A Culture of Violent Protests; Takhar Protests Leave behind A dozen Killed and over 80 Injured

After the killing of 9 UN staffers in a violent protest sabotaged by the elements of the Taliban in Mazar-e-Sharif a couple of months ago, it was widely believed and expected too that the Afghan security forces particularly the police force will be trained to tackle any future incidents of the kind. However, yesterday’s violent protests in the northern city of Taloqan, the provincial capital of Takhar Province, has reminded the international community that Afghan security forces are too far from tackling such issues on their own. This puts a big question mark on the future and expected withdrawal of the coalition forces from Afghanistan. With a security force of more than 300,000 in place, small protests lead to violence and disarray in the calmer provinces, how could one even think of trusting such ill-trained or ill-motivated force to fight gangs of dedicated Taliban fighters in the terrains and valleys?

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In one more unfortunate incident of its kind, around 2000 protesters thronged the streets of Taloqan protesting against a night raid carried out by the NATO and Afghan forces. According to the NATO and ISAF sources, the nightly raid was carried out at around 12:30 am and killed four insurgents including two women. The insurgents were given verbal warnings and when they didn’t cooperate or acted dubious, the NATO forces opened fire upon them. The two women killed in the raid were also armed and presented resistance. However, the other side of the story has it that all four were innocent civilians. The raid has been criticized and dubbed “uncoordinated” by the provincial governor too. The protestors, some of them carrying weapons, attacked the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) offices with hand grenades, woods and stones. However, the guards resisted and the exchange of fire left behind more than a dozen killed and over 80 injured.

The governor has blamed Taliban elements in turning the so-called peaceful protest to violence.

It’s not the first time or the first incident of its nature in Afghanistan. However, alarming is the fact that such incidents have been recurring and yet no one takes notice of the situation. Equally regretful is the fact that the government functionaries also side with the protestors calling their acts an expression of ‘freedom of speech’. By doing so, they are, in fact, hiding their shortcomings. They forget that the first responsibility of the government functionaries and machinery are to establish writ of the government where no irresponsible citizen could take law into their hands.

In the mean time, equally saddening is the fact that Afghans haven’t matured as a nation. They aren’t fed up of violence, war, crimes and killings even after 3 decades of factional fighting, violence and forced immigrations. No one knows where the nation is heading to. Such acts of violence in the name of exercise of democracy and freedom of speech are totally unacceptable to a thinking mind. Violent protests have turned into a culture here. This culture will have mercy on none. However, till the fact that such a culture is a creation of the evil forces inside and outside is understood, it will be too late.

A Culture of Violent Protests

After the killing of 9 UN staffers in a violent protest sabotaged by the elements of the Taliban in Mazar-e-Sharif a couple of months ago, it was widely believed and expected too that the Afghan security forces particularly the police force will be trained to tackle any future incidents of the kind. However, yesterday’s violent protests in the northern city of Taloqan, the provincial capital of Takhar Province, has reminded the international community that Afghan security forces are too far from tackling such issues on their own. This puts a big question mark on the future and expected withdrawal of the coalition forces from Afghanistan. With a security force of more than 300,000 in place, small protests lead to violence and disarray in the calmer provinces, how could one even think of trusting such ill-trained or ill-motivated force to fight gangs of dedicated Taliban fighters in the terrains and valleys?

In one more unfortunate incidents of its kind, around 2000 protesters thronged the streets of Taloqan protesting against a night raid carried out by the NATO and Afghan forces. According to the NATO and ISAF sources, the nightly raid was carried out at around 12:30 am and killed four insurgents including two women. The insurgents were given verbal warnings and when they didn’t cooperate or acted dubious, the NATO forces opened fire upon them. The two women killed in the raid were also armed and presented resistance. However, the other side of the story has it that all four were innocent civilians. The raid has been criticized and dubbed “uncoordinated” by the provincial governor too. The protestors, some of them carrying weapons, attacked the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) offices with hand grenades, woods and stones. However, the guards resisted and the exchange of fire left behind more than a dozen killed and over 80 injured.

The governor has blamed Taliban elements in turning the so-called peaceful protest to violence.

It’s not the first time or the first incident of its nature in Afghanistan. However, alarming is the fact that such incidents have been recurring and yet no one takes notice of the situation. Equally regretful is the fact that the government functionaries also side with the protestors calling their acts an expression of ‘freedom of speech’. By doing so, they are, in fact, hiding their shortcomings. They forget that the first responsibility of the government functionaries and machinery are to establish writ of the government where no irresponsible citizen could take law into their hands.

In the mean time, equally saddening is the fact that Afghans haven’t matured as a nation. They aren’t fed up of violence, war, crimes and killings even after 3 decades of factional fighting, violence and forced immigrations. No one knows where the nation is heading to. Such acts of violence in the name of exercise of democracy and freedom of speech are totally unacceptable to a thinking mind. Violent protests have turned into a culture here. This culture will have mercy on none. However, till the fact that such a culture is a creation of the evil forces inside and outside is understood, it will be too late.