Afghanistan – The Unlikely, Yet Very Beautiful Tourist Destination

When talking about Afghanistan, very few people think of it as a tourist destination. However, without all the violence and battle situations, Afghanistan is actually a very scenic place with some great destinations to visit. It also has a few World Heritage Sights. If explored properly, Afghanistan can prove to be a very beautiful place.

The Bamyan Province, which is now considered to be one of the poorest provinces in the country, is very rich in culture and heritage. The Buddhas of Bamiyan, the world-renowned twin statues had stood in this very place for centuries, before the Taliban destroyed them in 2001, in an attempt to demolish everything un-Islamic. However, the caves surrounding the statues are still intact and have some very beautiful attractions to offer. Guided tours are available to the tourists who come. Along with the historical caves, one can also explore the various lakes and the breathtaking mountain ranges in the area.

The governor of Bamyan Province, Dr. Habiba Sarabi has been an active campaigner in the promotion of tourism in Afghanistan. She believes that through tourism not only can the world know more about Afghanistan, but the local people can also earn their livelihood. She encourages people to work as tourist guides and to open small guest houses and eateries in their houses so that money can be earned in a safe and amicable atmosphere. If the efforts of the government, along with help from the UN, materialize, the people of Afghanistan will benefit a lot. And along with this, the adventurous tourists from around the world will also have a great new place to explore.

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Elections in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has fought a long battle. Even before the war began in 2001, the people of Afghanistan had to face a huge number of internal battles including the injustices meted out by the Taliban. The democracy was almost dead and the only thing alive in the hearts of people was fear. They feared for their lives at all times. And the worst sufferers of this terror were women. Women literally were banned from all the facilities and were confined to their houses, in a suffocating civil atmosphere. However, things have now changes and with the Taliban exiting from active governance, the people of Afghanistan are breathing a lot easy. Women are fast getting liberated and there are a number of opportunities available for them. The statistics collected from the recently concluded elections were very heartening and they showed how wonderfully women were being welcomed.

In the recently concluded elections, a total of 2500 candidates ran for 249 seats. And among them were 400 women. This is a very positive outcome as women are no longer afraid to come out of their houses and voice their opinions. They are also vying to become leaders and work for the betterment of more women across the country.

The elections were conducted smoothly, with the help of the United Nations. The government and people of Afghanistan drew accolades from the world over for their courage, determination and spirit in carrying out the elections. Barack Obama, the president of the United States of America, too personally congratulated Afghanistan for the successful polls.

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Angelina Jolie in Afghanistan

Hollywood star and United Nations’ goodwill ambassador, Angelina Jolie visited Afghanistan for the second time. Jolie, visibly moved by the plight of the refugees returning to their homeland, made an appeal to the UN and the government of Afghanistan to ensure that the former refugees get to live in good conditions.

On her previous visit to Afghanistan in 2002, Jolie had met a number of people displaced due to the war. Almost 10 years later, when she set foot in the country again, she was happy to be reunited with Zamo Jan, a frail 70-year old lady. But seeing the conditions in which Jan and many of the others were forced to live in, Jolie made an appeal to provide these people with proper shelter. She stressed on the need to not only provide a shelter, but also to have hospitals and schools in the area so that people can settle down with their families and find jobs too.

The Afghani people, specially young children, were very enthusiastic about meeting the superstar and took a lot of interest in speaking with her, albeit through an interpreter. They all voiced their needs and put their thoughts across. Most agreed that education and healthcare are the facilities that are most urgently needed. Jolie urged the government to not ask the refugees to come back, but also to reintegrate their lives. She said this must be the prime focus as without proper reintegration and rehabilitation, the people will find it very difficult to make a fresh start after returning.

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Conflicts targeting young girls in Afghanistan

Even though Afghanistan is recovering from the aftershocks of the horrible war that tore apart the nation, there still are instances of violence that disrupt normal live. Civilians, the innocent people trying to rebuild their lives, are often the worst hit. In the last few months, nearly 2000 people were killed and over 1000 injured in airstrikes and other such violent incidents. Though the numbers of such attacks are dropping, it is still alarming to see that mostly women and children are targeted in these attacks. Young school-going girls are most susceptible to such violent happenings.

While on one hand it is widely agreed that only education and exposure can uplift the lives of women in Afghanistan, the Taliban on the other hand, sadly, still think women do not deserve to be educated. As a result, they have always tried to stop women from studying and growing in life. And now with the violent strikes on young women, this idea is being consolidated.

The United Nations and the officials of the country have been battling the negatives in an attempt to bring education to every child in Afghanistan, irrespective of their gender. This is a very positive initiative, as education is truly the passport to better living conditions for the innocent people of Afghanistan who have long suffered in their own land. A lot of measures have been taken to ensure that women and children are not targeted so frequently. The education of the girl child has also been put on high priority.

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Handing Out Passports While Handling Corruption

For Colonel Abdul Fatah, a regular day in the office doesn’t just mean stamping papers and holding meetings. He also undertakes the responsibility of training people to wipe out corruption from the system. And since he is in charge of one of the busiest passport offices in the country, he has to be extra cautious and put in a lot of effort. And this he does with a passion. He genuinely thinks corruption can be pushed out of the system and so he educates his staff about this on a regular basis.

The task is not always easy for the Colonel as without proper backup systems, he finds it difficult to check the malpractices. For instance, there is no computerized storage of data and everything is done manually. As a result, it becomes very difficult to stop people from having multiple passports. Colonel Abdul Fatah realizes this is a very potent problem and hopes someday there will be computers available to make his job easier. He however wants every Afghan to have a passport and see the world. He believes that it is only through travel and exposure to different cultures can the people of Afghanistan rebuild their lives and society after the bitter battles that have torn them apart.

The colonel is putting in a commendable effort and this has even been recognized by the officials after he was overheard lecturing his staff about the ill-effects of corruptions by a high-ranked anti-corruption official who was waiting outside the office for his passport. It is only hoped now that his efforts are successful and more and more people and sectors in Afghanistan are declared corruption free.

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The Slow yet Steady Rise of Rugby Popularity in Afghanistan

When Mohammad Mansoor Majid returned to Afghanistan from the UK, he brought back with him, among other things, the game of rugby. It was he who introduced rugby to the country and helped form a national team for the sport. Today the game is played fervently in the country and also has a representation internationally.

Before the official introduction of rugby in Afghanistan, there were many young athletes who followed the game on television but never got an opportunity to play it. However, now with the introduction of the game, the young players are not only getting the chance to play the game, but they also are representing their country in international tournaments. With having played in tournaments and Pakistan and Dubai, the young athletes are getting good amounts of exposure. However, the players believe they have a long way to go still and need to improve their game. And to do this they need better facilities like larger playgrounds and a coach. The national team doesn’t have a coach yet and this is causing a lot of problems for the players. With the help of the proper facilities, the team believes they can win the world cup one day.

With athletes having represented Afghanistan in the recently concluded Olympic Games in London, it is heartening to see players take to the rugby field as well. With the war having receded and normal life having returned to Afghanistan, one can surely hope that sports will play a huge role in ensuring the return of peace in the lives of the Afghani people.

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Learning to Diffuse a Bomb

Camp Shaheen in Mazar-e-Sharif is no ordinary camp. It has been built to train Afghan security personnel to diffuse bombs. This is an essential part of the security system as bombs are commonly known to have torn apart lives in mainland Afghanistan, especially since the Taliban turned rebel in the recent past. So with a constant threat of explosions looming over, students at Camp Shaheen in Mazar-e-Sharif are trained about how to diffuse a bomb when they come across one.

For the students of this camp, it is a chance to serve their country. Nothing gives them as much pride as being of service to their motherland and their fellow citizens. As a result, a young student, Lal Mohammed (seen here) is risking his live to diffuse a bomb in order to ascertain whether or not he is an established specialist in the department. With proper training and guidance, the students are able to tackle even tricky situations where the Taliban insert additional firing mechanisms in bombs to ensure a successful impact. The authorities have collaborated with foreign experts who personally come and train the students at the camp.

With the war-like conditions drawing to an end, normal life is slowly crawling back in Afghanistan. Unfortunately though, incidents of violence continue to act as potholes on the road to peace and harmony. However, with the help of people like Lal Mohammad, the citizens of this war torn can live in peace and hope for less instances of bomb blasts and bloodshed.

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