Email This Story
So it’s Friday. The weekend beckons. Let’s take a time out from the law and order crisis in Kabul and look back. Where were you a few weeks after the tragic attacks of Sept. 11th, 2001? This reporter was in Afghanistan’s Takhar province, covering the West’s showdown with Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.
In the story below, I tried to remind readers back home that there is much, much more to the Afghan nation and people than conflict. Have a read and reflect on the times. What were your thoughts and hopes and expectations back then, and where are we now? And please, contribute a comment below.
DATELINE: Khalifghan, Takhar Province, October 14, 2001
Just hang on a minute. Or maybe a few hours.
Sure, I should be rushing off to the Kabul front, where something like 200 other journalists are waiting for the other shoe to drop on the Taliban.
But I’ll see the war soon enough: one of the toughest fronts in the country is just around the bend from here in Taloquan, the capital of the northern Afghan province of Takhar, and nearby in the city of Kunduz. There, fighters of the Northern Alliance are eyeball to eyeball with some of the best Taliban fighting units, who are now surrounded in their strongholds.
Just for this one afternoon, though, on this my first full day back in this most misunderstood of countries, I’ll pause to take in the atmosphere of the real Afghanistan. Because before all those adjectives like ‘war ravaged’ or ‘terrorist haven’ began sticking to its name, this was a land of enchanting beauty, and home to a people of rare quality, dignity and the purest of human hospitality.
So forget the bombing for a moment. Let’s talk about the wonders of the place.
For example, did you know that Kandahar, infamous these days as the lair of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, is one of the most historic cities in Southwest Asia? It’s the homeland of the Durrani Kings, but more to the point for a tired wayfarer, it has the sweetest watermelons, and the sharpest-tasting pomegranates in the region.
How about the ‘Northern Afghanistan’ you hear and read journalists going on about since the Twin Towers came down. Yes, it’s frequently been a vast, mountainous battlefield throughout history, but its rivers also have waters as sweet and clear as anything you can find in Canada’s Rockies.
The former King had several of the lakes here stocked with Brown trout in the sixties. Believe me, they’re delicious with a plate of chips. Forget about the English - Afghans love a filet of fish with a side of fries more than anyone.
And while we're on the subject of food, how about mantu and ashak? That's meat dumplings and past to the uninitiated, the best you'll find anywhere but with a wild, fresh taste of the frontier. All the food and culture and trade of Afghanistan comes together in the capital, Kabul. It's a city, even knee deep in rubble, that lets you touch and feel the ancient world. Get to know it, and you'll want a holiday home there. It'll be a great place to watch the eventual reconstruction of this country.
Don’t laugh at the idea. Instead, imagine the possibilities. Take a stroll, as I did today, through the crowded bazaar of Faizabad, the capital of Badakhshan province in the far northeast. Spared the worst of the past ten years of the Afghan war, and saved from Taliban domination by the mountainous terrain and the strongest defensive lines of the Northern Alliance, this city of 60,000 people is as close as you can come today to Afghanistan as it was prior to the 1978 Communist coup, which triggered civil war and the Soviet invasion 18 months later.
Everyone’s got something to sell or trade, and even the passing groups of Northern Alliance troops, heading for the front, can’t distract shoppers from the fabulous array of wares spread out in front of the tiny wooden shops.
There are wide brimming bowls of spices and nuts, sides of lamb under the butcher’s knife, and nearby, fruits of all kinds spill out in to the street. If not for the war and the terrible inflation it has brought with it, Afghanistan could feed itself. With a population of around 20 million, this isn’t a basket case of a country, it’s a potential bread basket.
There are tennis balls, combs, bras and lanterns. And a chance to indulge your vanity: you can have your picture taken by a weird bearded character with an ancient box camera. Then haggle with the guy in the next stall for that old beat up, but very funky, Red Army jeep that’s for sale.
Five hundred bucks should do it, but how do you get it out of the country? Do you really want to? Have you ever seen the road through Andjoman Pass, high in the Hindu Kush? Gas up and let’s go. When we get to Panjshir, I’ll show you where Alexander the Great pushed his legions over a much more difficult pass, named Khowak…
First, though, back to the bazaar. You can pick up some timber for the house, rough hewn or planed, and decorate the place with mirrors and vases and vessels made out of every cheap shiny metal imaginable.
Or leave the crowd behind, and just doddle on down to the surging green Kucha river, here in Faizabad, and take tea on the balcony of the teahouse, or chaikhana. You can sip and dream all afternoon, let your mind wander to Tajikistan to the north, China just over to the east – and the war beyond the mountains to the west.
You don’t have to be an Afghan to love and cherish this country. Or to send a plea to readers back home in the rich, powerful nations of the West. Do what you will with the Taliban, Osama bin Laden and the rest of his terror movement. But remember that people like you live here, and while they remember the charm and security of the past, their present is nothing short of horrifying.
The poorest Afghan families, those least able to fend for themselves, are freezing and starving as you read this. In taking up arms, in bombing Afghanistan, we and our leaders believe we’re acting in the interests of civilization.
But is it the Afghans’ civilization, too, or just ours?
2 Comments
Thanks For the article from Kabul, trust that you take care of yourself. We love our country and people, we have good histry, when we had a good government. We are not terrorists and don't like them, we are moderate Muslims and want to live with others in peace, hormany and solidarity. We do not believe in useless wars, killings and destructions. Our country is beautiful and our nation is proud....dame to those terrorists want to take hostage this great nation and beautiful country. Dame to those countries providing logistical and financial support for bad people to destroy our schools, our roads and kill inocent poeple and then make safe havens for them. One day, they will get the same problems. Terrorists do not have any respect to the cultures and civilizations...they defame the name of Islam and it means peace. even they do not have respect for Islam, they want to use Islam for thier polotical agenda and that is all, at the end they do not respect the other thoughts and beliefs. They want to impose thier hard rules and laws on us, but they can not do it....we have our own way of thoughts and beliefs, moderate Islam, Islam of God and Prophet and not Mullah Omer's or Ussama. We ask all these terrorists to leave our country and don't try to kill our people. Leave us to live in peace and rebuild our destroyed country after long sufferings.
Taliban and terrorists do not have a system for the government we have expereinced them in the power for some time, they have no agenda and just to kill and destroy..they are not the product of Afghanistan, they are all imported for others. We do not believe in siucide bombing, we fought with russions face to face and did not kill the civilains, the doctors, the teachers. We are proud Afghan and proud of our country and must defeat the gterrorists and bad people....we want peace, satability and development for our country and people like others. I will write more
Cheers,
Ahmad, tell us about conditions today in Kandahar. Are you in the city? I think many of us would be interested to know how you're connected online, via wireless or cable? Is there anything you want us to know about the situation of Kandaharis today?
Thank you for such a descriptive piece about Afghanistan, Arthur. I first fell in love with the country when I saw your Return to Afghanistan film on Man Alive. Who knew Afghanistan was mountainous? (Sorry all, I am a typical ignorant American, but trying hard to learn.)The rivers you showed were clear and beautiful. The people very handsome. I do hope to someday travel there. So much history. I was particularly taken with the Panjshir valley.
Ahmad, you have voiced what are the basic human wants and needs: to live in peace and prosperity. Afghanistan is very worth salvaging and fighting for. Please do write more. The Afghans are a proud and dignified nation. It is more than time for you all to prosper and live in peace. Please write more and help us to understand more about you, your people and your beautiful country. We want to learn and to know all you can teach us.
Thanks Artur for the good work you have been doing for Afghans, since long time. Yes, situations in Kandahar is not bad....but only in the city and not district. I work in an office, where I use the net and can read your topics about Afghanistan. I appreciate the support and assistance of all our freinds from the world, who came to Afghanistan, despite all terror warnings and security problems to contribute to Afghanistan and Afghan people. We have great respect for all, who support us to get our freedom and live in peace, stability and dignity. We must defeat the terrorists and tell them that there is no place to live amongst us here in this country. Afghanistan will previal one day after all these dark days. Situations in Kandahar is the same, like every day.but we are tired af the governor Assadullah Khalid and no body like him, he is not educated and not doing good for us. Police, intellegence, border police and army needs all good work coordination and strategy to maintain the law and order situations. We have enough security set up, the only problems is lack of good thoughts,coordination, team work and determination to serve this country....all are here to collect money and buy good houses and cars, then leave us in the darkness with terrorists threatening our lives, our families and country. People of Kandahar is not happy from the governor and other provincial and district authoroties, we need to select our serbvants and have the good and active prouncial councils....for the time being it is just by the name and not working enough to bring some changes in our lives...the governor is busy with his colleagues to collect as much money as possible. These all have good relations with Karzia brother here in Kandahar and all are involved in corruption and drug tarraficking, they don't want to live in this country and make it good. They only thing they think is to make more money and leave it one day, they know the people don't like them and they have no good place among the locals. The Taliban resurgance is all becuase of these bad, corrput and drug lords, otherwise no body like them and have very bad expereinces in the past, while they were in the power. We need good people to serve us and not dectotors to make money and have no strategic vision for Afghanistan. Preisdent Karzia government is only in the city centers and not in the districts and villages. By the way, I learned English in Kandahar and using the net from Kandahar, I work here and want to make some diference for my people and country....I do not lose the hope and won't leave the terrorists to come back and occupy our coungtry. I'm just 25 years old and doing good for my country in a center we have here, providing some services for the people.
Thanks
Hello Ahmad, and many thanks for your regular contributions from Kandahar. It's a city I like very much. In fact many foreign aid workers, journalists and soldiers who visit there come away with the same feeling - that when peace is finally secured, Kandahar will very quickly enjoy a return to its rightful place as one of the lovliest, livliest cities in all of Asia.
So please keep safe, and enjoy a cup of tea for us all this afternoon. By the way, last year when I was in Kandahar a coffee shop had opened its doors, and was really popular. Is it still doing well, and could you please send along our greetings?
Hi Arthur,
Trust that you are doing well in Kabul. Thanks for these good reports. Keep up the good work and have a nice day in your city Kabul! Welcome and always welcome to your second home....hope you move to the north to Salang, Baghlan, Tahkar, Mazar, Badakhshan and some other places as you like them to visit, we hope peace will come to this war-ravaged country after long and long war. Please keep writing and there are still some hopes from young generation...have a good green tea with Qabli Palaw....may be also Chainakai in the nortg with good fruits and fresh water.
Best Regards,
Thanks Ghazala. I'd really enjoy doing some fishing, again, in the mountain lakes and streams of the northeast. Such terrific scenery.
Always nice to be reminded of the treasures and value in the country opposed to having to listen to the doom and gloom from the usual sources writing of the good people and society there :)
Too true, Jeremy. For instance, Kabul's now a city of 4.5 million people - most of them under 20 years of age. When I was here 20 years ago, during the Soviet war, people were wondering how Kabul would cope with a population of 1.5 million.
The massive growth is a headache for Karzai & Co., since they devote so little of their time to creating new business and industry. But imagine what could be accomplished here with an eager workforce of these proportions. Note to high tech developers everywhere: these kids are geniuses with computers, believe me. You want miracle growth? Come to Kabul and prosper.
Dear All,
Hope you are doing well today. Days are getting hot here in Kandahar. The students are going to have the final exam within coming weeks and to take summer off. some are moving to Kabul as the weather is warm, if they can affotd the expenses.
Stdudents are happy about summer vocation and want to enjoy it with thier families. There are less social activities in my area for the public to enjoy the life. People go to the North of Kabul to have some fun with thier freinds and families....the weather is nice with good water and best fruits in this season of the time.
My best regards,