Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister, said in Khost on Friday that a government which rules people through “fear and force” is not a real government. He implicitly acknowledged that the Taliban relies on humiliation, violence and intimidation in its governance.
Addressing a gathering of local residents, Haqqani said people should not humiliate or condemn one another. “A government that controls people only by frightening them is not a government,” he said. “Between the people and a good government, there must be a bond of affection and trust.”
He added that a government has meaning only when it provides peace, justice and an atmosphere of trust for the population.
For more than four years, the Taliban have suppressed public protests with force and detained critics. The group has carried out public floggings and executions, actions that human rights organisations have sharply criticised as part of what they describe as widespread repression and a suffocating environment in Afghanistan.
Haqqani said Afghans have suffered for years because of their desire for freedom and independence. “The suffering and pain of Afghans have been because they refused servitude and sought independence and freedom,” he said.
In another part of his speech, Haqqani said: “Once, we were oppressed by the emperors of the world, but now we ourselves have so little tolerance that we condemn and humiliate people. This must stop. We should treat people in a way that removes hostility and enmity.”
