Thursday, July 10, 2008

The Taliban


We are all aware about the brutality that was unleashed by the taliban regime in Afghanistan. Khaled hossani has tried to bring the plight of the Afghan Women with his book "A Thousand Splendid Suns". I was horrified beyond words to learn aboout the barbaric regime that the people of Afghanistan endured.

The following list offers only an abbreviated glimpse of the hellish lives Afghan women were forced to lead under the Taliban, and can not begin to reflect the depth of female deprivations and sufferings. Taliban treated women worse than they treat animals. In fact, even as Taliban declared the keeping of caged birds and animals illegal, they imprisoned Afghan women within the four walls of their own houses. Women have no importance in Taliban eyes unless they are occupied producing children, satisfying male sexual needs or attending to the drudgery of daily housework.


Taliban restrictions of women:
Complete ban on women's work outside home, which also applies to female teachers, engineers and most professionals. Only a few female doctors and nurses are allowed to work in some hospitals in Kabul.

Complete ban on women's activity outside home unless accompanied by a mahram (close male relative such as a father, brother or husband).

Ban on women dealing with male shopkeepers.
Ban on women being treated by male doctors.

Ban on women studying at schools, universities or any other educational institution.

women wear a long veil (Burqa), which covers them from head to toe.

Whipping, beating and verbal abuse of women not clothed in accordance with Taliban rules, or of women unaccompanied by a man.

Whipping of women in public for having non-covered ankles.

Public stoning(till death) of lovers.

Ban on the use of cosmetics. Women wearing nail polish have had fingers cut off.

Ban on women talking or shaking hands with males who aren't Mahram.

Ban on women laughing loudly. No stranger should hear a woman's voice.

Ban on women wearing high heel shoes, which would produce sound while walking. A man must not hear a woman's footsteps.

Ban on women riding in a taxi without a mahram.

Ban on women's presence in radio, television or public gatherings of any kind.

Ban on women playing sports or entering a sport center or club.

Ban on women riding bicycles or motorcycles, even with their mahrams.

Ban on women's wearing brightly colored clothes. In Taliban terms, these are "sexually attracting colors."

Ban on women gathering for festive occasions such as the Eids, or for any recreational purpose.

Ban on women washing clothes next to rivers or in a public place.

Modification of all place names including the word "women." For example, "women's garden" has been renamed "spring garden".

Ban on women appearing on the balconies of their apartments or houses.

Compulsory painting of all windows, so women can not be seen from outside their homes.

Ban on male tailors taking women's measurements or sewing women's clothes.

Ban on males and females traveling on the same bus. Public buses had been designated "males only" or "females only".

Ban on flared (wide) pant-legs, even under a burqa.

Ban on the photographing or filming.

Ban on women's pictures printed in newspapers and books, or hung on the walls of houses and shops.

Apart from the above restrictions on women, the Taliban had:
-Banned listening to music.
- Banned the watching of movies, television and videos.
- Banned celebrating the traditional new year (Nowroz) on March 21. The Taliban proclaimed the holiday un-Islamic.
- Disavowed Labor Day (May 1st), because it is deemed a "communist" holiday.
- Ordered that all people with non-Islamic names change them to Islamic ones.
- Forced haircuts upon Afghan youth.
- Ordered that men wear Islamic clothes and a cap.
- Ordered that men not shave or trim their beards, which should grow long enough to protrude from a fist clasped at the point of the chin.
- Ordered that all people attend prayers in mosques five times daily.
- Banned the keeping of pigeons and playing with the birds, describing it as un-Islamic. The violators will be imprisoned and the birds shall be killed. The kite flying has also been stopped.
- Spectators in stadia who clap their hands or cheer shall have their palms chopped off.
- Anyone who carries objectionable literature will be executed.
- Anyone who converts from Islam to any other religion will be executed.
- All boy students must wear turbans. They say "No turban, no education".
- Non-Muslim minorities must distinct badge or stitch a yellow cloth onto their dress to be differentiated from the majority Muslim population. Just like what did Nazis with Jews.
- Banned the use of the internet by both ordinary Afghans and foreigners.
And so on...

14 comments:

Aneesh said...

WHOOAH!!!!!
I guess you did a lot of research on this. Yah, rightly said. Don't know why such people still exists in this world today. I think they might have born in the wrong century, they should've born in the stone age

Arun said...

Aneesh,

They should not have been born at all :-)

Aneesh said...

Haha, Never thought of that :)

Priya Joyce said...

gud job frnd really a very gud post.
After reading ur post wat I felt of the women can't really be explained. I give great credits to women who live in such conditions. God damn how can they live like that with no to this, no to that and only restrictions. Really unimaginable, really. I just can't control my anger towards such people who impose these rules. as aneesh said I too feel u have studied taliban a lot.
I can't understand their psychology. Oh1 God wat will they say off gals and boys studying together in a co-ed school.
very good post write more such topics.

Sameera Ansari said...

Shocking!I wonder why people live there in the first place.

Such neanderthals bring disgrace to the name of Islam,not to mention the havoc they create in the lives of many innocent.

Arun said...

Priya,

Thanks for the comments :) I guess I started researching about the Taliban after i read The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns... read them when u find time.

Arun said...

Sameera,

Very true. But things are getting better in the country... compared to the days of the Talibs that is..

Pooja said...

OMG...
i got tears while goin' thru' it...
can't believe ppl can b dis brutal...

Saranya S said...

This is completely ridiculous! And I am really shocked. Good post!

lukkydivz said...

Scary!
just made me realize how lucky i am :)

Arun said...

lukkydivz,

That exactly what I felt too! Thanx for the comment..

Arun said...

saranya, Thnaks :)

Arun said...

cutepooja,

You needn't cry anyomre coz those adays are over :).. hey.. nice pic u have der.. that u??

Pooja said...

yup..it's me...
:)
ur pic's kool as well...