Afghanistan Civil War

Human Rights in Afghanistan Before other nations intervened with their government, the people of Afghanistan lived normal lives. However in 1979, when the Soviets invaded, the entire nation turned into a human rights disaster overnight. This disaster was fueled by outside powers and has become worse over the years. Many countries such as the U.S. had been supplying political groups in Afghanistan with weapons, not knowing what they were being used for.     In 1994 when the capital city of Kabul was bombed, human rights violations rose to a new level. Now the worst possible place to be in Afghanistan is Kabul, because that is where Taliban soldiers strike the most. There is an unbelievable number of random deaths, rapes and arrests of Afghanistan people by political groups in Kabul. There are an overwhelming number of beggars on the streets, and many of the beggars are young children who have lost their family either in the war or by random acts of violence in the streets by soldiers. The main source of income for a child who doesn't have parents is beggary. If a soldier catches a beggar doing anything wrong such as stealing a loaf of bread, the soldier will immediately kill or torture that person in the middle of town, even if it is a child or a woman. Before 1979 when all these human rights violations began, nearly all jobs were related to agriculture. It was very easy for anyone to get a job, and no one had to worry about getting shot when walking down the street.  Soviet Invasion (1979) Daud Khan, the leader of Afghanistan prior to 1978, was killed along with his family on April 27, 1978. The new Democratic Republic began that day. It was led by Nur Mohammad Taraki. Their government was based on Afghan Nationalism and Islamic ideas. Many Afghani people were against this new government and in the summer of 1978 uprisings began in the countryside and in the nation's cities. Communists opposed to the Democratic Republic mostly led these protests. The main group was a faction called the People's Republic. They were pro-Soviet communists. Afghanistan's army began to get smaller as more troops joined the rebels. On December 24, 1979 the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Babrak Karmel, an Afghan who had been exiled to the the Soviet Union, returned home and became Prime Minister. However, the Soviets also faced a great deal of resistance and although they sent thousands of soldiers through the 1980s, they lost more and more support of troops. Taliban's Rise to Power In 1996, the Taliban began to take over a large part of Afghanistan. In September of that year they claimed the capital, Kabul; less than a month later they controlled more than ninety percent of Afghanistan. Under Taliban rule, women are now treated very poorly. Decent healthcare and education is denied to them. The Taliban claims that the Religion of Islam requires this and they feel it is very important to rule by what Islam teaches. The Taliban have also been accused of training guerrilla fighters involved in terrorism around the world and they very much depend on drug and weapon trade as a source of income. U.S. Intervention in Afghanistan from the Cold War to the Present In 1989, Soviet soldiers crossed over from Afghanistan to Soviet Tajikistan. The U.S.-Saudi-Pakistani alliance played a major role in training, arming, and financing the Afghani Mujahedeen effort to expel the Soviets from Afghanistan. But five years after the collapse of the USSR Washington demanded that The Taliban hand over Osama bin Laden, and Dar es Salaam who are accused of masterminding the US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, which killed 257 people. However the Taliban refused to even after The US offered 5 million dollars for the capture of either outlaw. The US-Saudi-Pakistani Alliance's financing and arming of the Mujahedeen amounted to about 40 billion dollars in cash and weapons. Volunteers underwent military training and were taught nationalism and Islam beliefs, and since Soviets were atheistic they were looked at as despicable. So the Alliance wanted Muslims to fight Soviet Imperialism. In 1989, after the Soviets got out of Afghanistan, Afghan-Arabs such as bin Laden began to go back to their homes and built ideological convictions with guerrilla skills that they learned in Pakistan under CIA supervision. After the defeat of Soviet imperialism in Afghanistan, Many Arabs felt that they could do the same with US imperialism in Saudi Arabia. In 1996 there was a bombing outside Al Khobar which American soldiers killed 19 and wounded 400. After the Bombing, Saudi authorities let some 5000 American troops enter Saudi territory. King Fahd invited US troops to increase Saudi defenses against an Iraqi invasion after Baghdad's occupation of Kuwait. Washington is still demanding that bin Laden be handed over but the Taliban government remains opposed, claiming that he should be tried in Afghanistan under Islamic law. The US refused to go along with such an idea, but bin Laden has been declared innocent by the Taliban. Time Line --1979--Mass killings --US ambassador killed --Taraki is killed and Hafizullah Amin takes the Presidency. --Amin is executed, and he is replaced with Babrak Karmal. --Soviet Union (Russia) invade in December.   --1980-- Dr. Najibullah is brought back from USSR to run the secret police.   --1984-- UN sends investigators to Afghanistan to examine reported human rights violations.   --1986--Babrak Karmal is replaced by Dr. Najibullah.   --1987--Najibullah proposes ceasefire, but the Mujahideen refuse to deal with a "puppet government". --Mujahideen make great gains, defeat of Soviets eminent.   --1988--1989--Peace accords signed in Geneva. --Soviet Union defeated by Afghanistan, total withdrawal by the Soviets occurred on Feb. 15, 1989. --Experts agree that at least 40,000-50,000 Soviets lost their lives in action, besides the wounded, suicides, and murders. --Mujahideen continue to fight against Najibullah's regime. --May--Afghan guerrillas elect Sibhhatullah Mojadidi as head of their government-in-exile.   --1992--April 15--The Mujahideen take Kabul and liberate Afghanistan, Najibullah is protected by UN. --The Mujahideen form an Islamic State--Islamic Jihad Council--elections. --Iranian and Pakistani interference increases--more fighting-- --Professor Burhannudin Rabbani is elected President.   --1994--The Taliban militia are born, and advance rapidly against the Islamic government. --Dostum and Hekmatyar continued to clash against Rabbani's government, and as a result Kabul is reduced to rubble.   --1995--Massive gains by the Taliban. --Increased Pakistani and Iranian interference.   --1996-- June--Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, head of Hezbi-Islami, having been eliminated as a military power, signs a peace pact with Rabbani, and returns to Kabul to rule as prime minister. --September 27--Taliban militia force President Rabbani and his government out of Kabul. After the capture of Kabul, the Taliban execute Najibullah. --Alliance between Government, Hezbi Wahdat, and Dostum --Oppression of women by the Taliban--women must be fully veiled, no longer allowed to work, go out alone or even wear white socks. Men are forced to grow beards. Buzkashi, the Afghan national sport is outlawed. --Tensions rise as Afghan government accuse Pakistan of aiding the Taliban. --Massive human rights violations by the Taliban.   Bibliography   "A New Regime in Afghanistan" The New York Times Oct. 28, 1996 Nov. 20, 1999 This article had information about warfare training provided by the Taliban to carry out acts of terrorism.   Crossette, Barbara. "US presents Security Council for sanctions against the Taliban" New York Times Oct. 7 1999 Nov. 22, 1999 This article had information about how the US was looking for two militants wanted for the bombings of two US embassies.   Burns, John. "A New great Game? Afghanistan reels it's way back into view" New York Times Oct. 6, 1996 Nov. 18, 1999 This article tells how the Taliban invaded and took over most of Afghanistan in 1994.   "Afghanistan" Britanica Book of the Year 1999 edition Nov. 28, 1999 This source reviews the year of 1998 of Afghanistan.   "The Current Proxy War" The Taliban & The Northern Alliance. 1995 http://frankenstein.worldweb.net Nov. 29, 1999 This source tells about the different views of the Taliban and the Northern Alliance   "Afghanistan" Britanica Book of the Year 1998 edition Nov. 28, 1999 This source tells about the history of Afghanistan from BC to present.   "Afghanistan Summary" Afghanistan 1999 http://www.nutshellnotes.com This site tells about the Taliban beliefs, and the believes of the Soviets when they ruled Afghanistan.       "Afghanistan" Encarta www.encarta.msn.com 1997-1999 Dec. 1, 1999 This site talks about when Russia controlled Afghanistan and talked about the Taliban.   "Afghanistan" Afghanistan Today 1995 www.frankenstein.worldweb.net Nov. 12, 1999 This site talks about the problems people are facing in Afghanistan under the Taliban rule.   "Countries "Afghanistan" infoplease.com 1999 Nov. 12, 1999 At this site there was more information on how much the Taliban tortured people.   "Afghan War" Britanica 1999 britanica.com This site had information on how the Taliban came to power.   "Afghan Civil War" Minuteman Library Network 1999 mln.lib.ma.us Nov. 22, 1999 This site had information on the relations between the US and Afghanistan.   "Afghanistan social and economic reconstruction" UN office for Project Services 2000 Jan. 5, 2000 This source talks about the poverty in Afghanistan.   "Afghanistan 20 years of war" Out there News 1999 www.megastarings.com This site had a very useful timeline.   "Rise in Beggary" The Frontier Post April 12, 1998 www.geocites.com Nov. 22, 1999 This site told about how many beggars there are in Afghanistan, and how hash a life is for one.     ìInternational responsibility for a human rights disasterî 1996 www.amnesty.org Nov. 23, 1999 This site talked about how bad the human rights were in Afghanistan.   ìGeography" 1999 www.afghan-web.com Nov. 25, 1999 This site had a lot of maps and useful facts.   "Geographyî Encarta 1993-1996 Microsoft encarta Nov. 23, 1999 This source told a lot about geography and paths used by Soviets when they invaded, and paths used by refugees.   "Women in Afghanistan" Revolutionary Association Women in Afghanistan(RAWA) 1999 www.rawa.org Dec. 28, 1999 This site had information on the women in Afghanistan, and how they were geting more rights.   "Human Rights" 1999 www.freespeech.org/cox/news/ Jan. 3, 2000 This site had information about the women in Afghanistan, and how they were reaching agreements with other countries so they would help.   Gender Apartheid" 1999 www.afghannews.com Dec. 28, 1999 This site contained a lot of information on how badly the women were treated.   "Stop gender apartheid" 1999 www.feminist.org/afghan/intro.html This site has a lot of useful images of how things used to be before the invasion.