TRUTH ABOUT AFGHANISTAN

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TRUTH ABOUT AFGHANISTAN

#1

Unread post by Guest » Mon Apr 23, 2001 12:13 am

This is a text of speech delivered by an afghan leader in the US<br>>regarding current views/issues relating to his country and the<br>>misconceptions the world has about them......<br>><br>>Just for ur review and record.<br>><br>> The Qur'an says, "O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person <br>comes<br>>to you with a news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and<br>>afterwards you become regretful to what you have done." [Al-Hujurat<br>>49:6]<br>><br>>[Sayyid Rahmatullah Hashemi is the roving Ambassador from Afghanistan<br>>who recently visited the US. The following is the edited version of <br>the<br>>transcription of a lecture given by him at the University Of Southern<br>>California in Los Angeles, on March 10, 2001. The full version of his<br>>lecture is available at - Austin Muslims moderator].<br>><br>><br>><br>>He says:<br>><br>>I was just coming from a meeting with a group of scholars, and the <br>first<br>>thing we started talking about there was the statues. And the first<br>>thing we started talking about here was also the statues. It is very<br>>unfortunate how little we see and how little we know. Nobody has seen<br>>the problems of Afghanistan; nobody saw their problems before. And the<br>>only thing that represents Afghanistan today are the statues.<br>><br>>Afghanistan is called the Crossroads of Asia. So, we are suffering<br>>because of our geo-strategic location. We have suffered in the 18th<br>>century, 19th century, and we are still suffering in this century. We<br>>have not attacked the British. We have not attacked the Russians. It <br>was<br>>them who attacked us. So the problems in Afghanistan you see are not <br>our<br>>creation.<br>><br>>The Soviet Invasion<br>><br>>The recent problems in Afghanistan started in 1979. Afghanistan was a<br>>peaceful country. The Russians, along with their 140,000 troops<br>>attacked. Afghanistan in the December of 1979, just 21 years ago,<br>>stayed there for a decade, killed one and a half million people, <br>maimed<br>>one million more people, and six million out of the eighteen million<br>>people migrated because of the Russian brutalities. Even today, our<br>>children are dying because of the landmines that they planted for us.<br>>And nobody knows about this.<br>><br>>After the Russians left during the Russian occupation, on the other<br>>side, the American government, the British government, the French, the<br>>Chinese, and all of the rest, supported the counter-revolutionaries<br>>called the Mujahideen; there were seven parties only in Pakistan and<br>>eight parties in Iran who fought the Russian occupation. And after the<br>>Russians left, these parties went into Afghanistan. All of them had<br>>different ideologies, and a lot of weapons. And instead of having a<br>>single administration, they<br>>fought in Afghanistan. The destruction that they brought was worse <br>than<br>>the destruction the Russians brought. 63,000 people were only killed <br>in<br>>the capital, Kabul. Another million people migrated because of this<br>>lawlessness.<br>><br>>The Beginning of Taliban<br>><br>>Seeing this destruction and lawlessness, a group of students called <br>the<br>>Taliban, i.e. a group of students (Taliban is the plural of student in<br>>our language; it may be two students in Arabic, but in our language it<br>>means students) started a movement called the Movement of Students. It<br>>first started in a village in the southern province of Afghanistan,<br>>called Kandahar. It happened when a warlord, or a commander abducted <br>two<br>>minor girls and violated them. The parents of those girls went to a<br>>school and asked the teacher of the school to help them. The teacher <br>of<br>>that school, along with his 53 students, finding only 16 guns, went <br>and<br>>attacked the base of that commander. After releasing those two girls,<br>>they hanged that commander, and so many of his people were also <br>hanged.<br>>This story was told everywhere. BBC also quoted this story. Hearing <br>this<br>>story, many other students joined this movement and started disarming<br>>the rest of the<br>>warlords. This same students movement now controls 95% of the country<br>>including its capital. Only a bunch of those warlords are remaining in<br>>the northern corridor of Afghanistan.<br>><br>><br>>Our Achievements<br>><br>>We have been in government for only five years, and the following <br>things<br>>that we have done, and many of you may not know:<br>><br>><br>>1.) The first thing we have done is reunifying the fragmented country.<br>>Afghanistan was formerly fragmented into five parts. We unified it <br>when<br>>nobody else could do it.<br>><br>>2.) Second thing we have done, which everybody failed to do, was<br>>disarming the population. After the war every Afghan got a <br>Kalashnikov,<br>>and even sophisticated weapons such as stinger missiles, and they even<br>>got fighter planes and fighter helicopters. Disarming these people<br>>seemed to be impossible. The United Nations in 1992 made an appeal<br>>asking for 3 billion dollars to re-purchase those arms. And because of<br>>its impracticality, that plan never materialized, and everybody forgot<br>>about Afghanistan. So<br>>the second thing we have done is to disarm 95% of that country.<br>><br>>3.) The third thing that we have done is to establish a single<br>>administration in Afghanistan, which did not exist for 10 years.<br>><br>><br>>4.) The fourth achievement that we have that is surprising to <br>everybody<br>>is that we have eradicated 75% of world's opium cultivation. <br>Afghanistan<br>>produced 75% of world's opium. And last year we issued an edict asking<br>>the people to stop growing opium, and this year, the United Nations <br>Drug<br>>Control Program, UNDCP, and their head, Mr. Barnard F. proudly <br>announced<br>>that there was 0% of opium cultivation. Zero, zilch, none at all.<br>><br>>Incidentally this was not good news for UN itself because many of them<br>>lost their jobs. In the UNDCP, 700 so called experts were working <br>there<br>>and they got their salaries and they never went into Afghanistan. So<br>>when we issued this edict, I know that they were not happy. And this<br>>year they lost their jobs.<br>><br>>5.) The fifth achievement that we have, is the restoration of Human<br>>rights. Now, you may think that we are involved in violation of Human<br>>Rights. The reality is exactly the opposite. Among the fundamental<br>>rights of a human being is the right to live. Before us, nobody could<br>>live peacefully in Afghanistan.<br>><br>>The first thing we have done, is to give to the people a secure and<br>>peaceful life. The second major thing that we have restored is to give<br>>them free and fair justice; you don't have to buy justice, unlike here<br>>(America). In Afghanistan justice is free and readily available.<br>><br>><br>>Women's Rights<br>><br>>We have been criticized for violating women's rights. Do you know what<br>>happened before us? I can see some Afghans living here, and they will<br>>agree with me, that in the rural areas of Afghanistan, women were used<br>>as animals. They were sold actually. We stopped this abominable<br>>practice.<br>><br>><br>>They didn't use to have any say in the selection of their husbands.<br>>First thing we have done is to let them choose their future. Another<br>>thing that used to happen in Afghanistan was women were exchanged as<br>>gifts. Of course, this was not something religious; this was something<br>>cultural. When two fighting tribes wanted reconciliation, they would<br>>exchange women. And this has been stopped.<br>><br>>Unlike what is generally said women do work in Afghanistan. True that<br>>until 1996 when we captured the capital Kabul, we did ask women to <br>stay<br>>home. It didn't mean that we wanted them to stay at home forever. We<br>>said that there is no law, and there is no order, and you have to stay<br>>at home.<br>><br>>We disarmed the people, and we established law and order, and now <br>women<br>>are working. True, that women are not working in the ministry of<br>>defense, like here. We don't want our women to be fighter pilots, or <br>to<br>>be used as objects of decoration for advertisements. But they do work.<br>>They work in the Ministry of Health, Interior, Ministry of Education,<br>>Ministry of Social Affairs, and so on.<br>><br>>Similarly we don't have any problem with women's education. We have <br>said<br>>that we want education, and we will have education whether or not we <br>are<br>>under anybody's pressure, because that is part of our belief. We are<br>>ordered to do that. When we say that there should be segregated <br>schools,<br>>it does not mean that we don't want our women to be educated. It is <br>true<br>>that we are against co-education; but it is not true that we are <br>against<br>>women's education.<br>><br>>We do have schools even now, but the problem is the resources. We <br>cannot<br>>expand these programs. Before, our government numerous curriculums <br>were<br>>going on. There were curriculums that preached for the kings,<br>>curriculums that preached for the communists, and curriculums from all<br>>the seven parties. So, the students were confused as to what to study.<br>>We have started to unify the curriculum and that is going on.<br>><br>>Recently we reopened the faculty of medical science in all major <br>cities<br>>of Afghanistan and in Kandahar. There are more girls students studying<br>>in the faculty of medical sciences than boys are. But they are<br>>segregated. And the Swedish committees have also established schools <br>for<br>>girls. I know they are not enough, but that is what we have been able <br>to<br>>do.<br>><br>><br>>Osama bin Laden<br>><br>>We are also accused of sponsoring terrorism. And for Americans <br>terrorism<br>>or terrorist means only bin Laden. Now you will not know that<br>>Afghanistan, or bin Laden was in Afghanistan for 17 years before we <br>even<br>>existed. Bin Laden was in Afghanistan, fought the Soviet Union, and <br>Mr.<br>>Ronald Reagan, the president of America at that time, and Mr. Dick<br>>Chaney called such people freedom fighters or the Heroes of<br>>Independence, because they were fighting for their cause. And now when<br>>the Soviet Union is fragmented, such<br>>people were not needed anymore, and they were transformed into<br>>terrorists. From heroes to terrorists. This is exactly like Mr. Yasser<br>>Arafat who was transformed from a terrorist to a hero.<br>><br>>What is the difference between those acts that bin Laden is blamed for<br>>and the 1998 cruise missile attacks on Afghanistan. Neither of the two<br>>were declared and both of them killed civilians. If it means killing<br>>civilians blindly, both of them killed civilians blindly.<br>><br>>The United States government tried to kill a man without even giving <br>him<br>>a fair trial. In 1998, they just sent cruise missiles into Afghanistan<br>>and they announced that they were trying to kill Osama bin Laden. We<br>>didn't know Osama bin Laden then. I didn't know him; he was just a<br>>simple man. So we were all shocked. I was one of those men who was<br>>sitting at home at night, I was called for an immediate council <br>meeting<br>>and we all were told the United States had attacked Afghanistan. With <br>75<br>>cruise missiles they tried to<br>>kill one man. And they missed that man; killed 19 other students and<br>>never apologized for those killings.<br>><br>>What would you do if you were in our situation. If we were to go and<br>>send 75 cruise missiles into the United States and say that we were<br>>going to<br>>kill a man that we thought was responsible for our embassy, and we<br>>missed<br>>that man, and we killed 19 other Americans what would the United <br>States<br>>do? An<br>>instant declaration of war. But we are polite. We did not declare war.<br>><br>>Our Proposals<br>><br>>Rather we have been very open-minded on this issue. We have said, that<br>>if really this man is involved in the Kenya/Tanzania acts, if anybody<br>>can give us proof or evidence about his involvement in these horrific<br>>acts, we will punish him. Nobody gave us evidence. We put him on trial<br>>for 45 days and nobody gave us any kind of evidence. The United States<br>>told us they did not believe in our judicial system. We were surprised<br>>as to what kind of judicial system they have? They just tried to kill <br>a<br>>man without even giving him a fair trial. Even if one of us is a<br>>criminal here, the police are not going to blow his house; he must go <br>to<br>>a court first.<br>><br>><br>>So our first proposal was rejected. They said they do not believe in <br>our<br>>judicial system, and we must extradite him to New York. After the<br>>rejection of this first proposal was we said we were ready to accept <br>an<br>>international monitoring group to come into Afghanistan and monitor <br>this<br>>man's activities in Afghanistan. So that he does nothing. Even that he<br>>has no telecommunications. That proposal was also rejected.<br>><br>>The third proposal we gave, six months ago, was that we were ready to<br>>try or accept the trial of Osama bin Laden in a third Islamic country,<br>>with the consent of Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. That was also<br>>rejected.<br>><br>><br>>We are still very open minded. And for the fourth time, I m here, with <br>a<br>>letter from my leadership that I m going to submit to the state<br>>department hoping that they will resolve the problem. But I don't <br>think<br>>that they'll. Because we think, and I personally think now that maybe<br>>the United States is looking for a boogey man always. Remember what<br>>Gorbachev said? He said, that he's going to do the worst thing ever to<br>>the United States. And everybody thought that he's going to blow the<br>>United States with nuclear weapons. But he said, I m going to remove<br>>their enemy. And then he fragmented Soviet Union. And he was right.<br>>After he fragmented Soviet Union, a lot of people lost their jobs in <br>the<br>>Pentagon, in the CIA, and the FBI, because they were not needed <br>anymore.<br>>So we think that maybe these guys are looking for a boogey man now.<br>>Maybe they want to justify their annual budget, maybe they want to <br>make<br>>their citizens feel that they are still needed to defend them.<br>>Afghanistan is not a terrorist state; we cannot even make a needle.<br>>How are we going to be a terrorist state? How are we going to be a<br>>threat to the world? If the word terrorism is really derived from the<br>>word terror, then there are countries making weapons of mass<br>>destruction, countries making nuclear weapons, they are terrorist<br>>states; we are not.<br>><br>><br>>Sanctions<br>><br>>Now, we are under sanctions. And the sanctions have caused a lot of<br>>problems. Despite that we already had been going through so many<br>>problems--- the 23 years of continuous war, the total destruction of <br>our<br>>infrastructure, and the problem of refugees, and the problem of land<br>>mines in our agricultural lands --- all of a sudden the United <br>Nations,<br>>with the provocation of Russia, is imposing sanctions on Afghanistan.<br>>And the sanctions have been approved; we are under sanctions. Several<br>>hundred children died a month ago. Seven hundred children died because<br>>of malnutrition and the severe cold weather. Nobody even talked about<br>>that. Everybody knows about the statues.<br>><br>><br>><br>><br>><br>><br>>Renovating Statues as People Die<br>><br>><br>><br>><br>>When the world is destroying our future with economic sanctions, then<br>>they have no right to worry about our past. I called my headquarters, <br>I<br>>asked them, why are they going to blow the statues, and I talked to <br>the<br>>head of the council of scholars of people, who had actually decided<br>>this, he told me that UNESCO and an NGO from Sweden, or from one of<br>>these Scandinavian countries Norway, Sweden, one of these they had<br>>actually come, with a project of rebuilding the face of these statues,<br>>which have worn by rain. The council of people told them to spend that<br>>money in saving the lives of these children, instead of spending it to<br>>restore these statues. And these guys said, "No, this money is only <br>for<br>>the statues." And the people were really pissed off. They said that, <br>If<br>>you don t care about our children, we are going to blow those statues.<br>><br>>If you were in such a situation what would you do? If your children <br>are<br>>dying in front of your eyes, and you are under sanctions, and then the<br>>same people who have imposed sanctions and are coming and building<br>>statues here?<br>><br>><br>><br>><br>>What would you do?<br>><br>><br>>Kofi Annan<br>><br>>And there is Kofi Annan. You know Kofi Annan, the Secretary General of<br>>United Nations? He went to Pakistan, and he said he is going to meet <br>our<br>>representative there. This man never bothered to come, to talk about<br>>these children, he never bothered himself to talk about six million<br>>refugees, and he never talked about the poverty of Afghanistan. He <br>only<br>>goes to that region because of these statues.<br>><br>>It is really, really ridiculous. These people do not care about<br>>children, about people who are dying there, about the foreign<br>>interference that still exists; they only care about the statues. And <br>I<br>>am sure they don't care about our heritage. They only care about their<br>>picnic site one time. Maybe they'll have a good picnic site there,<br>>seeing those statues.<br>><br>>And I'm sure these sanctions which are imposed on our government will<br>>never change us, because for us, our ideology is everything. To try to<br>>change our ideology with economic sanctions will never work. It may <br>work<br>>in the United States, where the economy is everything, but for us, our<br>>ideology is everything. And we believe that it is better to die for<br>>something than to live for nothing.<br>><br>>END-<br>

Guest

Re: TRUTH ABOUT AFGHANISTAN

#2

Unread post by Guest » Mon Apr 23, 2001 10:25 am

I have not read this post, I will do so as soon as I get some spare time on my hand. But just to represent the other side of the Afghanistan, as opposed to that potrayed by the West and the propaganda machine, it is the only country with 0 rape 0 murder 0 crime. Only country where smoking is banned. And it has also banned smuggling as it is haraam, despite people dying on its periphery due to lack of resources.<p>Musalmaan

Guest

Re: TRUTH ABOUT AFGHANISTAN

#3

Unread post by Guest » Mon Apr 23, 2001 10:40 am

Well, now I have read it; see the differences of what is broadcasted on BBC/CNN and what is actually said by the Afghan leader in actuality.<p>Musalmaan

Guest

Re: TRUTH ABOUT AFGHANISTAN

#4

Unread post by Guest » Mon Apr 23, 2001 6:59 pm

You have no proof that there is no crime in Afghanistan. If you take the word of the illegal goivernment there then you are a fool. Governments at best cannot be trusted; at their worst, as in Afganistan, it is best to believe nothing they say. <p>for a free and democratic Afghanistan!<p>jamshid shak-el