இராமன் ஆண்டா என்ன, இராவணன் ஆண்டா என்ன?
It is not my intention this Independence Day to liken the British and our own leaders in the order given in the apathetic maxim quoted above, although these days there is no want of opinion decrying the current regime in the country. Rather, it is my objective to turn our heads just a little Westwards to behold the plight of Afghans. I am certain they will not buy this aphorism!
The title of this piece of course is a twist from the song “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” written and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice while they were researching the life of Argentine leader Eva Perón of yester year. These days of course the only Argentinian we know is Lionel Messi. His fabulous football wealth might make us wide eyed and open jawed but lachrymose? I don’t think so. If anything today we can shed a tear or two for Argentina’s lumbering neighbour in South America – Brazil- ruled by the quixotic Jair Bolsonaro, frequently compared unfavourably to Donald Trump and Narendra Modi.
Be that as it may, the misery that is Afghanistan has been well chronicled, including in This, That and the Other (Read Miscellaneous 59). Since it’s been a while we could do with reminders of some portions. As we said earlier, Afghanistan is basically a country difficult to rule. As William Dalrymple says in his epochal novel ‘Return of a King’, “there are different tribal, ethnic, and linguistic fissures fragmenting Afghan society: the rivalry between the Tajiks, Uzbeks, Hazaras and the Durrani and Ghilzai Pashtuns; the schism between Sunni and Shia; the endemic factionalism within clans and tribes……….in many places blood feuds became almost a national pastime – the Afghan equivalent of country cricket in English shires.” If that was true in 19th century Afghanistan that Dalrymple was mostly concerned with in his historical novel, it is just as true today, and one fears the picture will never ever change.
Enter the Taliban and the picture becomes complicated to put it mildly. With its unique brand of Sunni fundamentalism and harsh interpretation of Sharia, the Taliban rose to power in 1996 and established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. When they first appeared on the scene, they were indeed welcomed by Afghans, then weary of the Mujahideen’s excesses and constant infighting. The Taliban too earned some credit in the initial days by undertaking popular measures like stamping out corruption and curbing lawlessness.
By and by, their true colour began to show when their agenda emerged in all its ugliness. The football stadium in Kabul turned into a public execution arena of convicted murderers and adulterers (having never read the Bible, the Taliban have little idea of how Jesus dealt with their Palestinian cousins of the same genre in his time; read John 8:3-11). Those found guilty of theft had their hands amputated. Men were required to grow beards and it had to be of certain specified length; women had to wear the all-covering burka. (Been there, seen that, bought a Pashtun shirt – seriously!)
The Taliban came down heavily on all forms of entertainment, banning television, music and cinema. One standing example of their cultural genocide is the notorious destruction of the world famous Bamiyan Buddha statues in central Afghanistan; the world stood aghast.
This gaping hole is emblematic of their collective heads. In saying this I find myself this time in unusual company – the venerable National Newspaper, the Hindu. To my surprise the Daily employs strong words like “murderous militia” and “scant regard for human rights” in their editorial of 14 August 2021 entitled “Afghan Tragedy”. Yes, this is unusual because in recent times this newspaper has so perfected the art of walking on Balance Beam so much so that I suspect even Nadia Comaneci would be in awe.
But let’s not get sidetracked by the Hindu’s gymnastic skills, howsoever impressive. There is no doubt the spectre of the tens of thousands massacred by the Taliban and their atrocities against civil society and women in particular will haunt the minds of the 40 million Afghans as they contemplate the possibility of the dreaded movement returning to power within days.
If you are looking for a definition of “optimist” you need go no further than Joe Biden, the American President. Having faithfully executed the plan for the withdrawal of American troops from the country, he can now merrily point the finger at the delusionist Donald Trump for believing the Taliban in the first place and call him a confounded optimist while being blissfully blind to the fact that he himself stands similarly accused in the eyes of the world.
What will be the future of the country with the Taliban poised to regain control over the country. Will Kalashnikovs be sold like கத்தரிக்காய் in the Kandhahar market? Will all the girls’ schools be closed again? Will all the cinemas and entertainment houses pull down the shutters? Will the 2000 odd rehabilitation agencies and NGOs pack up and go home? Will all the guest houses accommodating international workers and the star hotels close down? Will the number of destitute bharka clad women on the streets shoot up? In short, will the country go back to hell?
Well, the Devil is looking pretty smug!
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