by Zamir Awan for the Saker blog
Afghans are not the people of a lesser God. Each human being came to this world with an identical biological process and each mother has suffered similar pains. The human being is the most precious thing in this universe. Everything else in this universe is meant to serve human beings, whether it is animals, plants, minerals, Sun, Mountains, Water, Oxygen, etc., all are to serve humankind in a different way.
Four decades of wars, conflicts, and unrest have put Afghanistan into misery. Whether it was the Afghan war against former USSR occupation in the 1980s, the internal political struggle among factions of Taliban or mujahedeen, or the US-led war on terror from 2001 till 2021, all was disastrous for the people of Afghanistan.
Afghanistan has been suffering through a grave humanitarian crisis that worsened after the fall of Kabul. According to UN reports, Afghanistan could face “universal poverty,” with 97% of Afghans living below the World Bank-designated international poverty line of $1.90 a day. Estimated 362,000 people need humanitarian assistance following the June 2022 earthquake that hit Paktika and Khost provinces. Victims of malnutrition in Afghanistan include 1.1 million children under five and 0.8 million pregnant and lactating women. Two-thirds of the country is in a critical and catastrophic situation for water scarcity.
Selling Afghan male children to become cheap labor and pushing girls into forced marriages has become more common. Some of them are smuggled to Europe and America and misused as sex workers too.
The Health system in Afghanistan is exhausted and has left millions of Afghans with mounting health needs. Hospitals were destroyed, and Doctors and paramedic staff migrated to other countries. The nation is in severe need of health care.
An estimated 677,000 people have been driven out of their homes this year. Either to live in various camps inside Afghanistan or forced to flee to other countries and live the rest of life as miserable refugees.
Economic decline, drought, and high food prices have resulted in 18.9 million people (45% of the population) to be facing a crisis or food insecurity from June to November 2022.
Way Forward to Meet Afghan Crisis
- The international community must engage with Taliban leadership to help them mitigate the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
- The humanitarian needs of the Afghan masses are deepening. An entire complex social and economic system is shutting down in part due to the asset freeze, the suspension of non-humanitarian aid flows, and sanctions. Therefore, unfreezing of Afghan assets by the US is necessary to uplift the crippled Afghan economy.
- Highlighting that the world leaders need transparent lenses to help the Afghan population while emphasizing that the humanitarian efforts to rebuild Afghanistan should be free from politics.
- In the larger interest of global peace and regional stability, it must be ensured that Afghanistan’s territory and vulnerabilities should not be exploited by the western and regional powers to pursue their own agendas.
- Accentuate that peace and stability in Afghanistan are directly linked to regional and extra-regional peace, growth and development; hence calls for a collective response.
- Although few friendly countries are already extending humanitarian assistance, a lot more need to be done.
- Collective efforts are required to address the crisis in Afghanistan, International community must play its positive and proactive role.
- Pakistan being a responsible state, is playing important role in assisting Afghans to overcome their crisis, but, has its own limitations too.
- Sustainable development, a long-term strategy, is required to solve the Afghan catastrophe permanently.
The 77th session of the UN General Assembly
The 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) opened on Tuesday with its new president urging world leaders to respond to humanity’s most pressing challenges, including the war in Ukraine, by working together and building bridges across what are “deep divides”.
Acknowledging that the world faces uncertainty and widening geopolitical fissures, Csaba Kőrösi reminded delegates that the United Nations was created out of the ashes of war and destruction, with the intention of being “a well of solutions”. “Responding to humanity’s most pressing challenges demands that we work together and that we reinvigorate inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism and focus on that what unites us”, he said. He highlighted several hot issues, including Ukraine and others.
However, the catastrophic situation in Afghanistan deserves more attention. The situation was due to foreign intervention, either the former USSR or the US-led war on terror. But, the victims were the common innocent people of Afghanistan. It is the obligation of invaders and aggressors, to look after them. The mess they have created is supposed to be handled by them. The US has spent trillions of Dollars in destroying Afghanistan, if, a fraction of this huge fund is spared for reconstruction, or rebuilding Afghanistan, can save human lives in the war-devastated country. It is not a new idea, Germany and Japan are paying for war crimes and compensation to victims. Why not do the US and USSR pay for war crimes and war compensation to the victims of their imposed war on them?
It is urged that the 77th Session of UNGA should spare some time to open debate on the Afghan catastrophe and should come forward with a sustainable solution. According to the UN Charter, it is legal binding for the UN to address the Catastrophe in Afghanistan and do everything possible to avert it. Hope all nations, countries, and individuals, who so ever have consciousness, will consider my appeal seriously and do something to rescue human lives in Afghanistan.
Author: Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan, Founding Chair GSRRA, Sinologist (ex-Diplomat), Editor, Analyst, Non-Resident Fellow of CCG (Center for China and Globalization). (E-mail: awanzamir@yahoo.com).
While millions are starving in Afeghanistan, billions are being wasted in a proxi-war in Ukraine. Insane world.
yeah and the same country to blame for both
Yes, the article speaks of the “USSR occupation in the 1980s”, but the USSR was invited in by the Afghan government to help quell the US-supported violence. The US is to blame for both.
Yeah – I didn’t understand that – pretty soon, the fact that the entire population of the US is passive about their government’s history is no longer going to work out for them. We in Canada likewise. Its long past time to take back the control of the world. Should have been done after WW1 – it was obvious to clear thinkers back then and there were warnings from them…But we left it and ignored it and now its going to get impossible to ignore.
Afghanistan knows far better than we do – as does Yemen and Palestine and Haiti and many in Latin America. But what is it that is required of us passive yet decent folk in the West ? How to go about it ?
I generally agree with the idea of reparations (and an apology – I think that’s at least as important). Maybe not open-ended forever reparations like WW2. I don’t think that was a good idea, but an apology and a schedule of payments with a determinate end seems reasonable.
But not because of equality. We are different, we are not equal, and this is what makes us all unique. Equality is an imperialist concept, meant to digest disparate peoples into a blob of empire. Empires are a Faustian bargain for everyone involved. The Americans do all this with ideals of equality, it doesn’t help.
It might help more if everyone just loved their own people. Nothing about these military adventures is good for the American people. The problem, in the US, is that the leaders don’t care at all about Americans.
Dear Secretary General Guterres, may I suggest the General Assembly vote on relocating the United Nations Headquarters from New York City to Kabul. That way the membership of this august body of flaming peacocks can see for themselves the problems they are partly responsible due to their abject political self-preening that has caused such a human crisis.
I couldn’t agree more. However, the rich and powerful could never do compassionate and merciful necessary things. The Obama’s won’t allow illegal immigrants into their homes on Martha’s Vineyard one of many homes he don’t use at the present. And our Vice President Harris won’t allow them near her place.
Wow, Bravo, well said!
I hate to say something bad about Zamir Awan, but I have little to say good about him. He does inform us of the suffering of the Afghan people, but his heretical belief in Man’s deification is a deal breaker. Nature is not there to “serve humans”–that is exclusively patriarchal, where Nature, the Mother, exists to serve man. Yin and yang balance, one does not serve the other.
Likewise, whenever I think of modern Afghanistan, I reference the Mujahedeen that Jimmy Carter sicced on the socialist Afghan government to draw in the Russians for their Vietnam. It worked, as the most progressive government in West Asia was destroyed, its leader lynched, the Soviets failed expensively, and years of disastrous rule by rival theocrats resulted. Zamir Awan seems to think it was a great thing that the Soviets, invited to protect the Afghan government from terrorists, was defeated. Shame!
Nature is not there to “serve humans”
I wanted to write something! But your sentiments really covered it well! Afghanistan the chess piece on the American playground of perpetual war!
The US and its lap dogs Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are exclusively responsible for the horrific disaster that is unfolding in hapless Afghanistan. Yet, the author cleverly covers up their criminal roles in Afghanistan over the last thirty years!
Iran has been housing and feeding over 4,000,000 Afghan refugees since 1979 without help from anyone. Yet, the author is silent on this important fact. I don’t trust the author or his ostensible concern for the people of Afghanistan. He is using Afghanistan to advance his thinly disguised political agenda!
“Everything else in this universe is meant to serve human beings, whether it is animals, plants, minerals, Sun, Mountains, Water, Oxygen, etc., all are to serve humankind in a different way.”
If Zamir Awan would have just excluded this entire sentence I could have agreed with this entire post.
But, the fact that creation is now hostile to man seems to put a big question mark on his assumption. The fact is creation only serves only one man that is the man Christ Jesus.
Regarding the Afghan peoples those with the more had obligation to share with those who had little for a proper balance of sustenance for all.
This did not happen actually the opposite took place what little they had was taken from them.
The account of the poor man who had one sheep comes to mind. He raised this sheep from birth treated him like a family member. The Rich man across the way threw a big feast for his friends he had his servants go and take this sheep from the poor man and served it for his quest.
When the King heard about this he immediately went into a rage exclaiming let this man be put to death.
But the prophet replied you are the man!
Of course this account concerns King David and Bathsheba. However, the principle is applicable, the United States given so much yet insist on exploiting the lesser.
Again, God says I will repay
That the people in Afghanistan have suffered is clear, and they still are is clear too.. but exactly what do you suggest would help, and how would it be implemented. What should be done first, by who, locally, and what would that accomplish. This should be worked out for short term ie immediate, medium and long term. What would be the obstacles localy, and how to overcome these… If you have a doable plan, DOABLE, REAL, REALISTIC… you can ALWAYS get help from outside … and I am not talking about agencies who have their own agendas, like ”girls must go to school” and the usual foreign agendas that are used to cover up for hidden and iften sinister agendas … that do not help Afghanistan… the neighboring countries as Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan have vested interests in peace in Afghanistan… and making sure Afghanistan does not become a ”safehaven” for terrorists (asorted names) that are organised and funded by the West… Funding is never the problem, if you have a good realistic, doable plan.
Agree with most of this. But while the UN remains a mere proxy for US power projection, nothing will change.
Omg this is so awful…the American nation is responsible for all the suffering in the world today
And now Pakistan is in trouble because of the covert US machinations against Imran Khan and Russia – who would probably be sending humanitarian aid – can’t because of the US deviations in Ukraine.
And the UN is hopeless as far as I can make out. Who cares about Ukrainain nazi supporters anyway ?
I will send this out in a news letter that reaches less than 100 people – I wish I could do more. I wonder if a gofundme or something like that could help a little ? So so awful and so sad.
Samir Jaan, thanks for this thought provoking article. It is heartbreaking to know that so many are suffering. Let us hope the international community come to Afghaunistan’s aid with meaningful assistance – not money. Food, clothing, items necessary for daily sustenance are most important.
I will say that someone like Sir David Attenborough may take exception to this line of thought; “Everything else in this universe is meant to serve human beings, whether it is animals, plants, minerals, Sun, Mountains, Water, Oxygen, etc., all are to serve humankind in a different way.” Regardless of how one feels on that subject, we as the world human community must do what ever we can to support peoples of all nationalities and religions who are suffering world wide.
It is an unfortunate turn of phrase. The religious “meant to” is a big part of the problem. Here it is without the giant Actor in the sky:
“Everything else in this world helps human beings: animals, plants, minerals, sun, mountains, water, oxygen — and all support humankind in a different way.”
Note the white Cross painted on the front of the Ukrainian tank . . . and then note the image below from World War 2, showing what is on the side of the NAZI tanks from World War 2 . . . the exact same logo as the Ukrainians are using today on their tanks.
Ukraine has, in fact, gone NAZI. By aiding and abetting Ukraine, the United States and the European Union are, in fact, NAZI Collaborators.
REPORTS OF NATO ACTIVITIES IN MOLDOVA & GEORGIA
Four months ago, in April 2022, AFTER Russia had entered Ukraine, NATO began making overtures to the countries of Moldova, and Georgia. Below is video of NATO Chief Stoltenberg with the leaders of both those countries:
Here we are, just 5 short months later, in the country of Georgia, the political leadership moved to hold a public referendum on re-starting the war they had with Russia back in 2008, in which Georgia lost a land area known as South Ossetia. The map below shows the area:
Starting a second front would, it is thought, provide relief to Ukraine by forcing Russia to fight on two fronts.
In addition, REPORTS (unverified) are coming out of Moldova today indicating NATO Armor may be moving into Moldova from Romania. Awaiting verification of those reports.
We CAN VERIFY that the United States/NATO has mustered a very significant number of HIMARS Multiple Launch Rocket Systems on the Romania border with Moldova. Video below, taken today, September 16, 2022, shows the HIMARS on the roads inside Romania AT the border of Moldova.
From this position, these HIMARS can completely cross over the territory of Moldova and enter southwestern Ukraine, hitting (Russian) targets there.
HAL TURNER ANALYSIS AND EDITORIAL OPINION
We are now clearly seeing actual evidence of World War 3 preparations. OUR GOVERNMENT in the USA, conspiring with governments in Europe, are literally moving troops and armor into position to fight a war against Russia, which WILL lead to nuclear war.
Russia has told the world from the beginning that if NATO comes against Russia, “it will be a war that no one will win.” Those were the precise words of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
As most readers know all-to-well, the only “war that no one will win” is a nuclear war.
Yet our government is preparing to take actions that will result in exactly that.
Sorry but I don’t know how to post pictures nor web sites..
The author completely by design did ignore the main and dark issue of conflict in Afghanistan. Almost everyone turns away from this painful reality.
There is a systematic ethnic cleansing and canceling of Persian /Tajik people by Taliban who are of Pashton ethnicity. Some strange similarities between oppressing Russian people in Ukraine and Persians in Afghanistan is visible, while everyone turning blind eye on this issue.
This is an ethnic war. No external force will solve this issue unless they not addressing this fact. Just go and look at the Afghan social media, it is all about killing, burning houses, arresting, forbidden language and books of Persian /Tajik people of Afghanistan by Taliban-Pushton.
Saker Community have to know this hidden facts of conflict.
Go ask the Saudis. They were behind the pretext for the invasion and not short of a dollar. Not of a “lesser God” either. But that wouldn’t be anti-western.
As far as I know, in History, places and situations like this one, of extreme scarcities, led to continued misery, internal or tribal fighting and decade after decade went down the steep hill. And yes, part of the locals suceeded in leaving in forced emmigration.
The only places , the only national states turned exceptions were where by a miracle of circumstances a very strong, fierce and determined leader came to power (thru any reason , trick or coup, no matter how). And here, it must be noted, it doesnt matter a sh*t whether it was it goes on by democratic methods.
And it usually improved things to an acceptable or tolerable level. Say Gamal Nasser, or M Ghadafi and few others.
However very often, in the midst of this process, the violence of the west capitalism interfered to oust, maim and kill the leaders andd reverse the whole process.
And no western democracy could to date do this because these “systems” are usually too busy in pumping up money and privilege to oligarchs to give a sh*t to the people.
Please watch the caps, (rule #1 of moderation policy), Mod
If the US didnt want regime change in Afghan, the Russians would never have gone in back then.
Zamir, quite agree that Afghanistan needs help after the last decades..
But, Human beings are simply one small [but powerful] part of the natural world, not above or to be served by it.
That thinking is why we are in the trouble we are.
Thanks to all. Those who supported, much obliged. Who criticised or disagreed my point of view, has added value to my knowledge.
I encourage all of you to express your genuine feelings, I enjoy and take them inspiration force behind me.
Wish good luck