. During the American intervention, the situation improved dramatically, and millions of girls and women were educated. Although there is no accurate figure, according to UNICEF and the Afghan government, by 2011 as many as 66 percent of girls aged 12-15 were able to attend school.
Women and ethnic minorities such as Hazara made the most of this opportunity. The women in Kabul and other cities like Mazar, Herat, Bamiyan, and Daykondi and who can speak Persian enjoyed even more freedom. For the last 20 years, they had the right to study, work and choose their own husbands.
The condition of women's life in Helmand and its rural district is a true allegory of the Taliban. Women here are deprived of their fundamental rights. The girls can no longer even attend secondary school.
Helmand Pashtun men believe that if women are given freedom, they will turn their backs on them, and they will no longer be able to rule over them. A woman is considered the property of the man. It is considered shameful for men to even mention the names of sisters, mothers and wives. In fact, if you directly ask the name of his sister or mother or wife, you have uttered a great insult. When you see your best friend on the side of the road and he is with his wife, he does not acknowledge you and you do not acknowledge them.
Women do not have the right to choose a husband. Fathers choose husbands for their daughters. If the father gives the daughter to an old man as a third wife, the daughter has no right to protest, and if she protests, she will be beaten. The girl cannot see or contact her husband until after the wedding. There is no divorce. If a woman’s husband dies when she is still young, she is forced to marry her brother-in-law. No matter how much a husband beats his wife, she has no choice but to endure it. Just as Muslims consider this misery to be the choice and wisdom of God, so women here consider this oppression to be the wisdom of God and their destiny.
The primitive culture in Helmand is a model the Taliban wish to replicate in civilized cities such as Kabul, Mazar, Bamyan, and throughout Afghanistan. Beheshta Arghand, the journalist now living in exile, had it right: we have lost a powerful generation.
***
THE HEADLINES:
NOTE: There are at least two pieces of happier news today. The Daintree, which is the world's oldest tropical rainforest, has been "given" back to its Aboriginal caretakers in Australia. And the incomparable Dolly Parton has given her blessing to Lil Nas X's version of her classic song "Jolene."
* Afghans bury paintings and hide books out of fear of Taliban crackdown on arts and culture (WP)
* Afghan girls' soccer squad find new home in Ronaldo's Portugal (Reuters)
* From chips to ships, shortages are making inflation stick (Reuters)
* Why Is Every Young Person in America Watching ‘The Sopranos’? -- The show’s new audience is also seeing something different in it: a parable about a country in terminal decline. (NYT)
* It’s flu vaccine time, even if you’ve had your COVID shots (AP)
* Democrats promised to slash drug prices. Now internal clashes are standing in the way. (WP)
* La Palma Volcano Lava Hits Ocean, Creating a Pyramid and Toxic Gas Release (NYT)I'm begging of you please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
With flaming locks of auburn hair
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green
Your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like summer rain
And I cannot compete with you
Jolene
And there's nothing I can do to keep
From crying when he calls your name
Jolene
How you could easily take my man
But you don't know what he means to me
Jolene
I'm begging of you please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
But I could never love again
He's the only one for me
Jolene
My happiness depends on you
And whatever you decide to do
Jolene
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