Child Kidnapping : A National Crisis

When you imagine kids, you might associate good health, school, recreational places, love, caring and above all guaranteed protection from all kinds of fear and violence. These, while true in many peaceful societies, are merely illusions for millions of Afghan kids.

A spate of childkidnapping throughout several provinces of Afghanistan has added to the already shocking circumstances under which Afghan children live. Five year old Naqibullah is plied with alcohol and dumped in a village outside Kandahar despite the kidnappers received $10, 000 ransom. He is only one of the hundreds of innocent victims.

Children are kidnapped daily from the streets, schools, parks and even the safest areas in the neighborhoods. Child trafficking, money, family feud, sexual abuse and removal of organs are some of the motives behind the kidnapping.

How can mothers send their children to schools, especially girls in rural areas? How much traumatised the children who know about this danger might be? Does the government have the efficient resources and capacity to deal with these heinous acts?

This is a 'national crisis' if we are to believe that the future of Afghanistan belongs to today's children. Highest child mortality rates, lack of nutrition and education, and most recently childkidnapping paints an extremely bleak picture of life in Afghanistan. As an emergency, this issue must go beyond national borders and be immediately dealt with using all the possible resources globally.

President Hamid Karzai has issued a decree ordering the death penalty for child killers and for anyone removing the organs of kidnapped children.

Read a recent story: Two persons suspected of attempted kidnapping arrested in Herat

Ambassador discusses Afghan past and future

Interesting insight- I hope more and more Afghan intellectuals and diplomats try to connect with common citizens across the world to disseminate a positive and optimistic picture of Afghanistan. After all, there is a lighter side to our proud nation.

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Excerpt from the article:

"Afghanistan can be a rich country, but up to now there was no exploitation of the underground wealth — natural gas," Farhadi said. This resource combined with democratization makes Farhadi hopeful for the future. However, the new parliament "won't be an easy parliament" due to factional rivalries, he said.

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"Afghanistan Matters". Does it really?

"Bush Urges Passage of Funding Request for Iraq, Afghanistan"[April 23, 2005]. Sounds that Afghanistan gets more foreign assistance and that the war-battered country is back on the radar screen? Is it really?

It bothers me and increasingly raises within me a strong sense of curiosity as to whether it actually is an appeal for "Afghanistan" ? On the one hand, I am taken by the huge figures, such as the $81 billion funding approval by the US senate for Iraq and Afghanistan, and on other end I am disappointed as to where the bulk of the money is going.

I think the US media rather need to re-word their attractive headlines, "Bush Urges funding request for "US Military" in Iraq and Afghanistan". Just to be sure- not even a fraction of the money is going to Afghanistan, but the name has to be there for all the good reasons. If the ordinary people of Afghanistan need answers as to where is the money from the international community going, isn't this one of the many answers?

When are we going to wholeheartedly acknowledge that "Afghanistan matters"? Fancy vehicles, mindblowing buildings and advanced military equipment for Afghanistan might help the donor countries. However, what Afghanistan needs is not so much of these but rather "selfless support" in getting the country rid of the poorest human record in the world.

Chasing Freedom: The Movie

Inspired by a true asylum case, "Chasing Freedom" tells the story of a young Afghan girl( played by Layla Alizada) who seeks political asylum in the US.

Layla's performance is so incredible and real that it is hard to imagine that she is playing in a movie. She enlivens the real meaning of being a refugee - a world of fear, uncertainity, and hopelessness. Yet, Layla portrays, in a very genuine manner, the fearless, courageous and strong characteristics shared by many Afghan women. Her story, although very deep and touching, is one of a success, at least she ended in a "detention centre".

Hundreds, if not thousands, of refugee men and women, have lost their valuable lives to reach somewhere safe.It's interesting to note how the orientalism is at play throughout the movie. "There is an answer for everything." Surprisingly, this may not apply in Afghanistan. "You mean, you went to attend the university during the war?" the lawyer asks. Further, while the movie is not filmed in Afghanistan, you will see donkeys and old men in a bazzar reflecting ' a typical Afghan life'. The movie gravely misrepresents the Afghan culture, at least at this instance.

Overall, the movie is worth- watching. It will definitely inspire you to "remember Afghanistan" and think what you can do to help millions of Afghans, who suffer daily. Last but not least, the movie does a great job of exposing the flaws and gaps in American asylum system.

Some degree of exaggeration, like any other movie, is evident, but the movie deserves much credit for an Afghan story well portrayed.

Watch a clip of the Movie

"Too many cooks spoil the broth."

Remember the 9 year old Afghan kid with the broken heart who touched every Canadian and was featured in every Canadian newspaper?

Well, his story is back in the headlines, though, with a varying purpose. Jamshid is ailing as his family struggles to support the boy and themselves financially. What was supposed to be a compassionate, selfless effort to save a child's life has now turned into a rather unpleasant dispute as to where the donations for the kids should go or rather should have gone.

There is one, if not many, lesson that can be learnt. "Too many cooks spoil the broth." When so much effort is put behind such noble cause, there should be honest, powerful and legitimate leadership, whether citizenary or governmental, to make sure that this remains a "successful Canadian story" of saving an Afghan child's life. This, rather unfortunately, has affected the prospects of helping other millions of Afghan kids. Hope is there that the current efforts underway will provide some answers and remedy the past antagonism. Let's see what this chapter brings us.

Djamshid's full story

"Aid Buzkashi?"

"When the fire erupts, both dry and wet burn."

That's what is exactly happening with the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Afghanistan, who have recently come under strong criticism from the newly elected Afghan government for wasting millions of foreign aid. Many of these NGOs are seen by the public and government as corrupt, self-interested and inefficient bodies lacking both legitimacy and reliable accountability mechanisms.

While this development was, without any doubt, expected, the sad reality is that the good organizations too have become the prime targets.

Most NGOs started their activities in 1979 following the invasion of Afghanistan. As the war, civil strife and drought wreaked havoc in the lives of millions of Afghans, these NGOs were there to mitigate the sufferings. Imagine the provision of medical services in a remote province, such as Badghis to the delivery of emergency supplies to areas where even the world's most advanced helicopters have difficulty flying.

Were all these organizations utterly efficient, accountable and legitimate? Maybe not, but, for the most part, their work served the needs of millions for over two decades. Many of them are more efficient, accountable and effective in addressing the needs of the war-weary people than, at least, the existing government departments.

The post-Sept 11 political developments in Afghanistan witnessed the creation of hundreds of so-called NGOs on a daily basis. There are currently over 2,400 aid agencies operating in Afghanistan. More than a thousand of these organizations have been established after the collapse of the Taliban. Overall, NGOs manage about 77 per cent of the 8.4 billion foreign aid pledged to Afghanistan in 2004 Berlin conference. High costs, sky- rocketting of rents and a widening gap between 'the haves and have nots' are some of the consequences of NGO overtake of domestic affairs.

Bashardost, the Afghan minister who resigned due to the latest NGO controversy, calls majority of these organizations "mafia" engaged in the "economic terrorism". The suggested solution: government intervention, closure of "corrupt" organizations, laws on NGO activities and careful monitoring and evaluation.

The whole scenario is rightly termed "aid buzkashi" referring to the polo-style Afghan game. On the one side there are a number of ineffective organizations, many of them, and on the other hand a government that has yet to embrace efficiency and substantial capacity to manage and monitor foreign assistance. As president Karzai said recently, "....it would take up to 15 years to attain efficient government.." However, we need to be very critical of both sides-the government and aid agencies.

The government must begin sweeping reforms to eradicate corruption and fraud from its own walls while pressing for greater accountability and legitimacy on part of the aid agencies. You know them. I know them. The donors know them. The Afghan people know them. And the Afghan government know them- very well !

If any reform is to be made, it must be multi-faceted encompassing the aspirations and committments of all those involved. The monitoring of the activities of the aid agencies is more than welcomed as long as the government recognizes its limitations, weaknesses and realities of managing foreign aid.

For now, the "aid buzkashi" continues as the nation continues to be ranked as the 173th nation on the UNDP's development index.

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