A group of Afghan women on Wednesday staged a protest in Kabul against the newly-appointed Taliban government for not including any woman in the cabinet. The women said they would not accept a government without women. Apart from it, this unique all-male Taliban cabinet also includes ministers blacklisted by the UN or being hunted by the American FBI.
No doubt, the latest twist by the Taliban – excluding women and including wanted men — is a blatant rejection of their previous commitment given to the global community. Earlier they had promised that there will be an inclusive government and it will represent all Afghan ethnic groups and respect human rights, particularly of women. Now it seems that the Taliban are not interested in keeping their word. They’re much more interested in introducing their own law to run the country.
However the US has expressed concern that the interim government includes persons linked to attacks on US forces while the EU has said the Islamist group has broken their promises to make it ‘inclusive and representative’. The UK also asked the Taliban to keep their assurances, and act in line with their promises. On the other hand, anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan have asked the international community not to recognise the new government.
But the present situation shows the Taliban don’t care about the foreign powers. They’re adamant to take decisions in their own style. They also do not bother about getting recognition from the Western countries.
Meanwhile, the universities across Afghanistan are now open for regular academic classes keeping the male and female students separated by hanging a curtain or board between them in the classroom. The photos of classrooms at some universities of Kabul, Kandahar and Herat on Tuesday hit the international media headlines.
The Taliban’s version is clear. They said allowing women to continue higher studies under Islamist rule should be taken as a big achievement for them. So, keeping the females separated from their male peers by curtains or boards down the middle of the room must not be criticised.
Whatever their version may be, we like to point out that during previous Taliban rule from 1996-2001, they had bannedgirls from schools and women from universities and work. Whereas in many Muslim countries, the female students usually sit separately from males but classrooms are not physically divided. In Afghanistan, the female students are being segregated in class, taught separately and restricted to certain parts of the campus.
Meanwhile, despite the Taliban claim of victory in Panjshir province the resistance fighters have called for nationwide struggle against their rule.
We do not expect that without international pressure Taliban can change its kind of Islamic belief. Otherwise they would have been ashamed for treating their women so meanly and so disrespectfully. There is residence within Afghanistan against return of old fashioned rule. The international community is to help Afghan people without being in Afghanistan. Taliban are not finding it easy to run the country. Other forces have emerged to oppose exclusive control of the Taliban. Taliban are now vulnerable to international influence.
