Embedded Files
DIDLA.HARSHA RAVI VARDHAN-2201066
THE TALIBAN THREAT
THE TALIBAN THREAT
After fighting a twenty-year insurgency, the Taliban, an overwhelmingly Pashtun Islamic fundamentalist party, regained control of Afghanistan in 2021.In accordance with a 2020 peace pact with the organisation , they launched a quick onslaught as the United States withdrew its final soldiers from Afghanistan.
Despite promises to safeguard women's rights and the rights of religious and racial minorities, the Taliban have imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law. The Taliban have had a difficult time giving Afghans enough food and economic prospects as they have evolved from an insurgent force to a functioning government.
THE IMPACT OF THE TALIBAN WAR ON AFGHANISTHAN'S CIVILIANS: A JOURNALIST'S PERSPECTIVE
THE IMPACT OF THE TALIBAN WAR ON AFGHANISTHAN'S CIVILIANS: A JOURNALIST'S PERSPECTIVE
Since it has been going on for more than 20 years, the fight in Afghanistan has grown to be one of the most intricate and protracted conflicts in contemporary history. An islamist terrorist group called the Taliban has been at the forefront of the battle, battling the Afghan government and foreign forces for control of the nation. Afghanistan's people have been devastated by the conflict, which has resulted in widespread bloodshed, violations of human rights, and a humanitarian crisis that affects common inhabitants. Afghanistan's condition is complicated, with a number of political, economic, and social issues all playing a role in the country's ongoing turmoil. The nation's many groups and players have engaged in power struggles and political squabbles, which have added to the ongoing instability. The war has been exacerbated by political disputes and power struggles within the nation, as well as problems with corruption, poverty, and the presence of foreign forces.
Along with the ongoing battle, the Taliban is also under fire for a host of alleged human rights violations, such as the deliberate targeting of people, the deployment of IEDs, and the repression of women's rights. A humanitarian catastrophe has also arisen as a result of the battle, with many Afghan people forced to flee their homes and struggle to get necessities like food, water, and medical treatment. Numerous buildings, bridges, and highways have been damaged or destroyed as a result of the fighting, which has also had a substantial influence on the nation's infrastructure. Negotiations and peace discussions between the Taliban and the Afghan government have been underway for many years in an effort to bring about peace in that country.
These attempts, however, have been hindered by the conflict's complexity and continued violence. Despite these efforts, the situation in Afghanistan is still unstable because the Taliban are still conducting attacks and there are no immediate signals that the fight will come to an end.
According to the leader of the international Fedaration of journalists , who claimed that reporters who attempted to continue under the Taliban have been subjected to beatings and imprisonment , Journalism in Afghanistan is in risk of dying. According to Anthony Bellanger , the secretary general of the IFJ, " the Taliban don't want to make to many ripples right now , but they will want to seize control of everything , including the Forgien press in Afghanistan ." Forgien Journalists will be viewed as agents of Forgien governments , as is common in such circumstances." I Belive what we will see emerge is an official media - a Taliban media 0 and no women. All other journalists will just disappear . It wasn't easy before - and even before the Taliban took power, journalists were killed - but it is very bleak now . Bellanger believes there is a currently a "grace" period before the Taliban cracks down on international and Afghan Journalists. "It's a question of weeks before it changes. I am a pessimistic - I will be glad to be proved wrong , but the Taliban is still the Taliban . they announced an inclusive government and what did we get - no women . It's a catastrophe ." IFJ representatives are in close contact with collageous in Afghanistan and belive about 1,300 journalists remain in country , of which about 220 are women , most of them in kabul . The IFJ is afliated with collageous with Afghanisthan's National Journlaists ' union and the Afghan independent journalists ' Assosiation.
“It is now completely impossible for female journalists to work. The rest are doing a very difficult job and are doing what they can. We have photographs of journalists who have been imprisoned and beaten, so the situation for them is very difficult and dangerous,” he said The United Nations human rights body, the UN high commissioner for human rights, warned last week of a 'growing resort by the taliban to forve aganist those involved in or reporting on ' demonstrations. The IFJ, representing 600,000 journalists worldwide, said it was still trying to evacuate journalists from Kabul. But Bellanger said: “It’s not about getting all journalists out. We cannot do that and we wouldn’t want to, because if nobody is reporting on what is happening then it happens in the dark. There will be journalists who want to stay and do their job, but the future is black for them.” Bellanger said the IFJ had already (£35,000) in donations from affiliated media unions, many of them in the UK, to help Afghan colleagues.
“We raised this in just three weeks, so I would like to thank people for their generosity. There has been a unique wave of solidarity on this. We are continuing the international camapings for donations. “The most pressing problem is how to help our colleagues there. Some have lost their homes, others their jobs. Some have been injured and most of the doctors have left. Most people in the higher, professional echelons of society have left the country.On Monday we will begin sending money to journalists in Kabul who need it. Every euro will be accounted for and we will be verifying that it is going to journalists and their families.“Now we are asking governments to offer a new humanitarian visa for journalists whose lives are in danger and who need to leave.” He said Afghan journalists had already been evacuated to Qatar, North Macedonia, France, the UK, Canada, the US, Australia and Belgium, but some countries, including Greece and the Netherlands, had not issued emergency visas."My concern is that the media will forget Afghanistan in a few days or weeks," Bellanger added. The news agenda will have changed by then. "I fear that the remaining journalists will have to decide whether to stop reporting or to report for the Taliban." It is foolish and ignorant to assume we can discuss this with the Taliban, he continued. Some journalists want to stay since Afghanistan is where they live. "We will make an effort to kill anyone who is in immediate danger or who has received death threats, but we want to leave as many people on the ground as we can so we can gather information. When things like this happen, people realise how important journalists are.
As a result of the continuous bloodshed and humanitarian crises, the Afghan conflict and the Taliban's role continue to be crucial issues that have an impact on the lives of regular Afghan civilians. To resolve the conflict and bring stability back to the area, the situation in the country calls for a multifaceted strategy. In this process, the international community may make a significant contribution by assisting the Afghan government in creating a stable, democratic, and prosperous nation. By offering the nation economic and development support, the international community can help address the conflict's primary causes, including as poverty, corruption, and political instability. A successful conflict resolution is necessary for the stability of the area and the future of Afghanistan, and it is crucial that all parties remain dedicated to achieving this goal.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse