Abhijith N Kolpe

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Dec 24: Since the Taliban government took over Afghanistan in 2021, people in the country have been facing a tough time. The Taliban kept on imposing new rules which are mostly against humanity and women especially. They kept on banning activities, shops and educational institutions where women and girls are involved. Girls and women are feeling unsafe throughout the tenure of Taliban in Afghanistan. Many young students, girls and women have migrated to different parts of the world to live their dreams.

On December 23, girl students protested against the Taliban government for restricting them from universities. Five girls were arrested by Taliban.

Sayyed Anwar Hussaini holding the placard ' Let Afghan Girls Learn'

Order copy from Taliban government which translates to ‘It is an order from the Minister of Higher Education of the Taliban to all the universities in Afghanistan that they should urgently suspend the courses of girls in all Afghanistan universities from December 20, 2022'

In Mangaluru, there are 65 Afghan nationals studying in various institutions. Even an Afghan students association was formed under the aegis of Sayyed Anwar Hussaini. Sayyed and few Afghani students residing in Mangaluru showed solidarity raising voice against the Taliban government after they banned girls from universities and secondary school by holding placard 'Let Afghan Girls Learn'.

Speaking to Daijiworld, Sayyed said, “Unfortunately in the year 2021, the Taliban took over Afghanistan. After they occupied the nation, the former president escaped from the country. People of Afghanistan had to face nightmare and so many problems before getting back to their normal life.

“Recently, the Taliban government issued a new order banning girls from the universities. Earlier, they had banned girls from secondary education relating it to Islam. The new rule is against humanity and values of Islam. The Taliban government, after taking over, banned girls from secondary education, subjects were about to be changed as per the rules of Islam, and they introduced to wear Hijab, instead of cultural dress which was allowed during earlier elected government. Girls were happy to wear Hijab as they were allowed to study. They made boys and girls to study in different timings.

“The new order from the minister of higher education says that all the universities in Afghanistan should urgently suspend the courses of girls in all Afghanistan universities from December 20. This is nothing according to Islam. In the first verse of Quran, it is written ‘Iqra’ which translates to ‘read’. Prophet Mohammed also said education is obligatory to both male and female. Taliban is imposing a new rule of Islam in Afghanistan,” he said.

Taliban are scared of girls getting educated

Sayyed said, “The half of Afghanistan population consists of females. The Taliban are scared of girl getting educated. In the last 17 months of Taliban’s tenure, women and girls have been raising their voice and protesting seeking their rights. Men do not have courage to stand against the Taliban. If girls are educated, they will stand against the Taliban. Uneducated will have no courage to speak and the Taliban can impose their ideology easily.

“The world organizations have not accepted the Taliban government. We hope that the United Nations will stand with females of Afghanistan and their rights. The idea of the Taliban is to misuse women and they are meant only for baking. If half of the population is disabled, then whole society will be disabled, feels the Taliban.

“Even sports activities have been disabled for women after the Taliban took over Afghanistan. We cannot wave the Afghanistan flag by achieving in the field of sports. Many enthusiasts have migrated from Afghanistan to different countries to live their dreams.” he said.

Sayyed belongs to a joint family in Afghanistan where there are 16 girls in his family. Now they are denied education by the Taliban government. The Taliban government also killed Sayyed’s friend Jaffer Haidari who was the national champion of Afghanistan in taekwondo. Sayyed has no idea why he was killed.

Sayyed is a part of the national level team in taekwondo, who will also take part in world championship in India in 2023. “We do not have the same energy as we cannot wave our flag. We have no identity as well. I cannot hold the previous flag of my country which had an elected government as now it has an imposed government.

“When the Taliban took over Afghanistan, their men barged into my house. They checked documents where they found my medals and trophies and destroyed it,” said Sayyed.

A female Afghani student studying in Mangaluru said,' “I am so happy to stay in India as I have the right of freedom. I can go outside, continue my education, get a good job and support my family. The present situation in Afghanistan is not good, as women and girls are restricted from working, pursuing education, girls need to cover their face, and they must be accompanied by men when they travel. It is very difficult to live in Afghanistan especially for girls, as they do not have any freedom. Since 2017, I am staying in Mangaluru. In 2021, I visited my home town in Afghanistan. Before the situation turned worse, I managed to return to India.”