The return of the Taliban in Afghanistan has pushed the women of the country back into their homes, destroying many a dream and snuffing out all hope. Since the Taliban takeover of the capital city of Kabul on August 15, several women sportspersons went into hiding, erasing all traces of their lives and ambitions so far as they feared for their lives. Concerns have been voiced worldwide over their safety and appeals have been made to help evacuate them.
Last Sunday, the Taliban recaptured Kabul after almost two decades since the United States had booted them out for shielding Al-Qaeda’s Osama Bin Laden. The fall of the west-backed Afghan government and the rise of the insurgent group spells doom for the modernisation and upliftment of the country, especially for the hard-won women’s rights. Confinement, regression and public execution are the three words that the older generation of Afghans associated with the previous Taliban rule when they ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.
Appeals to FIFA for Help:
Shabnam Mobarez, 25, captain of the Afghan women’s national football team, has urged FIFA, the world’s governing body of football, to come to her teammates’ rescue. “I’m currently in touch with some of the players in Afghanistan, it’s a devastating situation. They have been telling me how they fear that the Taliban will come after them and how they fear for their lives.”
“I feel like FIFA should take some responsibility in the situation because our players are under FIFA, and it should protect players when it comes to tragic situations like this. I feel like we should hold them accountable for doing so because FIFA is such a big organisation, and they have a lot of contacts, and I am sure there are stuff that they can do that I am not capable of doing,” Shabnam told News18.com.
“I know people are trying to help out, and there are NGOs and governments they’re trying too. The Danish government is trying to evacuate some people that work with the Danish troops, but this doesn’t really apply for the soccer players, who are in huge danger. The only people I could think of that could help in this is situation is FIFA,” she added.
Horrors of the Past Taliban Regime:
When the Taliban were in charge of the nation, women were confined to their homes, barred from attending school or working outside. They had to wear the all-encompassing burqa and be accompanied by a male relative whenever they stepped out of their homes. Music and television were also banned back then. Punishment for violations of rules included public shaming, flogging and even stoning to death.
Shabnam, who was born in Afghanistan, fled the country when she was around seven years old. She may have moved to Denmark at an early age but she vividly remembers how the condition was back then in her homeland. Narrating an unforgettable memory, she said, “I remember one incident with my mother taking us out for Eid shopping. Then I saw hands hanging there, cut off (from the body), hanging on poles because that was a form of punishment for people who stole.”
“I don’t think that any six-year-old should ever see that, so I feel heartbroken for the children in Afghanistan currently because they have to see horrible stuff like that, and it’s going to traumatise them for the rest of their lives,” she said.
‘Taliban’s Promises Far From Reality’
Under the eyes of world media, the Taliban have ‘promised’ to respect women’s rights and encouraged them to return to workplaces and schools, handing out Islamic headscarves at the doors. But Afghans and people from other countries who have been there in the ‘graveyard of empires’ are not to be fooled.
“We have failed our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan, we have failed them,” said Haley Carter, former Afghan women’s football team coach.
“What Taliban has said is far from true. What they have is said is not what’s happening in reality. They know that the world is looking at them and the PR campaign is based on that but that’s not what is happening on the ground.”
As someone who has been on the ground zero, helping women realise their dreams of a free life by breaking the shackles, Haley is fearful of the condition that Afghan women will be in now. And the danger is even more grave for women athletes, who tried to break the norms that the Taliban wished to impose.
Displacement and Despondency in Afghanistan:
According to the UN refugee agency, nearly 250,000 Afghans have fled their homes since the end of May amid fears the Taliban would reimpose their severe and merciless interpretation of Islam, all but eliminating women’s rights. Women and children account for 80 per cent of those relocated.
“Opportunities for women and treatment of women is going to be worse than they were back in 2001-2002,” Haley said.
Haley is in touch with a few of her former players and is worried about their safety now, “Some women’s rights activists whom I know are in hiding or have left their homes because they are scared for their life,” she further added.
‘Plans to Flee Country Foiled’:
The Taliban insurgence started on May 1; they first took over the rural districts and then siezed the cities. In 100 odd days, they took over the major cities and encircled Kabul, the country’s capital. President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on August 15, and by nightfall, the Taliban were in the Presidential palace.
The Taliban’s blitzkrieg across Afghanistan and swift control of the capital city of Kabul took everyone by surprise. “Women and girl athletes who have spoken up are trapped there. They had plans to leave but no one thought this would happen so happen so quickly. Now, no one has any chance of leaving,” Haley added.
“Right now, our priority should be to keep those who have spoken out against them safe,” said Haley when asked how she thinks the world could help Afghanistan.
“It is going to take everyone from the state actors and NGOs and average ordinary citizens to put pressure on their politicians to do something for Afghanistan,” the former Afghanistan coach added.
Afghanistan’s Beautiful Dream Dashed:
Shabnam, who spoke to us from the US, is the squad captain, supposed to participate in the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualification, the qualification tournament for the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, which will take place in India.
For a team that only came into existence in 2007 and played its first official international match in 2010, it was a giant leap, and they were supposed to play the tournament in Tajikistan next month. Now, they don’t even know if they will ever play again.
“Of course, it is tough to see what we’ve worked so hard in the past years has been just wiped away in five minutes because some terrorist group took over Afghanistan and do not want us to play anymore.”
Shabnam Mobarez was offered a chance to play for the Denmark women’s team but decided to play for her home country instead.
“It’s devastating news for all of us and especially for the young players who had big dreams of playing for the national team one day. They had dreams of representing their country in the World Cup. Maybe that’s it’s just their dreams are just turning into nightmares, which is very devastating.”
‘India Has Always Helped Afghanistan’: Call for Aid
When asked what countries like the UK, the US, and other neighbouring countries like India can do, Haley and Shabnam suggested opening borders for the refugees and evacuation of the vulnerable.
“For other countries, opening the doors for the refugees is the least we can do and we have to work on resettling them. If we don’t act now, we will have a human rights crisis in our hands,” said Haley.
“I hope that everyone comes together in this horrible situation and help evacuate as many Afghans as possible, especially the vulnerable groups and here I am thinking about women and female sportspersons,” opined Shabnam.
“India has always been helping Afghanistan in so many ways, and I hope that they could also help them with the evacuation, especially of women and children,” she appealed.
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