|
|
|
||||||||
|
Controversies
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
In an effort to present all sides of Massoud fairly, there are a few controversies surrounding him which need to be addressed. The first of these is the destruction of the capitol city of Kabul after the Rabbani government, in which Massoud was the Defense Minister, assumed power.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Another important matter is the treatment of women in Afghanistan during those dark days and later under the Taliban. RAWA is one organization who more often than not asserts that Ahmed Shah Massoud was a warlord just like all the others and that, despite his vocal assertions that he wanted peace, he really wanted to continue the war.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Kabul was largely undamaged after the Soviet Union withdrawal, but a civil war which followed almost immediately caused great destruction and left the city in ruins.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
As other pages of this site contain excerpts of my soon-to-be-published historic fiction novel Lion, this page will discuss these mentioned controversies as they are explored in the novel. The fictional character of the interviewer as well as the responses by the Massoud character are based in extensive research. I would encourage anyone with questions to research the matter farther.
All material is copyrighted and may not be copied or shared without express consent.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
“I was told that when your government was in Kabul, things were not much better for women,” the journalist spoke bluntly. “Wasn’t it the Taliban’s promise to bring law and order to the country after you were unable to provide it that made them accepted by the Afghan population in the first place?”
Massoud nodded slightly. “The government for which I was the Defense Minister was unable to provide the peaceful security the people craved. There were many complicated factors working against us. One of them was Pakistan, who first sent the Taliban to my country, by the way. In the beginning the people hoped the Taliban would provide peace and safety. However, it did not take long for the Taliban to demonstrate their true initiative.
“You said that Pakistan was instrumental in bringing the Taliban to power?”
“Yes. Pakistan has long interfered in Afghanistan’s internal politics.”
“How was your government ousted? After you fought the Soviets for ten, long years and finally seized control from the Communists, I can’t imagine that you went without a fight.”
“After we finally drove the Soviets out, Burhanuddin Rabbani became president. We tried to establish a working, central government. We had little support from the international community.”
“That doesn’t explain what happened to your government. I heard horror stories from the women in RAWA about the raping and killing in Kabul while Rabbani was the president. Are they untrue?”
“Sadly, no. Afghanistan is filled with tribal warlords who are vying for power. Tribal wars broke out and caused great devastation in Kabul. I am grieved to say that many of the stories you’ve heard are true. There was fighting between various factions. Many of the people were harmed or killed. Many fled to Pakistan and Iran.The government in Pakistan decided to get involved. They have their own plans for Afghanistan when it comes to their conflict with India. We are to be their rear guard in case of an invasion. A fallback position, so to speak. In any event, Pakistan had their own interests at heart while they interfered with us.
“Pakistan also supports madrassas, religious schools that teach radical Islam to men. The madrassas are where the Taliban was born. The people of Afghanistan were weary of war, and when the Taliban came in and offered a promise of peace, the people were willing to give them a chance. Those of us who were mujahidin could not live under the teaching and rule of the Taliban. We resisted their influence and control. In the end, however, we were unable to maintain control of Kabul. Rather than risk more civilian casualties and complete destruction of the city, we retreated to Panjshir.
“It did not take long for the people to realize what a mistake had been made by allowing the Taliban to gain control, but by then it was too late. We in the resistance had been pushed into this northern corner of our own country. From here we will fight until the Taliban, and their foreign dogs the al-Qaeda, are driven from Afghanistan.”
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Taliban routinely beat women in public for an "offense" such as allowing their ankles seen when the wind blew.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
“Tell me what you thought about the women from RAWA you met in Pakistan,” Ahmed Shah Massoud said as he passed a bowl of rice and mutton and a slice of flat bread known as nan to Michelle Garrett.
“They are some of the bravest women I’ve ever met. Did you know that some of them dared to wear hidden cameras around Kabul? They documented the things the Taliban were doing to them.”
“I have heard about their videos,” Massoud nodded and looked at her with new interest. “You actually saw them?”
“Yes, and it was extraordinary, sad, and terrifying. There were executions in the soccer stadium in Kabul. They shot a woman in the head.”
“The Taliban like public executions,” Massoud dipped his bread into his bowl as he spoke. “They use terror to govern.”
“They beat women if the wind blew and their ankles were exposed for a moment. The women have no right of recourse.”
“Women have no rights under the Taliban,” Commander Massoud nodded in agreement. “This is one of the areas in which my government always differs sharply from theirs.”
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
“What you just said reminded me of something one RAWA member said about you.” Michelle looked up at the Commander. “I wasn’t entirely honest with you when I first got to your camp.”
“Oh? What do you mean? You told me RAWA told you that I had a different vision from the Taliban for women’s life in Afghanistan. Was that untrue?”
“No, but it was only half the truth,” Michelle admitted.
“Then I think you had better tell me all of it,” Massoud encouraged.
Michelle expelled her breath slowly before meeting his eyes. “Okay. Some of the women in RAWA are supportive of your efforts. They believe that you and your Alliance are the best hope they have for a normal life in this country. But there are some – many - who disagree, and one woman in particular charges that you are worse than the Taliban in allowing violence against women. Another compared you to the Angolan rebel Janos Savambi.”
“I see,” Commander Massoud nodded. “What else?”
“I was told that you love war, that you crave it, that you will never allow peace. If I remember the exact quote, she said, “He eats, drinks, and inhales war.” I am at a loss to explain why some women made the accusations they did. It doesn’t fit with the man I’ve come to know.”
“I’m not at a loss,” Massoud shook his head. “I understand completely. I made promises I could not keep, and people - women - who were counting on me to deliver peace, were hurt because of my failure.”
“You mean when the Rabbani government took over Kabul?”
“Yes. But before and after as well.” Massoud scratched his beard thoughtfully for a moment. It was nearly impossible to explain to a foreigner the complicated machinations of Afghan politics. It was also impossible to explain every decision he had made over a twenty year period of time. Decisions had been made which, at the time, seemed reasonable. It was only with hindsight that he could understand why so many had turned out so badly. Still, he wanted to be as candid with Michelle as he could safely be.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| page created with Easy Designer |