Ziwa wafaie
On the morning of October 3, Mazar city looks as if there has been a coup date in the city. Taliban had positioned a military vehicles on all streets and their fighters were on any corner; in fact, there was no coup date or suicide attack. We had protested Kaaj suicide attack, which killed 58 and wounded 126. I and some other protesting women distributed the notices of protest on social media. We protested the deliberate killing of Hazaras, widespread violations of women’s rights, exclusion from vital social structures, and girls’ ban from school. The military face of the city showed how much the Taliban feared women.
We had planned to start the demonstration from Balkh University, but the Taliban had discovered it and had surrounded the university and imprisoned the girl students in their hostels. So, we changed our plan. We protected our slogans in our sleeves and could pass the Taliban checkpoints.
It was around 9 O’clock that we started the protest; about 50 women and girls had participated in the protest. 6 Balkh university boy students had participated in the protest as well. After one year of Taliban rule, it was the first time that men were beside us to support us.
We started chanting stop Hazaras genocide on the streets. The streets were full of men, and many of the insulted and belittled us. Taliban were afraid of us as if we had attacked them with guns and artilleries
While we only had papers in our hands which our slogans were written on them.
Tens of Taliban armed men had surrounded us in the center of the city. First, Taliban tried to detain the boys but they could escape the scene. A Taliban fighter approached us and asked, what is your problem that you keep shouting on the streets? Then he said, you are women and you shall be at home. I as the representative of the protesters told him, let us read our statement, and you shall listen to our protest as the representative of the government. The Taliban fighter pointed his gun barrel on me, but I started reading the statement denouncing the girl education and work ban and genocide of Hazaras. I had read half of the statement, but the angry Taliban fighter told me, I will fire if you continue reading it. I continued reading some words, but the Taliban commander hit with the gun on my head. I stopped reading the statement as my colleagues begged me to do so. “Don’t move” the Taliban fighter said. I had predicted that they will torture and prosecute us. I felt a bitter fear in my throat. “What is our fault you keep us here and imprison us” I asked. “We had a peaceful demonstration and it is over now. We shall go home right away.” I stated. “You do not know us. We will behead anyone who want to act against us.” One of the Taliban said. “Wait here, beside the road.” He said. After some moments, Badri Unit of Taliban, which its members include the suicides arrived. “Have we used guns and artilleries against you that you asked for Badri troops to be deployed here?” I asked. “We have nothing but some pieces of papers.” I said. “We are the enemy of the prostitutes like you, and you shall die; because all evils are under your feet and you have incited these people to protest.” Another Taliban member said. The Taliban commander told us to go the police department. “No, we go home.” I said. Badri forces approached us, and made us to go the police station while hitting us with the whips and guns barrels. When we were forcibly moved to the police station, we lost our hope to be released. It was where Frozan Safi and tens of other girls were brought here, and some of them were killed and some others are disappeared yet. First, some Taliban members collected our phones. Then, they noted our names, home addresses, and other information on a piece of paper “You are women, and your men are cowards that allow you to be alive.” They repeatedly said.
I felt pain in my head because of the stroke on my head. “Please let us go.” I begged the Taliban commander, we cannot stand on our feet. “Do not say anything, you prostitute, we have a lot to do with you!” One of the Taliban said.
After staying for three hours in the police station, facing psychological torture, investigations, and searching our phones, Taliban released us. They made us to delete all the photos and videos we had taken from the protest. They took the information of all girls and women who had participated in the demonstration. I had already had the sensitive contacts before going to the demonstration. When I reached home, my mother looked very nervous because I had participated in the demonstration and my phone was off for 3 hours. After speaking with mother, I checked my messenger and it was full of Taliban threats. As Taliban had taken our information from our mobiles, they had detailed information about us.
My brothers came home at night. When they saw me, they asked me why I had participated in demonstration. “I heard you have been detained?” one of my brothers said. “Yes, we our detained for 3 hours.” I replied. “If I was the Taliban member, I would have shot and killed you in order not to dare to do so.” He said, instead of embracing me and sympathizing with me. When I heard this, I my tears started running without anyone notices and felt disappointed too much. I had run out of city form Taliban fear, but where could I go from the Taliban mentality my brother had. I went to my bed room and checked the social media. One of the girls had written on WhatsApp that Mortaza Karimi had been disappeared. He was one of the journalism faculty students who had participated in the demonstration. He is disappeared yet. Hossain Karimi, a simple laborer, had gone to the Taliban police chief office to ask them to release Karimi, they had beaten him up and killed him.
Talban prosecute the protesters after any protests. They gained more information about us from our mobiles’ we are now under prosecution; and our crime is advocating peacefully as our basic right.
Add Comment