Similar to all nations, Afghans also nurture an ambition for having a peaceful and democratic state. Their dream is to exercise their rights in a civil society void of war and violence. They desire to taste the sweet fruit of democracy.
They dream their children be able to live a peaceful life.
Afghan men and women pray for having a society where life and liberties are valued and no blood is shed or tears are flowed. An end for the outpouring of grief which results from bloody incidents and atrocious acts is the desire of Afghan nation.
To the unmitigated chagrin of Afghan people, radical elements and colonial powers amalgamated throughout the history to destroy this land and sow the seeds of discord and sectarianism. For instance in the past, a number of kings practiced upon the policy of “divide and rule” and inflicted heavy human casualties and irreparable loss upon the nation.
The cruel rehearsals of dictatorial regimes and fatal civil unrest played the most destructive role in Afghanistan.
A thumbnail description about the past regimes will unfold all the barbaric practices of those who ruled under sacred terms – from Abdul Rahman Khan to Mullah Omar who both called themselves Amir-ul-Mumineen (the commander of the faithful) but treated people in the worst possible way.
The history is shocking for the nation and fill a large number of people with hatred.
With leaving a dark history behind, Afghans dreamt for a peaceful society, particularly following the collapse of the Taliban’s regime.
The nation believed that it was the death knell of fundamental ideology and murder of innocent civilians. Democracy, which upholds the rights and dignity of mankind and cherishes humanism and civil society, was likely to pave the ground for respecting public rights.
With this dream come true, Afghan men and women celebrated democracy through electing their representatives for approving Constitution and participating in provincial and presidential elections. This was deemed as a unique milestone in the country’s history.
This superficial view and optimism were really naïve of the nation who did not regard the other side of the coin; i.e., the orchestration of the Taliban’s guerilla fighters.
The bloodshed of the past re-emerged with the Taliban’s terrorist activities, shattering the dream and hope of Afghan nation. Being left despondent, a large number of people abandoned the country and many others were beset by sufferings. The continuation of tragic episodes and merciless killings left no room for optimism.
With the escalated militancy, Afghan civilians mainly women and children were changed into sacrificial lambs and the nascent democracy did not take root.
After all, on the one hand, militancy started with great force, on the other hand, the “war on terror” involved US-led NATO forces in the issue. The war continued for about two decades, but warring factions did not hesitate to keep on fighting. The Taliban leadership signed a peace deal with Washington last year in Doha. Subsequently, they held talks with the Afghan government, but neither of the two issues could bring in peace or stability so far.
With the start talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, a sense of hope emerged in public air and Afghans hoped that the Taliban would declare ceasefire and reduce violence. However, the Taliban have turned their back on the peace talks as their delegations have traveled to neighboring countries. They are largely involved in killing soldiers and civilians, including women and children, which shatters the public hope.
The Taliban try to hamper democratic progress and flagrantly violate the fundamental rights of Afghan citizens. Although the Taliban signed a peace agreement with the United States and have not killed a single US soldier during the last year, they continue spilling the blood of Afghan people, disregarding the public calls for reduction in violence. The Taliban’s dogmatic mindset and warped mind is the main obstacle to the peace. Their mindset has not changed towards democratic values as well as women’s rights and liberties.
Overall, the Taliban seek to hinder the fulfillment of Afghans’ ambition and dream for a society void of violence and bloodshed.
Afghans are most likely to lose their hope with the current situation and their dream for a democratic state has yet to come true. In short, the Taliban still seek to rule the country under sacred terms, which is no more acceptable to the people of Afghanistan.
If the Taliban are not pressured strongly, they are unlikely to cease violence.
With this in mind, Afghanistan’s international allies have to bring the Taliban under pressure to reach a peace agreement with the Afghan government and stop their acts of violence.