Amidst recent events and the distorted portrayal of Afghanistan's reality, it has become imperative for us, especially the anti-Taliban constituency, to confront the intricacies of our struggles and shape the destiny of our nation.
While outsiders may have their own perceptions, they often fail to grasp the nuanced dynamics that underpin our challenges. Relying solely on external support or waiting for others to act on our behalf is not a sustainable solution. Instead, it is time for us to stand united as a nation, break free from the clutches of terrorism and forge our own path towards a liberated homeland.
The responsibility to liberate and safeguard Afghanistan rests firmly on our shoulders—the people of Afghanistan. By transcending our differences and embracing a collective vision of freedom and social justice, we have the power to defeat the Taliban. This call for unity is not mere rhetoric, it is an absolute necessity. We must unite as a formidable force, representing all voices that reject the Taliban's ideology of terror and oppression. This includes individuals and communities within our borders, as well as among the diaspora, exiled politicians, activists, and international supporters who believe in a free and democratic Afghanistan.
Through unity, we possess the means to effectively evade and counteract the normalisation of the Taliban, along with any undue influence stemming from external entities or individuals with questionable motives, such as Tobias Ellwood. The notion of "improved security," often touted by many in the Western world, may lack a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies involved in this issue, or it may be conveniently ignored for personal gains. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that ultimately, it is not their country, and thus, their perspective may not fully encompass the profound ramifications endured by our people.
The choice before us is stark: either political leaders in exile and all anti-Taliban individuals and parties unite and stand with the people and the resistance to liberate Afghanistan, or bear witness to the heart-wrenching destruction of our country and the obliteration of our rich history and culture before our very eyes. Alarming efforts are underway to normalise and whitewash the Taliban presenting a facade of peace and improved security. However, it is essential to confront the reality sourced from credible and reliable channels and listed below are some examples.
A report pertaining to the period of April 2022 by the UN team monitoring the Taliban's activities revealed a distressing truth: the Taliban maintain a disturbingly close relationship with al-Qaeda, providing them with a secure sanctuary and enabling their dangerous operations.
"The link between the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) remains strong and symbiotic," stated the fourteenth report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, submitted pursuant to resolution 2665 (2022). This alliance allows various terrorist groups to operate with greater freedom under the Taliban's de-facto rule, posing a rising threat to both Afghanistan and the region.
Sadly, Afghanistan's descent into becoming a safe-haven for terrorism goes hand in hand with a harrowing reality for its citizens. Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International's Secretary General, paints a grim picture of human rights abuses within the nation. "Public critics of the Taliban's oppressive rules face arbitrary arrests, while women, girls, and ethnic Hazara people suffer from targeted executions. The Taliban's actions consistently violate the human rights of Afghanistan's population."
In Panjshir province, the Taliban have committed heinous war crimes, as documented by Amnesty International in the report titled 'Your Sons Are In The Mountains': The Collective Punishment of Civilians In Panjshir by the Taliban. These crimes include extrajudicial executions, torture, hostage-taking, unlawful detention, and the destruction of civilian homes. Civilians suspected of affiliation with the NRF face brutal targeting, while village-wide arbitrary arrests and nighttime curfews further exacerbate the suffering. The report highlights the mass extrajudicial executions of captured NRF fighters and the torture and unlawful killings of innocent civilians.
Adding to the horrors, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported numerous serious human rights violations by the Taliban since they took control in August 2021. Documenting 160 allegations of extrajudicial killings, 56 incidents of torture and ill-treatment, and over 170 arbitrary arrests and detentions of former government officials and security force members, UNAMA's findings reveal a pattern of gross abuse. Methods of torture, such as kicking, punching, slapping, and the use of electric shock devices, are employed alongside cruel, inhumane, or degrading punishments, including beating up of shopkeepers for not attending mosques.