Xiaohongshu
The sudden catastrophe and fast movement of the Taliban in Afghanistan shocked the world. The evacuation of the USA opened the gate for the Taliban’s rapid movement to take over the country within few days, which was a dramatic change. People are leaving Afghanistan desperately. The shocking and horrific images of people rushing to catch up the aeroplanes reminds me of the time when I was a child and Taliban were taking cities. Everyone was running to take the bus, car, aeroplane, and even jump on the top of the buses and hang out of bus doors to skip from Taliban torchers. I still can feel the fear of that horrific moment of running. As a child, I felt like a huge monster is coming after us, and people hide and run away wherever they could. Today, I witnessed once again how people risk their lives by hanging on to an aeroplane rather than being killed horribly in public, stoned to death, raped, and tortured. My main concern is about women and children who were displaced and forced to stay home. The American and western allies put Afghanistan at high risk of humanitarian crisis by taking an irresponsible decision to leave and allowing Taliban to take over. They abandoned us and let the 20 years of international aid building education systems, women’s empowerment, building the country’s constitution, vanish within a few days.
My deep concern and thoughts are with all Afghan students at UCL who are worried about their families in Afghanistan. It is the most challenging moment we are going through, I understand, and I feel the same pain as you are feeling. It is a very worrying and stressful time. Like me, if you have family and friends in Afghanistan, it is a scary moment for all of us to worry and panic, thinking of their safety. The dramatic change in Afghanistan stressed everyone. We don’t know what will happen in the next few days and weeks. It is indeed terrifying! We all know their mentality about women and education, and we all know how they destroyed Afghanistan 20 years ago; and they keep killing innocent people during a 20 year fight with the government. I know how it affects our mental wellbeing, and I understand how it feels to have your identity and hope for the future destroyed. We study and work hard in the hope that we could serve our people in Afghanistan one day, but in few days, they demolished our dreams to have a developed country and our 20 years of sacrifice and achievements.
We will prove that education, humanity and equality will win.
But we will not lose our hope and faith in humanity and equality, we will stand up against violence, and we raise our pen against their gun. We will prove that education, humanity and equality will win. By replacing our flags, they can’t take our identity from us. We will stand and fight for our equality wave our flags and values back in their face. Therefore, hold each other’s hands, let’s get united and stand up together. Let's talk and look after each other and please reach out if you need any help and support.
Taliban have already started torturing people in public and searching for them in their houses. International human rights organisations must take immediate action. We also urge the UK government to take serious action:
- To protect civilians, mainly women and girls, rights, freedom, and education. And provide immediate support to get those out of the country who lives at high risk because of their position in government, journalists, and human rights activists.
- Protect and process those students’ applications that had the scholarship to come to the UK.
- Take immediate action to provide humanitarian aid for displacements people
- Urge neighbouring countries to open their borders
Arifa Aminy
Equity Officer, Students' Union UCL