Popular protests

After more than a decade of silent suffering there are reports of anti-Taleban protests.
Two months ago the media reported an uprising in Ander district, Ghazni, against the Taleban.

After more than a decade of silent suffering there are reports of anti-Taleban protests.
Two months ago the media reported an uprising in Ander district, Ghazni, against the Taleban. The details were sketchy. Now there are detailed reports of anti-Taleban protests from Nuristan, Paktia and Faryab provinces.
Students angered by the closure of their schools led the protests in Waigal district, Nuristan. Mohammad Zarin, the governor’s spokesman, said they forced open the doors of the schools, and urged the teachers to come and teach. The Taleban chose not to interfere.
Taleban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the Taleban are not against education. However, Enayutallah Mazhabyar, member of the Nuristan provincial assembly, said the Taleban had accused students of spying for “foreigners”.
On July 9, locals turned out in the hundreds in Paktia to defend the office of the district governor from Taleban attack. Two days before there were reports from Faryab that locals had killed two Taleban. Police commander Sayed Massoud Yaqobi said the Taleban had attacked police forces in Qarayee village, Almar district, and people responded with sticks and sickles. The Taleban chose to withdraw, taking with them the bodies of the dead fighters.
Wali Mohammad, a resident of Ander district, said the protest was planned in consultation with tribal leaders and religious scholars.
Can the nascent protest movement expect government support? Abdul Wahid Taqat, a retired army general, believes the movement could be crushed if the government fails the people. “The government is equally scared of anti-government protests,” he contends.
According to Dr Akram Arifi, a political observer, people are taking on the Taleban because they realise that no one else will.
Nuristan MP, Ahmadullah Muahed, believes that if the government were to support people the Taleban would not be able to shut schools at will.
Meanwhile, on July 11, many women were among human rights and civil society representatives who demonstrated in Kabul against the chilling murder of a woman in Parwan that was captured on video and released on the internet.
Parwan governor Abdul Basir Salangi said on July 8 two Taleban in the Shenwari area of Ghorband accused the woman of adultery. The Taleban said family members killed the woman.