Friday 29 July 2011

Hunger and Outrage

UN: East Africa is an 'official famine zone'

Whatever the reasons; whether it comes down the ongoing drought, the apathy of the rich industrialised nations to act, or because the Horn of Africa appears to be locked in desperate state of social and political chaos, it remains an outrage that there are people, who in this day and age - 2011/1432 Hijri - still die of hunger.

Nature cannot be predicted, but food and clean drinking water are the basic minimums. When one hears about warlords and corrupt officials in the drought affected regions who intercept aid for their own extortionate purposes rather than allowing it to pass through to the starving, the shock is tinged with anger.

Food is not something to be trivialised. We are coming up to Ramadan shortly, so there will be opportunity to pause, reflect and consider those less fortunate. Meanwhile has anyone forgotten that we are supposed to be working towards the Millennium Goals to End World Poverty by 2015?

Wednesday 27 July 2011

European [Dis]Union

Admittedly, Norway is not part of the European Union, so the title of this posting may be forgiven slightly. A part of Europe it is, however, and right now, this Scandinavian country of 4.3 million dominates the news. Not a happy event, sadly, for when a mass murder occurs inspired by racial hatred and right-wing politics, we are obliged to sit up and take notice. 

Our thoughts of course, are always with the victims and their families and no doubt the laws in Norway will follow their due course. But what I feel that Europe is forced to confront, is their sleeping discontent towards it's Muslim population. Not helped, by the actions of certain Muslims, of course, what is even more disturbing is that Europe has not truly escaped the prejudices of their historic past and so it shouldn't be surprising that sympathisers of radical Hitleresque ideologies exist amongst their midst. 


Call it the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the Third Reich or the  Bosnia War, historically speaking, Europe has been there before - several times in fact, with the Jews and the Muslims. It starts with fear, propaganda, hate crimes and then state institutions that pass ridiculous laws. All of these steps pave the way to graver acts against humanity. When Belgium moves to ban the veil by drawing alarmist attention to something that I've often felt is rather more individual, can they truly claim that they are doing society a favour? I mean, where is the thin line drawn between outright Islamaphobia and liberal good intent? And if that line is blurred, where is the difference between Islamaphobia and divisive/hateful right-wing intent? In fact, where is the difference between the liberal good and the fascist bad?

Wednesday 20 July 2011

Textbook Conversations

Shuttling between Kabul, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Karachi, Abu Dhabi and Manchester over a period of four days is pretty hectic. Several flights, taxi rides, meetings, dinners and family formalities later, I take the opportunity to reflect on conversations that I've had with people. Briefly I want to consider Pakistan - damaged by internal strife, poor international press and yet still trying to build an image for itself.

I'm always willing to learn in order to understand more, but that does not mean I passively accept everything that is said. I had an interesting dinner in Islamabad, where the host accepted that Pakistan had a poor public image but his view was that Pakistan survived despite aggressive policies by greater enemies because of Allah's protection and that the neighbours - India and Afghanistan could not be trusted. I heard a similar view in Karachi - that India was ready to 'attack' Pakistan. Rather than contemplate the failings within, the commonality was one of finger-pointing and feeling sorry that Pakistan had failed to live up to its founder's ideals. In short the view was that the country was misrepresented and misunderstood and that the leaders were little more than stooges for the UK and the US. 

I have a family connection to Pakistan, but I have always been a little ambivalent about what the country stands for - and whilst I always want it to be better for the common people, I don't claim to be automatically forgiving. As much as I try to understand the passions of the country, I see significant failures and widespread alienation. What emerged from the conversations I had with people is how commonly held values (myths?) about Pakistan are not questioned or challenged. These opinions form what may be considered the "textbook" view within Pakistan.  There are voices from beyond that ask legitimate questions, but these seem to be filtered out of the media within because they criticise the basis on which the country stands. I think that this fundamentally comes down to an education system that has operated much like the state's propaganda machine where critical thinking is not encouraged.

Most people in Pakistan think of survival, so I can forgive some of the apathetic acceptance of the way things are, but if an educational culture of critical thinking were to exist, then there could be serious questions asked about the status quo. A kind of enlightenment, no less.

Wednesday 13 July 2011

Small Steps

Over the years, whilst I've always had some semblance of a plan, I have allowed myself to become slightly more open to the unexpected. One has to. It is a response mechanism, though in truth, I'm not sure how good I am at it. And always, Allah is my guide, to whom I am forever grateful for all the beautiful things I am able to see, learn about and share.

So here I am, working towards the establishment of a school. There are lots of strategic variables here that one has to be aware of and how these should be managed. Again, since this is Afghanistan, and since we are in a politically and socially sensitive situation, I choose my words and actions with care. 

There are delays - expect them - and there will be compromises along the way - expect them too, but the idea is that once the teachers are hired, I will support either by distance or by being on the ground, so there is always the probability of return visits. The vision is a good foundation to build on - and the encouragement from senior Afghans (in government and at all levels) and other influential voices, so far has been a blessing. Ameen. Afghanistan's schools need good civic education, creativity and the need to produce critical thinkers who will lead this country tomorrow. It is a long term vision and there will be challenges ahead, but it is a blessing to be part of this project and my contribution is just one small aspect of what many aspire to and dream about. 

I share a photo taken on my trusted mobile phone of the building that will be the school. Something tells me that I may be slightly overcome with emotion, when the school finally opens.

Tuesday 12 July 2011

Sunset on the Hindu Kush


Sunset on the Hindu Kush. A perfectly tranquil moment taken atop the mountains outside Kabul using an Olympus SP 800UZ.

Monday 11 July 2011

Drug Treatment Centre

Afghanistan is a war-torn country, and has been for 30 years. It has been described in the many conversations that I have had of late, as a "bipolar" society. In many many ways it is a country at war with itself. Out of a population of 32 million, one million Afghans are drug addicts.

That would be just counting the men, of course. Gender roles mean that women may too be affected, but since they don't always step forwards, they are often not counted in the same way. 

I went to a WADAN drug treatment centre yesterday, and was humbled to follow the programme, which included a chance to sit in a group therapy session. Relapsing is all too real and there is a critical shortage of mental health workers, since invariably much of the addiction is spurned on by the various troubles this country faces. The dedicated workers and volunteers who make up the programme are truly soldiers of the best kind.

Sunday 10 July 2011

Road to Jalalabad II

The 40-mile stretch, a breathtaking chasm of mountains and cliffs between Kabul and Jalalabad, claims so many lives so regularly that most people stopped counting long ago. Cars flip and flatten. Trucks soar to the valley floor. Buses collide.

On paper, the government of Afghanistan requires that drivers pass a test to get a license, but few people here seem to have one.Then there are the cars themselves, battered Toyota taxis and even Ladas from bygone Soviet days. A typical Afghan car has bald tires and squeaky brakes—not exactly ideal for zigging and zagging through the mountains.

The mayhem unfolds on one of the most bewitching stretches of scenery on all the earth. The gorge, in some places no more than a few hundred yards wide, is framed by vertical rock cliffs that soar more than 2,000 feet above the Kabul River below.


Over the centuries, countless invading forces passed through or near the gorge on their way to the Khyber Pass. Among them were a group of 17,000 British troops and civilians, who were massacred as they beat a retreat from Kabul at the end of the first Anglo-Afghan War in 1842. Dr. William Brydon, who rode into Jalalabad on a horse, was the only European to survive.

The Kabul-to-Jalalabad road was paved for the first time by the West German government in 1960. In the 1980s, it was obliterated during the insurrection against the Soviet invasion. In the decade that followed, when the Taliban and other armed groups fought to control the country, the road was blasted and the craters were so large that taxis would disappear for minutes at a time, only to reappear as they struggled to climb out.

It was a tough road, and it had its own dangers — stretches of roadway often collapsed or washed away — but speed was not among them. That changed in 2006, when a European Union-backed project finally smoothed the road all the way through. Now Afghans could finally drive as fast as they wanted.

The cars zoom at astonishing speeds and most of the time they make it. But perhaps the gravest threat, apart from speed of the cars, is the slowness of the trucks. The massive tractor-trailers that move cargo in and out of Pakistan are often overloaded by thousands of pounds. They cannot move fast; if they are climbing one of the gorge’s thousand-foot hills, they cannot move at all. They get stuck. They fall back. They fall over.

“The fighting with the Taliban lasts only for a day or two, but the crashes are every day,” said Juma Gul, who owns a fabric shop in Sarobi that looks directly out onto the highway. “It’s a kind of theatre. Sometimes, a car will fly by in the air.”

Edited from this article from the New York Times.

Friday 8 July 2011

Road to Jalalabad I


We are all on a journey of some description and since arriving in Afghanistan, it has been a series of conversations; sitting in on meetings, chairing meetings, having social discussions, writing reports and working on the project that I am here to support. It continues to be an incredible experience and one that has allowed me to learn as much as has allowed me to share.

This is Afghanistan. Security is on everyone's agenda and means that it is wise to be low key. When the reasons for being here were discussed with the British Ambassador, William Patey, the message was about stark warnings regarding travel and the millions being poured into education in the country. Said with a confidence that I respect, but one that generates other sets of questions about how and why - which incidentally, I did put to him. I got some slightly  vague answer that I'm still not sure of.

The education statistics paint a picture that shows ongoing needs and even here in Kabul, children begging, selling bits of bread on the street and picking through rubbish heaps shows how very far from the ideal that we are.

I took the road to Jalalabad the day before yesterday and stayed overnight at a very fine guest house. The reason for the journey was not about comforting day trips, but a chance to explore what will be the setting up of a school. The road to Jalalabad is precarious because of the driving and the insurgency and the trip was not announced early, as per local sensibility regarding security. Scenery along the mountain passes is breathtaking. The map at the head of this posting and this slide-show are from the New York Times. I share below a snapshot or two of the journey.

More on the school project in another posting.
Tor_Khan تور خان



Sunday 3 July 2011

Kabul Jan - کابل جان









Ah! How beautiful is Kabul encircled by her arid mountains
And Rose, of the trails of thorns she envies
Her gusts of powdered soil, slightly sting my eyes
But I love her, for knowing and loving are born of this same dust

My song exhalts her dazzling tulips
And at the beauty of her trees, I blush
How sparkling the water flows from Pul-e-Mastaan!
May Allah protect such beauty from the evil eye of man!

Khizr chose the path to Kabul in order to reach Paradise
For her mountains brought him close to the delights of heaven
From the fort with sprawling walls, a dragon of protection
Each stone is there more precious than the treasure of Shayagan

Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye
Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass
One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs
And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls

Her laughter of mornings has the joy of flowers
Her nights of darkness, the reflections of lustrous hair
Her melodious nightingales, with passion sing their songs
Ardent tunes, as leaves enflamed, cascading from their throats

And I, I sing in the gardens of Jahanara, of Sharbara
And even the trumpets of heaven envy their green pastures.


I am in Kabul, Afghanistan - both in the historic and the personal sense - I am at home.

Friday 1 July 2011

Fuzzy Sense of Something

Finding the strength and the energy to deal with the many changes surrounding a person is never easy. I am, by all accounts, not exactly the most flexible person that I know (I think), but here I am several weeks after recognising and accepting fate, bidding farewell to the part of the world that has been home for several years.

Take this week. Being a primary teacher is about relationships - with the children and with colleagues - and I really do care. To that end, I am sad, however, my last days of work brought a sense of release. I have found it incredibly cathartic letting go of material possessions and looking forwards. Not sure to what I've been looking, however. I just know that I wanted to pass over the job that I was doing, take a fresh look at myself and press on with whatever Allah has scribed for me. As I write this, I'm still figuring things out that all my life have eluded my sometimes fuzzy sense of focus. I do not guarantee that I will be any closer to knowing.

Confused? Sure. Here are some select lines that "speak" to me from a poem by Rumi. It fits a common theme of questions I ask and finishes with a line I often contemplate myself.

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field.  I'll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other doesn't make any sense
.


Oh, and I posted my tutor the first draft of the dissertation that I am writing. I'm not completed, but really want to be. More on that another time.
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