The moment it was announced that the Taliban have taken over Afghanistan, the streets of Kabul were empty with not a soul in sight. Men, women and children hid away in their homes.
The first fear Afghan women had was the fear of their education getting banned, their dreams tarnished and the end to all their hopes and aspirations for their future. Most Afghans, women and men, with professional jobs, have not returned. Only some of the lucky ones managed to escape.
Watching the Taliban take over of Afghanistan for the past month, has been full of stories of families trying to make their way to the airport to escape to a better life waiting for them on the other side. Some managed to reach their goals but most, who are still desperate to leave, are left behind. Some even lost their lives, pleading, crying, screaming, starving for days as they waited to be noticed at the gates of Kabul airport. And the world watched on.
As soon as the US and UK troops left Afghanistan, a few days in, it’s now announced that girls have been banned from secondary school education until further notice. The boys are announced to be back to their school desks, leaving behind their sisters. In solidarity, many boys have refused to go to school.
Taliban has banned girls from secondary education in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, this brave young Afghan boys have joined a campaign: #WithoutMySisterIwillNotGoToSchool.
The Taliban are claiming that girls will only be allowed to go back to school once there is a system in place which will be formed by Afghanistan’s militant-led government.
Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid told Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine, “We are not against education of girls, but we are still working on mechanisms of how their school attendance can be possible.”
In recent days, Afghan women have held a number of protests in Kabul which were stopped by militants. The women demanded that they have similar rights to men and be given freedom. They want to be able to work and attend school to better their education and work in their chosen fields.
Afghan women from across the world have also joined forces to rule out the Taliban dress code of the all black burqa by publishing their photographs online, wearing colourful and vibrant Afghan traditional dresses using the hashtag #AfghanistanCulture on Twitter.
In an interview with the BBC, Haji Hekmat, who’s an influential local Taliban leader, was confronted with critics saying that the Taliban are killing the culture.
He disagreed and said, “Western influences have been here for the past 20 years… Control of Afghanistan has passed from one foreign hand to another for 40 years, we have lost our own traditions and values. We are bringing our culture back to life.”
Foreign forces have now pulled out of Afghanistan after a deal between the US and the Taliban militants. Joe Biden has set 11 September 2021 as the day where there will be a full withdrawal of troops.
In recent days, the fights between the Afghan military and the Taliban have displaced thousands of civilians. People have fled their homes and have been moving to the capital, Kabul, sleeping on the streets, in hopes for the government to protect them from the Taliban.
The Taliban have taken control of many cities and provinces around the country in recent months and days.
Nato ambassadors are to set a meeting and discuss the situation in Afghanistan. Aid agencies have showed concerns and have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe as civilians flee.
The Afghan people are in fear of their lives and their future once again. People are left outside on the streets while their homes are occupied by the Taliban.
Families are forced not to leave their homes by the Taliban. For most who left their homes and tried to reach Kabul for safety were stopped on the way and forced to go back or tortured and separated from their families. Young boys and men are taken by the Taliban and forced to join the Taliban.
Kabul streets are full of displaced families who have slept on the streets for days with no food or water. People are in fear of their daughters getting raped by the street men in Kabul. Children are left in the cold of nights sleeping on the hard ground with no beds or the basic necessities to keep them warm at night. Aid workers who have tried to support the families with food, water and money have been attacked and trampled.
With Taliban’s rapid advance, many women in Afghanistan are fleeing their homes, fearing murder, rape and forced marriage. pic.twitter.com/p4uSMiLIXy
See the Youtube video below for a report showing the conditions of those who have migrated to Kabul by Afghan journalist Sameer Sidiqi.
People show their support for Afghanistan on social media platforms
People from across the world have showed support for Afghanistan through social media platforms and expressed their concerns tweeting images of what Afghanistan was once like, posting their concerns on instagram and Facebook, asking people to help raise awareness and stand in support of the the Afghan people and its government.
Afghans living in and around Europe have expressed the guilt they’ve been feeling for being the survivors while the rest of the people are still stuck in the war of many decades. It’s left them feeling helpless and scared for what the future may hold for the family and friends they’ve left behind.
Afghanistan's Ambassador to the US @AdelaRaz tells me "Afghanistan will never surrender to tyranny. This is not a civil war. This is a proxy war" pic.twitter.com/aFSS8oL4TW
In today's meeting on national security chaired by Prz @ashrafghani it was decided with conviction & resolve that WE STAND FIRM AGAINST TALIBAN TERRORISTS & DO EVERTYHING TO STREGNTHEN THE NATIONAL RESISTANCE BY ALL MEANS AND WAYS. PERIOD. We are proud of our ANDSF.
Encouraging #women in #Afghanistan to embrace freedom, rights, education, careers, and dreams for 20 years, then abandoning them so they lose it all and are killed, forcibly married, or rarely leave the house again because of the #Taliban, is an especially cruel form of betrayal.
Boris Johnson is set to hold an emergency Cobra meeting and discuss the situation.
Shadow Foreign Secretary, Lisa Nandy said it was a:
“Humanitarian crisis unfolding in front of our eyes.”
Calling the Prime Minister and foreign secretary to:
“Step up.”
It’s been announced that hundreds of troops will be deployed to Afghanistan to help get the British nationals safely out of the country. The US have also planned to send it’s troops on a temporary basis to help evacuate the embassy staff.
Raise awareness through your social media platforms, join protests around you and help through signing petitions to end the war in Afghanistan. The people of Afghanistan need us most now. We must do what we can to help them and show our support.
Giving money to charities in the West will not help the people of Afghanistan but by sending money to those on the grounds of Afghanistan will.
Contact me for donations that will be sent to verified people in Afghanistan who will help those on the streets of Kabul.
‘Me Too’ was first found by civil rights activist Tarana Burke in the year 2006. She used the term to raise awareness of sexual abuse and harassment in the society. In 2017, #MeToo came to light and was first recognised on social media due sexual abuse allegations made by dozens of women in Hollywood; reported to have been carried out by American film producer, Harvey Weinstein, who is big in the film industry. The accusations included sexual harassment, assault and rape.
Since the allegations many women, not necessarily from big organisations, from around the world have come out and shared their abuse experiences that they encountered by male counterparts and kept silent about. A website has been established, metoomvmt.org, which encourages people to join in support of survivors and to put an end to sexual violence and assault.
#MeToo in foreign land
But the question I ask; is this movement really helping women in foreign countries? Women across remote nations face worse situations that they have fallen prey to. Rape is used as a methodical weapon of war. There are women and girls across foreign countries who are abused, killed in the name of honour killings, been attacked by acid, stopped from education, married off at a young age or been victims if sex trafficking; all of which needs to be put to an end.
In some parts of the world there is a lack of internet or the lack of knowledge of the internet. So we need to ask ourselves, can the #MeToo movement really reach every female or male who have suffered some form of harassment in every corner of the world?
#MeToo China
According to Radio Free Asia (RFA) , Sophina Huang, a former Chinese journalist, for a state-run news agency stated, “[We need] a system that includes preventative training, investigation of allegations, punishment of offenders and psychological counselling for the victims,” she continued to say, “All of these factors would add up to a system that works to prevent sexual harassment.”
“We definitely need training and workshops in this area, but there is nothing like this in mainland China; there is nothing,” she said.
#MeToo Nairobi, Kenya
Image from Slate.com
In other parts of the world like, Nairobi, Kenya, #MeToo reached people on Twitter and the media quickly but, a few of the men accused were held accountable.
A Kenyan television reporter and university student, Sharon Kate Ng’ang’a said, “Many African women, Kenyan women, still face the issues of an overly patriarchal, religious, and traditional setting. The stigma alone associated with violence against women renders many women mum.”
She went on to tell Devex, “Many Kenyans are not aware of what #MeToo means. And who would blame them? . . . We are not educated efficiently as a society on the actions to take when it comes down to reporting abuse, collecting evidence, handling victims, and so forth.”
#MeToo Afghanistan
Afghanistan is a developing country; it has yet to catch up with the world. One step forward for women in the West is twenty steps for women in Afghanistan. Not because they cannot keep up with the pace but because they are faced with extremely dangerous tests along the way. An outspoken woman is hushed quickly with accusations and most of the time even risk losing their lives.
A humanitarian organisation, Women for Women International, reached out to women in Afghanistan and found that a large number had never heard of #MeToo despite it being the most known and widespread feminist movement.
But, would they step forward to do something about their situation if they were aware of the #MeToo movement? According to Humeira Saghib, a well-known Afghan psychologist, Afghan women find it hard to open up about sexual harassment.
In an interview with Sputnik news, Saghib said, “Very often women face sexual harassment when they attempt to solve some kind of problems because if you don’t have a “mediator or money,” you have to offer your body, which unfortunately is widely spread within governmental and non-governmental organizations.”
A larger reason as to why Afghan women keep quiet is due to the fear of being shamed. They keep quiet to avoid pointing fingers from the, culture obsessed, Afghan society; as the woman is always blamed for her fate.
They mostly do not get support from family even if they are the victims and they often face ‘honour killing’. There is also a fear that those who reach out to help these women can cause a larger issue and create more problems for the victims.
“Unfortunately, even educated women fear to expose the facts, because if their families find out, they may prevent them from studying and working. A majority of women, therefore, are afraid of going public,” Said Saghib.
The New York Times was told by President Ashraf Ghani’s adviser, Shaharzad Akbar that, “In Afghanistan, women can’t say they faced sexual harassment. If a woman shares someone’s identity, he will kill her or kill her family. We can never accuse men, especially high-ranking men, without great risk.”
According to the Human Rights Watch, a 2016 study found that 90 percent of 346 Afghan women and girls admitted that they had been sexually harassed in public places, 91 percent in educational environments and 87 percent at work.
In the past few years, many women in the Afghan media have been a victim of assault because of their public social media accounts and open opinions.
Maryam Mahtar, was the first ever Afghan woman to tweet #MeToo and will possibly be the last. She tweeted, “When I was a child, I had some experiences of sexual harassment which still bother me. #MeToo.” She is a young Afghan woman who is a freelance journalist in Kabul. After her tweet, according to VICE, she was faced with hate mail and sxually abusive comments to her social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
I emailed Maryam Mehtar but did not get a response, below is her interview with VICE:
Maryam Mehtar:
I am sure that no woman in Afghanistan has been safe from sexual harassment. Yet, most women are afraid or embarrassed to speak of their ordeals.
But it’s not their fault. They fear that they will be accused or punished by their families, or community members if they confess to having been sexually harassed. And their fears have been proven right so far. Women who have opened up have faced hate and anger. They haven’t received any sympathy.
In Afghanistan, if a woman talks about sexual harassment, people will think that she is the bad girl. No one blames men. When you have institutes of shame, people blame the victims.
Why did you decide to speak out?
I am a journalist. Two years ago I made a decision to write about sexual harassment, but I couldn’t find a girl that was willing to talk to me about the issue. Once, I spoke about it with a few women who seemed to me to be bright and literate, but they attacked me and did not support me. One of them even told me that I was a prostitute. So I promised myself that if anyone ever asked me for an interview about sexual harassment, I would give them an interview and speak about harassment.
So when the media approached me recently to ask me to talk about sexual harassment in Afghanistan, I agreed to speak out. I took the opportunity to say that a positive change in the minds of Afghani women was needed. Women need to know that seeking justice and protesting against injustices is never a shameful act.
How was #MeToo perceived in Afghanistan?
The #MeToo campaign has not been very popular in Afghanistan for a number of reasons. The majority of Afghan women are afraid to talk about their experiences of harassment. Because, in most cases, instead of being supported by people and society, they are more likely to get attacked.
I first saw the #MeToo campaign on Twitter. Some Afghan women wrote about their experiences of sexual harassment on the platform. Just on Twitter though. The platform isn’t used so much in Afghanistan, so it wasn’t as dangerous as speaking about it on Facebook for example, which a lot more people use.
What reaction did you personally receive?
Once I’d spoken about sexual harassment and own personal experiences, almost everyone who has access to the internet became aware of my conversations.
Most people encouraged me. Most of my friends appreciated my interview. Some didn’t and told me that I’d only spoken about this issue to make a name for myself, or escape Afghanistan.
But thankfully my family has stood beside me and has always appreciated my work. They’ve told me that I should continue to express myself, without fear.
What next? What change do you want to see when it comes to stopping sexual assault and harassment against women (worldwide and in Afghanistan)?
Unfortunately, women all over the world have and are always being abused. From the largest and most advanced countries to the most war-torn countries, such as Afghanistan. What I hope for in 2018 is that we no longer differentiate between men and women in society and just speak about human beings instead.
Afghanistan’s first cricket game was played in the 19th century Anglo-Afghan Wars. The British troops have reportedly played the game in Kabul in the year 1839. In the 90’s Afghan refugees that migrated to Pakistan developed an interest in the cricket game which lead to the formation of Afghanistan Cricket Federation in 1995.
Afghanistan’s national cricket team has represented the country in international cricket matches. Despite only being recognised as a member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2001, Afghanistan’s National cricket team successfully rose through the sports world ranking and as a result were added to the list of 12 countries with a full Test status.
The 2018 Asia Cup was a success for the Afghans despite not making it to the final. The team won against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, had a tie against the world’s best cricket team, India, and a competitive effort against Pakistan.
Adro Gul Stanikzai, who is a former cricket coach at the Nangarhar Cricket Academy and a sports commentator, explained to Al Jazeera that, “One of the main reasons that our national team started doing so well is because the Afghan government started investing in them and in the cricket academies across the country. The team was then encouraged by the love and support that they got from Afghans.” He continued to explain that the people of Afghanistan support the sport very much, “Across the country, when Afghanistan is playing, everyone is praying for them to win.”
Cricket in the UK
Ten countries are playing in the 2019 World Cup that will be held in England and Wales for a six-week tournament.
This year, the Afghan cricket team played their first match of the ICC Cricket World Cup on the 1ST of June against Australia in Bristol.
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) June 5, 2018
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2015, it has been estimated that there are 76,000 Afghans living in the UK. So the cricket match was a chance for a massive gathering and a reason to celebrate the Afghan cricket team and the British Afghans living in the UK coming together.
Australia who has won the World Cup five times in the past beat Afghanistan quite quickly but that did not stop the Afghan people from showing their support. They are continuing to cheer the team on and are proud to see that Afghanistan is playing in the Cricket Wold Cup.
Afghanistan has shown so much of fighting spirit against a team like Australia…kudos to them and best wishes for their CWC campaign! Rise and shine Afghanistan👍 #AFGvAUS
All the teams that have participated in the 2019 World Cup paid a visit to the Queen Elizabeth of England ahead of the opening ceremony held at the London Mall next to Buckingham Palace. Prince Harry was also met by the team at Buckingham Palace in London.
The captains from all ten #CWC19 sides met Queen Elizabeth II & the Duke of Sussex at Buckingham Palace earlier today. pic.twitter.com/ejorQW1dvN
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) May 29, 2019
Cricket matches for the World Cup 2019
June
Saturday 1st – New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets, Cardiff (10:30 BST)
Saturday 1st – Australia beat Afghanistan by seven wickets, Bristol (DN) (13:30 BST)
Sunday 2nd – Bangladesh beat South Africa by 21 runs, The Oval (10:30 BST)
Monday 3rd – Pakistan beat England by 14 runs, Trent Bridge (10:30 BST)
Tuesday 4th – Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by 34 runs, Cardiff (10:30 BST)
Wednesday 5th – India beat South Africa by six wickets, Southampton (10:30 BST)
Wednesday 5th – New Zealand beat Bangladesh by two wickets, The Oval (DN) (13:30 BST)
Thursday 6th – Australia beat West Indies by 15 runs, Trent Bridge (10:30 BST)
Friday 7th – Pakistan vs Sri Lanka – no result, rain Bristol (10:30 BST)
Saturday 8th – England beat Bangladesh by 106 runs, Cardiff (10:30 BST)
Saturday 8th – New Zealand beat Afghanistan by seven wickets, Taunton (DN) (13:30 BST)
Sunday 9th – India beat Australia by 36 runs, The Oval (10:30 BST)
Monday 10th – South Africa vs West Indies, no result, rain Southampton (10:30 BST)
Tuesday 11th – Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Bristol (10:30 BST)
Wednesday 12th – Australia vs Pakistan, Taunton (10:30 BST)
Thursday 13th – India vs New Zealand, Trent Bridge (10:30 BST)
Friday 14th – England vs West Indies, Southampton (10:30 BST)
Saturday 15th – Sri Lanka vs Australia, The Oval (10:30 BST)
Saturday 15th – South Africa vs Afghanistan, Cardiff (DN) (13:30 BST)
Sunday 16th – India vs Pakistan, Old Trafford (10:30 BST)
Monday 17th – West Indies vs Bangladesh, Taunton (10:30 BST)
Tuesday 18th – England vs Afghanistan, Old Trafford (10:30 BST)
Wednesday 19th – New Zealand v South Africa, Edgbaston (10:30 BST)
Thursday 20th – Australia vs Bangladesh, Trent Bridge (10:30 BST)
Friday 21st – England vs Sri Lanka, Headingley (10:30 BST)
Saturday 22nd – India vs Afghanistan, Southampton (10:30 BST)
Saturday 22nd – West Indies vs New Zealand, Old Trafford (DN) (13:30 BST)
Sunday 23rd – Pakistan vs South Africa, Lord’s (10:30 BST)
Monday 24th – Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, Southampton (10:30 BST)
Tuesday 25th – England vs Australia, Lord’s (10:30 BST)
Wednesday 26th – New Zealand vs Pakistan, Edgbaston (10:30 BST)
Thursday 27th – West Indies vs India, Old Trafford (10:30 BST)
Friday 28th – Sri Lanka vs South Africa, Chester-le-Street (10:30 BST)
Saturday 29th – Pakistan vs Afghanistan, Headingley (10:30 BST)
Saturday 29th – New Zealand vs Australia, Lord’s (DN) (13:30 BST)
Sunday 30th – England vs India, Edgbaston (10:30 BST)
July
Monday 1st – Sri Lanka vs West Indies, Chester-le-Street (10:30 BST)
Tuesday 2nd – Bangladesh vs India, Edgbaston (10:30 BST)
Wednesday 3rd – England vs New Zealand, Chester-le-Street (10:30 BST)
Thursday 4th – Afghanistan vs West Indies, Headingley (10:30 BST)
Friday 5th – Pakistan vs Bangladesh, Lord’s (10:30 BST)
Saturday 6th – Sri Lanka vs India, Headingley (10:30 BST)
Saturday 6th – Australia vs South Africa, Old Trafford (DN) (13:30 BST)
Tuesday 9th – First semi-final: 1st vs 4th, Old Trafford (10:30 BST)
Thursday 11th – Second semi-final: 2nd vs 3rd, Edgbaston (10:30 BST)
Peace Process talks (Image from: AFP Photo/Yuri KADOBNOV)
The 17-year-war or 17 years of help from the Americans, in Afghanistan, seems to be coming to an end brusquely with the decision of The Trump administration to withdraw up to 7,000 troops in upcoming months. The negotiations have been led by Zalmay Khalilzad, who is the US representative to Afghanistan, held in numerous locations with the Taliban, such as; Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the Afghan government.
The decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan has carried uncertainties, bringing back the dark past to life, under the rule of the Taliban, in the memories of the people of Afghanistan; especially its women. But this time, the Taliban have crept up in disguise of a ‘Peace Process’.
President Trump, in his interview with CBS, was asked whether the Taliban can be trusted, “The Taliban are tired”, He stated.
He continued to say, “I think everybody’s tired. We got to get out of these endless wars and bring our folks back home. Now, that doesn’t mean we’re not going to be watching with intelligence. We’re going to be watching, and watching closely.”
The commander of the Central Command, Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzier Jr. of the Marines believes otherwise. He claims that the Afghan army will not be able to protect Afghanistan without the support of the Americans. He stated, “If we left precipitously right now, I do not believe they would be able to successfully defend their country,” he said. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take. I think that one of the things that would actually provide the most damage to them would be if we put a timeline on it and we said we were going out at a certain point in time.”
Afghan Government and the Taliban
In the Peace Process, 12 members have been involved from the Afghan government; three of which are women. This shows a sign of progress and displays that women are involved in the talks which is good news so far. But this still does not give Afghan women hope. They are still in fear that they might be forgotten once again.
The Taliban not delegating directly with the Afghan government, has left questions unanswered and has left an impression that the Taliban participation in the peace process talks may not be sincere or valid. There have also been assumptions that the refusal to meet with the Afghan delegation has been due to the fact that there are women present or that they did not respect the government’s representatives.
What about Afghan women?
Since the fall of the Taliban, women have progressed greatly in Afghanistan compared to their situation during the times of the Taliban rule. Women have worked very hard to be recognised and given the basic human rights; to live a normal life and to simply exist and live up to their dreams.
Samira Hamidi, who is the South Asia campaigner at Amnesty International has said, “Afghan women are famous for their resolve and we are celebrating that this Women’s Day (08 March 2019). Despite more than 17 years of conflict, they have made remarkable strides. They are lawyers, doctors, judges, teachers, engineers, athletes, activists, politicians, journalists, bureaucrats, run their own businesses and are in the ranks of the military and police.”
Regarding the Afghan Peace process, she has voiced that women must not be left out of the conversation. She has said, “These hard-won advances must not be rolled back at any cost. Women have been at the forefront of the calls for peace in Afghanistan. But there can be no peace process worthy of the name that excludes women or compromises on their rights. Afghan women cannot be ignored or silenced.”
Women in Afghanistan now have a dedicated Minister of Women’s Affairs based throughout the country at provincial levels. There also exists a chairwoman of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, Dr. Sima Samar. She has also stated that women should be a part of the Afghan Peace talk. In a conference in Kabul, she explained that women have a fear that they will once again be forgotten if the Taliban come back. She said women serve an important role at the peace talks because of their special concerns. She included that women have overwhelmingly been the victims of war, but have been excluded from the conversations on how to end what they have endured.
In an interview with TOLO TV (Afghan TV), Samar said, “Human rights, especially those of women, should not be stepped on in talks with Taliban, otherwise people stand up against Taliban.” She continued to say, “talks with Taliban is a transient political deal and rights should not be sacrificed for it… peace talks should be transparent and the process should not be rushed.”
She included that, “If Taliban wants peace, then they should not resist against human rights and the rights of women. Because, this demand (resistance against these rights) will not lead to peace, this demand will deadlock the issues.”
Aryana Saeed (Imaged from: YouTube.com)
TOLO also had an Afghan singer present, Aryana Saeed; she discussed this issue in the same interview. She asked questions like, “If Taliban become part of the government, will women have rights or not? Will women be allowed to work and receive an education or not? Will a woman still be allowed to be a doctor, or, for example, like me, a singer? Will I still be allowed to work as one? And will a woman be able to go to Shahr-e-Naw (Kabul) and buy things for her children?”
Afghan women are now more aware of their rights, and have comprehended their ability to be better with education. They are now members of the parliament, holding important positions in the Afghan government and elsewhere. They play a big part in the future of Afghanistan and can voice their opinions. They are not just women stuck at home. They are strong women and have progressed significantly in such a short period of time.
But, the question still remains, lingering over Afghanistan and in the minds of people around the world; will Afghan women be able to stand up for themselves if they were to have their human rights taken from them? Will the government be able to guard them? Will they stand together and fight for their freedom?
As billions of people around the world watched on, Prince Harry of Wales; The Duke of Sussex, 33, tied the knot with his beautiful bride Ms. Meghan Markle, 36, who is now Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex.
The marriage ceremony took place in Windsor, it was one that did not disappoint, with a beautiful entrance from Meghan, the joyful tears from Harry at the sight of his bride, the well planned speech by the bishop and the music. It was a perfect fairy-tale royal wedding.
Shortly after the vows and rings were exchanged, Prince Harry and Meghan made their way out of the church to announce their accomplished wedding to the world with their first kiss as a married couple.
Thousands of people watched on anticipating the newlyweds to pass by during the Carriage Procession route, which travelled through Windsor with waves and smiles from both, Harry and Meghan to the excited well-wishers cheering them on.
This was a special and historical moment for the world. Particularly since it was an interracial and multicultural marriage, approving of all people despite their race, background or culture.
The wedding was a perfect example of life in England and the fact that the British people are tolerant of each others differences without passing judgement.
One of the highlights of the wedding ceremony for me was Michael Curry’s speech; In particular, the part where he said:
“There’s power in love. Don’t underestimate it. Don’t even over-sentimentalise it. There’s power, power in love”
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Prince’s Career
The Royal wedding was a moment to realise that the Prince had come a very long way.
While I was watching the wedding on TV, a lot about his career in Afghanistan was mentioned, it gave me the idea to write further on the topic of Prince Harry’s career; looking back at what he did in Afghanistan.
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Prince Harry joined the Blues and Royals in April 2006 after the Sandhurst training. His Unit was to be situated to Iraq. But, there were interrogations on whether the prince would be joining the front line. Ultimately it was declared that he would not join the front line due to security risks. Harry was apparently, dissatisfied in the decision but he stood by it and stayed out of the front line as instructed.
In 2008, it was established by the MoD that Harry had been covertly deployed to Afghanistan, Helmand province. During his career in the military, he performed two tours in Afghanistan.
Through his time in Afghanistan, Prince Harry helped the Ghurkha troops prevent an attack from the Taliban rebels, undertaking patrol.
Together with the many medals that he received from his military career, he was given an Afghanistan Operational Service Medal in 2008 to mark his service at the frontline in Helmand province.
He has spoken of his time based at the Camp Bastion in Helmand province. In some of his interviews, he has revealed the trouble he faced settling in the different roles he had in his life. He spoke about the “three mes”. “One in the army, one socially in my own private time, and then one with the family and stuff like that. So there is a switch and I flick it when necessary.”
In one of his interviews, he was asked about his career and whether he felt more comfortable being Captain Wales rather than Prince Harry, and he responded “Definitely. I’ve always been like that. My father’s always trying to remind me about who I am and stuff like that. But it’s very easy to forget about who I am when I am in the army. Everyone’s wearing the same uniform and doing the same kind of thing. I get on well with the lads and I enjoy my job. It really is as simple as that.”
How I felt about the Royal Wedding
As an Afghan raised and living in England, I could never find myself fully connected to the British. But while I was watching the Royal wedding ceremony, in the comfort of my own home, I connected for the first time in the twenty years that I have been a British citizen.
The wedding took me back to my roots, I thought of the prince wandering around the same streets of Afghanistan that I had wandered around. I linked myself to him because he has seen what I have seen in Afghanistan, something that not everyone could relate to. I feel the wedding had a lot to offer everyone around the world. Those who watched the wedding or were present in Windsor on this historical day could only look back and see a new world and appreciate being a part of it.
I connected because of the fact that it was a multicultural wedding, it made me comprehend that people’s differentiations are starting to be recognized and accepted. I felt like a part of history for existing in such a time like this; a time of change.
In a private Kabul villa, young Afghans build the courage to finally follow their dreams and take part in the careers they’ve always wanted to pursue since the fall of the Taliban. They walked down the catwalk, exhibiting Afghan traditional clothes and costumes, watched by an audience of 100 men and women.
Sputnik/Jak
Sputnik/Jak
Sputnik/Jak
Ajmal Haqiqi is the guy behind the idea of introducing Afghanistan to the world of Fashion after so many years of a complete ban of the promotion of fashion. He told the Daily Mail that putting on the show in the private Kabul villa was worth the risk despite the daily threats of possible attacks on him. He told The Associated Press, “I told myself, if a suicide bomber attacks us, even if I lose my hands and feet, I will continue on the way that I have chosen.”
His products have now reached different parts of the world like Europe and America. He stated in an interview with TOLO News, “I started my work six years ago with the aim of reviving the Afghan Culture and introduce it to the world,” adding that his products are ordered from Europe and America for weddings and various events.
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The show was the first, after many years, for all-Afghan audiences by all- Afghan models wearing the Afghan traditional clothes.
The most exciting and courageous part of the show was the fact, despite Afghan women working as models being seen as taboo in Afghanistan, there were still Afghan women models who took part in the show.
Women in Afghanistan are now building the courage to work towards their careers and working but there are still women in the country who stay at home and avoid going outside without the blue burqas on, which cover them from head to toe, that was once forced upon them by the Taliban.
Ajmal Haqiqi
The Haqiqi Modeling Agency is new and one of the first to expose the fashion world to its people and everyone interested. They have appeared on many talk shows on the TOLO TV and have discussed the purpose of the agency as well as showcasing some of their work.
Kabul has been attacked by suicide bombers continuously the last few months. One of the attacks took place in the Western neighbourhood where one of Haqiqi’s shows took place. The area was a target as there are many private schools and politicians that are based there.
One of the female models for Haqiqi, Husna Sadat, told the Daily Mail, “If we can change the mentality of our people from all these years of fighting, then I am sure the people can be ready for a better future.”
Atefa Fasihi, who joined Haqiqi at the age of 21, said, “Everybody is scared, but … we are working to promote our Afghan culture, so I foresee a good future.”
Nowruz is a traditional festival of spring celebrated by Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia which marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar.
The festival has been celebrated for over 3,000 years. Every year the moment the sun crosses the celestial equator and equalizes, night and day is calculated. This is when families gather together and observe the Nowruz rituals. Usually this is the 21st of March or the previous/following day.
In Afghanistan, Nowruz is celebrated widely. The festival is also known as Farmers Day, which usually lasts two weeks, ending on the first day of the Afghan New Year. People in Afghanistan like to start the Nowruz preparations several days beforehand, usually starting from the last Wednesday before the New Year.
For Nawruz, Afghan families prepare traditional meals such as Qabuli Pilau; a rice dish mixed with caramelised raisins and carrots, with haft-mewa; the sweet Nawruz dessert that is made with seven symbolic dried fruits, mixed in water.
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During the Taliban rule, Nowruz was banned in Afghanistan but despite this, it continued to be celebrated by Afghans, secretly, in their homes.
Samanak
Another special Nowruz dish is Samanak, which is a sweet paste made of wheat flour. Samanak requires several weeks of preparation. Women gather, which is essentially a “girls night in” in which they prepare the dish from late in the evening until daylight, while singing special songs.
How are engaged couples celebrating Nowruz in Afghanistan?
Engaged couple in Afghanistan look forward to Nowruz most. The man who is to marry the girl, his fiancée, is expected to take fresh fish, Afghan sweets (Jelabi), dried fruits with flowers and presents to the girls home with his family. The families then gather together and sing, read poems and dance after a traditional Afghan meal together. Afghan couples in Europe and around the world also celebrate Nowruz as they would have if they were in Afghanistan.
After having spent a week in Indonesia, visiting its largest city Jakarta, and one of its treasured islands Bali, I found that Indonesia is probably one of the most peaceful countries in the World.
Jakarta seemed to be the capital of everything and the future of Indonesia with its skyscrapers and massive malls. The city is populated by Muslims and Christians with churches, Mosques and Temples spread around the city, peacefully, alongside one another.
The Grand Istiqlal Mosque and the Cathedral, known as the Katedral, in central Jakarta are one of the many symbols in the city that are the first signs of acceptance, witnessed by those visiting the Indonesian capital. The mosque shares the same parking and is located across the Cathedral.
Both, the Church and the Mosque management teams work closely together when preparations are made for Eid prayers for the Muslims. The Mosque returns the favour and works closely with the Cathedral team by opening its gates during Christmas, Easter or any other big events at the church.
Bali held a special place in my heart, with its beautiful fresh green rice fields and its simple lifestyle. local men and women dressed in traditional, colourful attire on a daily basis embracing their identity, traditions and cultures.
In the early hours of the morning women were busy placing offerings in the streets known as Canning Sari, one of the daily offerings made by the Balinese Hindu women. Canning Sari represents peace and new beginnings, spotted in the temples around Bali, in small shrines, houses, restaurants and mainly on the ground alongside pavements. The offerings were laid out twice a day, in the morning and in the evenings before sunset.
Most of the men worked tirelessly in its rice fields while others waited patiently in the busy Bali traffic, on their motorbikes, to start the day off and do their daily routines like getting to work or attending temples for prayers.
In the Ubud area, there were several places to eat, with its restaurants offering heavenly scenes and outstanding performances that required much energy to represent stories of the Balinese Gods and kings with beautiful women and men dancing to Balinese music.
My observation of Indonesia was that it unites religious groups, the basis is not one religion. The Indonesian people love Indonesia first they embrace other cultures and faiths but keep their own close to heart.
My time in Indonesia allowed me to witness that history still lives, influencing its societies way of living in a modern era.
Indonesia in Afghanistan
Jokowi Widodo, the current president of Indonesia, is the first Indonesian President since the year 1961 to visit Afghanistan.
He visited just two days before a hidden bomb exploded in an ambulance in Kabul. The explosion left an estimate of 103 people dead and more than 200 injured.
The incident did not stop President Jokowi from visiting Afghanistan. Indonesian Cabinet Secretary, Pramono Anung tweetet, “the president has no fear.”
President Jokowi lead a prayer while in Afghanistan during which the Afghan President, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and others stood behind him.
Before payers, Jokowi and Ghani exchanged hats. Jokowi handed Ghani his Peci (Indonesian hat) while Ghani gave Jokowi his lungee (Afghan hat).
Shortly after the visit, President Jokowi stated in a conference that Indonesia will work with Afghanistan to help bring peace to its people. He said, “We will cooperate in the area of bringing peace and we will also increase our cooperation in other sectors until Afghanistan has peace.”
President Ghani voiced his appreciation to the Indonesian president for visiting Afghanistan in a difficult time. Jokowi publicized that Indonesia, will build an Islamic centre in Kabul and as part of the cultural and educational cooperation between both countries, scholarships for Afghan students will also be considered.
Image Credit: Indonesian Presidential Office
Image Credit: Indonesian Presidential Office
Image Credit: Indonesian Presidential Office
Image Credit: Indonesian Presidential Office
Image Credit: Indonesian Presidential Office
Image Credit: Indonesian Presidential Office
Image Credit: Indonesian Presidential Office
Image Credit: Indonesian Presidential Office
Image Credit: Indonesian Presidential Office
Image Credit: Indonesian Presidential Office
Image Credit: Indonesian Presidential Office
Image Credit: Indonesian Presidential Office
Is Indonesia an Islamic state?
The cultures in Indonesia are as diverse as its geography. Islam is the most followed religion in Indonesia, 87.2% of Indonesian population, approximately 225 million people are Muslims. It is identified as the country with the largest number of Muslims in the world.
Although Indonesia is home to the world’s largest Muslim population, it is decorated with ancient Hindu temples, with six officially recognised religions.
The country has not considered itself an Islamic state, despite having the largest Muslim population because of the ‘Pancasila’ principle which was formulated by Sukarno, the first president of Indonesia.
Why was the ‘Pancasila’ principle introduced?
In 1945, the Indonesian government introduced the Pancasila theory as a standard of an independent Indonesian state. President Sukarno’s aim with the theory was to help solve the conflicting urgencies among Christians, Muslims and nationalists.
The first Sila, or rule, of the Pancasila was, “believe in one God and obligation for Muslims to live with Sharia laws”. The non-Muslims, mainly based in eastern Indonesia disagreed with this. The vice-president of Indonesia, Mohammad Hatta who fought along with Sukarno for the independence of Indonesia from the Dutch, was informed that the people from East Indonesia, North Sumatra and Bali preferred to separate from Indonesia if the first Sila was not changed.
The leaders wanted to unite the people so the first Sila was changed to, “Believe in one God”. This united people around the country and was one of the most important times in Indonesian history.
Is Indonesia a peaceful country?
Sir Azyumardi Azra, prominent Indonesian Muslim scholar, who is known for his moderate views has claimed that Indonesian Islam is different from elsewhere, including the Middle East. Stating, “Indonesian Islam is different from other places, including the Middle East. The absolute majority is moderate, and has been used to living with adherents of other religions peacefully for centuries without any bloodshed . . .
Of course, there are isolated cases of Islamic communal conflicts, but that is usually related to politics.”
Like most places around the world, Indonesia has faced many political issues, chiefly, terrorism from Islamofascists, such as the Bali bombings of 2005, targeting foreign tourists which killed 108 people.
Non-Sunni Muslims and minority religions have also been a target. But, compared to other countries in the Muslim world, Indonesia has had the least number of religious conflicts within the country.
In his speech for the 4th Indonesian Diaspora Congress in Jakarta last year, the former president of America, Barack Obama, who has spent four years of his childhood in Indonesia in the capital city of Jakarta stated that; Indonesia, with its unity in Diversity principles, could be an inspiration to Muslim countries in promoting patience and moderation.
He said, “values have to be cultivated and nurtured. Young people have to embrace them. We have to fight for those values against those who promote intolerance. And that is important part of Indonesia’s future. . .
“If people do not show respect and tolerance, eventually you have war and conflict because not everybody will agree on how to practice a religion”. Additionally, he said civilisation would not go far if people could not respect each other’s differences.
The Afghanistan of Today 