Azra Jafari (Azra Jafari) made history when she became the first female mayor of Afghanistan, but she witnessed the progress made in the country during her tenure, but she was shaking before her eyes. Taliban Consolidate their rule.
“We don’t know what the Taliban will impose, but we know it will get worse,” Jafari said Weekly newspaper“It’s completely chaotic. We are not sure what happened.”
The Taliban hardly resisted, and as the United States withdrew, the Taliban quickly regained control of Afghanistan. In the memory of the organization’s previous repression of human rights, the Taliban’s regaining power has caused worldwide concern about the fate of women, journalists and other activists, and those who helped the United States during its two-year war.
As the first female mayor of Afghanistan, leader of the city of Nili and a member of the Hazara ethnic group, Jafari said that she felt “fear” about the future of her country.
The Hazaras are a religious and ethnic minority in Afghanistan, and have a long history of discrimination and persecution in the country. The Taliban declared war on the Hazaras after they seized power in the 1990s, and the targeted killing of the Hazaras amounts to ethnic cleansing. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Jafari said that as the Taliban regained power, she worried that her family in Afghanistan might be killed because they were Hazaras, because they were Shia Muslims, and the Taliban followed strict Sunni Islam.
In addition, Hazara people are often seen as accepting the previous Western-supported government. Jafari pointed out that Hazara women have been “freely participating in society”, including working in the government, security forces, and companies.
“I served as mayor from 2008 to 2014. I have seen changes, the energy and ability to improve lives, and hope for a better future. But now it seems that all progress is going backwards,” Jafari said.
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During the previous Taliban rule, women were downgraded to second-class citizens. If they want to run away from home, they must be accompanied by a man, they are not allowed to receive education, and they cannot find work. Violation of regulations, including not covering your face when leaving the house, may result in public humiliation and beatings.
After 20 years of arduous progress, Jafari worried that under the rule of the Taliban, “women will be completely excluded from society.”
At a press conference on Tuesday, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid described the Taliban’s takeover as a “proud moment” for the entire Afghanistan. He talked about an inclusive regime that will not seek revenge against those who “against us” and will not “discriminate against women.”
Mujahid ended his comment on society with qualifiers such as “within the framework of Islamic law” (Islamic law) and “within the framework of our culture”, providing a vague vision of the future.
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His remarks were met with suspicion by the international community. Jafari said she did not believe in these promises because women’s rights did not comply with the Islamic Sharia law strictly abided by the Taliban. She doubted whether they were willing to oppose Sharia law “just for women’s rights.”
The Taliban’s comments on a peaceful world that respects the rights of all Afghans are contrary to many local reports in Afghanistan.An Afghan woman in Kandahar told Reuters In early July, Taliban insurgents entered the office of Azizi Bank and escorted 9 women working there back home, telling them not to return to work. Instead, male relatives can take their place.
“It’s really weird not to be allowed to work, but that’s how it is now,” Noor Khatera, a 43-year-old woman who works at Azizi Bank, told Reuters.
According to the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, as the Taliban took over some areas of the country, they implemented laws requiring women to wear a headscarf and be accompanied by a man when they leave home.The organization also reported that women are barred from accessing medical services without close male family members, which is known as Mahram, Go with them.
In response to the Taliban’s press conference, the United Nations expressed concern about the human rights violation reports it received from Afghanistan. The United Nations is skeptical of the Taliban’s comments on the country’s new future.
As far as she is concerned, Jafari said it is difficult to believe that life under the Taliban will be significantly different from the last time they took power. She believes that Tuesday’s commitment is only part of a tactical strategy.
She said: “The Taliban’s promise to uphold women’s rights is just empty talk to calm the media so that they can completely take over the Afghan government without any interference.”
