Let's play chess?

No, if you are in Afghanistan, you are not supposed to ask this question. You might have committed a punishable crime. Now Afghanistan is in the Taliban's hands. The Taliban acquired Afghanistan again in 2021 after 2001. From that time itself, the civilians of Afghanistan have been facing a lot of restrictions, and they have been forced into unimaginable misery.

In this article, let's discuss who the Taliban are.

And the rights that are threatened by the Taliban?

Who is the Taliban?

Taliban is an Islamic-based militant group that emerged in Afghanistan in the early 90s. They belong to the Sunni group of Muslims, which is dominant in Afghanistan. Sunny Muslims constitute around 85% to 89 % of the population, while Shia Muslims are only 11% to 15%. The Taliban are the strict practitioners of Islamic laws.

In the regional language 'Pashto', Taliban means 'students'. The Taliban were the students of religious Islamic schools called ‘madrassas’. The Taliban were led by Mullah Mohammad Omar in 1994.

After the end of soviet union domination, the Taliban captured Afghanistan and reinforced the strict laws in the name of Islam. The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, which was ended by America's invasion. Again in 2021, US troops and NATO forces were withdrawn from Afghanistan. The Taliban regained power over Afghanistan in 2021. People started to cling to the flights to escape the country. They bet their lives rather than living under Taliban rule, You can imagine the plight of the Afghans.

Rights that are threatened under Taliban rule

As per the report from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), there have been severe restrictions on several basic human rights. Let’s see the notorious ban on the rights of the people.

1. If you play chess, you are a gambler

The Taliban imposed a strict ban on playing chess in the name of ‘Haram’. The Taliban believed that playing chess was a gambling activity. As a result of this ban, the National Chess Committee of Afghanistan has been dissolved, and the authorities have been exiled to other countries. The global body for chess, FIDE, is trying to find a way to support the chess committee in Afghanistan. Afghanistan chess players are closely monitored, and they are going to lose the opportunity to participate in the competitions.

2. Entertainment is not for you

Taliban has imposed a strict ban on playing music, video games, and foreign films & TV shows. In the name of ‘Haram’, playing music is banned. People should not play music in the wedding halls. The Taliban believes that letting foreign TV shows and films will deteriorate Afghan and Islamic culture. They have even imposed a ban on playing video games in the name of cultural deterioration.

3. If you are educated, you will agitate

The Taliban don't want their people to be enlightened. So, only they can keep them as slaves. So, they have plucked the right to education, especially for women. The girls have not been allowed to study beyond the primary level, which is around grade 6. The reason given for this is, educating women is the principle against Islam. It leads to generational poverty and the unavailability of women's healthcare professionals. It invites child marriages in society. Organizations like UNICEF are trying to find a way to lift this ban.

4. Women’s voices should not be heard in public

The Taliban has imposed a ban on women’s voices being heard in public. Women are not allowed to participate in public gatherings, protests. Women should not express their opinions in public. A woman should not travel in public without accompanying a male, and she has to be fully covered. Women are not allowed to recite the Quran aloud in front of other women.

5. Prohibition of images of living things in the media

The ban imposed on publishing images of living things in the media leads to the restriction of freedom of expression. The artists, photographers, and filmmakers have been controlled by this ban. Their creativity has been censored, limited, and not allowed to be published.

6. Ban on contraceptives for women

The prohibition of contraceptives to women, citing it as ‘Haram’. Women can’t get contraceptives, which leads to more maternal deaths. It clearly shows the Taliban's perspective towards women. They considered women just as a child-giving machine. Women are going to be deployed more than earlier. Afghanistan is one of the top countries in maternal deaths. This ban is going to worsen the situation. It also limits women's choice power over the child. It violates women 's rights to access health care. Organizations like the UN criticized the Taliban's actions and tried to provide health support to the women in Afghanistan.

7. Prohibition of women’s beauty salon

Taliban imposed a ban on beauty salons for women, citing that beautifying women is against Islam, which is ‘Haram’. Shutting down beauty salons leads to a loss of employment, which causes financial losses subsequently. The Taliban argue that beauty salons cause severe expenses to the groom during the wedding. Approximately 60000 women lost their jobs due to this ban.

8. Shaving the beard is not allowed

The Taliban won’t even let the hair free. Taliban argue that shaving or trimming of the beard is against the principles of Islam. Beauticians and barbers are also restricted from shaving beards on other men. Not only beards, the Taliban prohibited stylish hairstyles and should maintain the conservative code in style.

All these bans show us how conservative and backward the Taliban are. The plight of people over there is unimaginable, and the people are protesting for the basic things that one could easily get. Human rights have never been considered, especially women are not even considered as human beings.

Education, employment, and growth have been rejected in the name of religious beliefs. Humans should be treated as humans. That is a basic and mandatory thing. Let's hope for a new sunrise for the people over there.

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