A systemic issue about power and inequality involves the Taliban’s quick dominance and control of Afghanistan after the withdrawal of American troops. When the Taliban took control, immediate effects were observed such as foreign currency cutoffs and education remaining inaccessible for most women. The Taliban’s actions, including torture and murder, continue to shape their identity. This event has been in the global news and several articles within the past few months or so. It can be distinguished as a form of systemic injustice because of one group of people being directly affected by another group. The Taliban’s overarching power, strength in numbers, and lack of equality overwhelm the Afghan citizens. The Taliban in this scenario can be depicted as de Beauvoir’s One, representing power and continuing to set itself apart from civilians and other forms of government. There is instability in Afghanistan as the poverty, economic status, and food supply worsen. The fleeing of the Afghan president and the continued force and violence of the Taliban further supports this form of injustice. The idea of the Taliban’s power is not like Okonkwo’s diminish in voice and leadership in Things Fall Apart but rather a radical change of Afghanistan’s image. According to the Long War Journal, an image of the country before and after the withdrawal of American troops reveals the increased number of cities that the Taliban conquered and contested. After American troops withdrew, there were only a few government-controlled cities left. Connecting to local people, the BBC News recounts some of the stories and impact following the Taliban takeover. An example is Zahra who was a university student before the Taliban arrived. She had expressed her passion for school and how her dreams were put on hold due to the inability to return to classes. Another example is Sana who has talked about the lack of freedom and rights being thrown away at the hands of the Taliban. From a couple of these stories, one can further conclude the Taliban’s One characterization and its effect on others. A more direct response to the Taliban’s rule is the continued bombings and ambushes targeting security forces. Not only is the Taliban active in the country but also the pandemic remains a threat. This event poses a global issue because of the previous involvement of America with the Taliban and the recognition of other countries around Afghanistan. It is also relevant to me because I had written a paper about the Taliban a few years ago. This systemic injustice makes me concerned about the Afghan people as many strongly want to flee the country. The Taliban throughout the years have been ruthless and already have an established image to their organization. The power and equality differences between the groups are indicative of systemic injustice.
Sources:
- https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/taliban-afghanistan
- http://www.cnn.com/2021/08/16/middleeast/taliban-control-afghanistan-explained-intl-hnk/index.html
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59029517
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57933979
I love how you picked a topic that has been talked about so much recently and you were able to elaborate on it so well. This story has a lot of parts to it and when people hear about it they tend to miss out on some very important facts. The people who live there are experiencing so many hardships that many of us can not relate to. People try so hard to understand and they truly never will. The situation that is going on with the government and the Taliban is something that most people will never have to deal with. The Taliban is a very large group that outnumber the Afghan citizens, making it very hard for anyone to do anything about the situation. The way you related it to DeBeauvoirs one and other was spot on for this situation. Overall, very nice post and very well done research.
The Taliban truly exhibits characteristics of “the one” enacting its ideals upon any it encounters. Similar to the Partition of India which we touched on with the “Interpreter of Maladies”, we see many people affected by a regime change they had no voice in making. Many are now displaced, at odds with the current regime resulting in a new wave of refugee crisis.