Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Time to Raise Question on our Hard Conditions

Thirty percent of Afghan people are under poverty line. They are in need assistance to survive. This is down to the persistence of thirty years of war and conflict in the country, which in turn emanate from Afghans' failure to settle their differences peacefully and through coexistence and continued interferences by the neighboring countries. But the country continues to face huge daunting challenges. The country continues to be hit by the neighbors.

Taliban militants continue to kill Afghans. Corruption runs rampant across the government agencies. Political rifts are widening. Children continue to remain deprived of education. Child mortality rate continues to remain high and worrisome and maternal deaths are extremely high.

But no one is out there to question why these conditions persist and what can be done to address them. Politicians and people seem to be accustomed to these highly repugnant and unpleasant conditions because there is no serious question on them. If there is any voice raised, it is not because why should Afghan children die before they celebrate their fifth birthday; rather it is because a neighbor has ordered to raise the voice or it comes from sheer short-sighted lunacy.

On Monday, October 24, 2011, hundreds of people waged a demonstration in Kabul to show their opposition to the possible permanent US military bases in the country. Some of the protestors stated that they would mediate between militants and Afghan government after foreign forces pull out of the country. This is no less naïve than the remarks of a female MP who continues to say that Mullah Omar is in her house.

The level of irrationalism seen in these types of political actions is frustrating in the sense they prevent any better and prosperous future to be charted out. The Soviets left the country and it descended into a bloody and devastating chaos.

While there is no trace of political stability, economic sustainability and improvement in security, it is crystal clear that pre-mature withdrawal of international forces will lead the country into repetition of terrible experiences of the past when Soviets withdrew. So it is not that easy to say "long live Islam." Islam does not die with the presence of international forces in Afghanistan because there are other Islamic countries where US has military bases and those countries provide better conditions for their citizens to practice the conspicuous faith of Islam.

It should rather be said that Islam is blurred and weakened with the suicide bombings that are done with the name of Islam and lead to the deaths of many innocent people in the country. It is high time to express our hatred towards these acts that are abhorrent and run counter to both Islam and wisdom.