There is a wave of non-violent protests against brutal killings and the violence of the war.
Hundreds of people including civil society activists have appealed for justice for the brutally murdered teenager, Shakila.
Hundreds of people including civil society activists have appealed for justice for the brutally murdered teenager, Shakila.
Protestors marched in Bamyan from the Shaheed Mazari mosque to Alekain Square. In Kabul, students who came out on the street asked, “Who killed Shakila?”
Sixteen-year-old Shakila was sexually assaulted and killed by bodyguards of a member of the Bamyan provincial assembly, Wahidi Beheshti.
Tayaba Kahwari who had participated in the Bamyan demonstration, told Killid: “The civil society institutions and the people of Bamyan want justice. They want an investigation into the assassination of Shakila and women like her.”
Abdul Ahmad Farzam, head of the field office in Bamyan of the AIHRC (Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission) said the Bamyan office of the AG’s Office was inefficient and incapable. The file on Shakila has not been “treated justly”.
Sayed Yahya Ahmad Yar, the head of AG’s Office in Bamyan, dismissed the criticism.
Political pressure
Mohammad Alam, Shakila’s brother, said the family is under intense pressure from unnamed powerful people related to Wahidi Beheshti. “Politicians related to the Beheshti family and some MPs are going to AG’s Office in Kabul daily to make a deal and hide my sister’s dossier,” he said.
For the first time this summer people have been out on the streets protesting against the senseless killing and violence of war.
By Afghanistan standards, there has been a veritable explosion of popular protest on the street and on Facebook, which has emerged as a platform to voice dissent. The AIHRC has described the protest movement as the “solidarity of human rights institutions”. “The demonstration showed the solidarity of human rights institutions and the awakening of a movement for justice without considering the relationship to the victim.” Rights groups who have been urging people to say, “Stop the Extremism” now find the slogan has mass appeal.
Demonstrators in Kabul chanted slogans questioning the president and judiciary. “Silence is not justice for Shakila”; “President, Please don’t ignore Shakila’s blood”; and, “Where are those who claimed to defend people’s rights?”
In July, students in Nuristan province demonstrated in protest against the closure of their schools by the Taleban. Tameem Nuristani, provincial governor, said, “The students forced their way into the closed buildings and told the Taleban they could either kill them or open the schools.” Hundreds of people joined the protesting students.
Demand accountability
Seema Samar, chief of AIHRC, said: “The people should not be silent against any force.” She believes only people’s protests have the power to stop the violence of war, and move government institutions to take action in restoring people’s faith in the judiciary.
There were protests again in Parwan last month where Taleban executed a woman, Najiba, in Shinwari district. Members of 70 human rights and civil society organisations participated in the protests.
The demonstrators sought the trial of the murderers. “Down with those who have done this to our sister in Parwan”, they chanted. “They are neither Muslims nor Afghans,” people said. The demonstrators criticised the government and local authorities for failing to stop Najiba’s execution.
The interesting thing was that women who have survived family violence addressed the protests condemning Najiba’s killing. Sahargul, a child bride who had suffered months of torture, said: “I want that women should not be targets of violence anymore. I request the government for justice; to punish those who have been so cruel to me.”
Mumtaz from Kunduz province whose face is scarred by marks of violence, said: “I want justice and security. I want that women should not be tyrannised.”
Turn the tide
Sidiqa Nawrozian said she was tired of the violence against women. “I don’t know where in Islam it states that a woman should be stoned for adultery when the man, witness and court is not known. Where else in the world has this happened? We are really tired.”
For the first time this summer people have been out on the streets protesting against the senseless killing and violence of war.
Rise of extremism
During the Eid holidays authorities in Herat were forced to cancel a concert in a stadium by famed musician Shafiq Murid because of “extremist threats”. There was widespread condemnation of this act of intolerance of religious extremists. Young people took to the streets of the city with anti-war music.
Political expert Sayeed Haqiqi called the hardline view of the concert anti-people. “The extremists in Herat have relations with extremists in neighbouring and Arab countries,” he said.
Masoud Hasanzada, a journalist and expert in Herat, believes extremism has “entered” the power equation in the province. “Religious extremism has entered the equation of power in Herat and its vote is a determiner of social structure and big decisions,” he charged.
He believes the situation is risky and terror could suffocate the people.
Non-violent protest is the silver lining in the cloud. Political observers agree that if people and civil society were to rise up peacefully against the violence, they will definitely succeed in halting the waves of extremism.
