<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd"
xmlns:rawvoice="http://www.rawvoice.com/rawvoiceRssModule/"
>

<channel>
	<title>Mideast Youth &#187; Afghanistan</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/category/countriesregions/afghanistan/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.mideastyouth.com</link>
	<description>Thinking Ahead</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:04:18 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1</generator>
<!-- podcast_generator="Blubrry PowerPress/2.0.4" -->
	<itunes:summary>Thinking Ahead</itunes:summary>
	<itunes:author>Mideast Youth</itunes:author>
	<itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit>
	<itunes:image href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/itunes_default.jpg" />
	<itunes:subtitle>Thinking Ahead</itunes:subtitle>
	<image>
		<title>Mideast Youth &#187; Afghanistan</title>
		<url>http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg</url>
		<link>http://www.mideastyouth.com/category/countriesregions/afghanistan/</link>
	</image>
		<item>
		<title>First time in History the invisible nation: Iraqi Kurdistan nominated for UN Public Service Award</title>
		<link>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2012/01/19/first-time-in-history-the-invisible-nation-iraqi-kurdistan-nominated-for-un-public-service-award/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2012/01/19/first-time-in-history-the-invisible-nation-iraqi-kurdistan-nominated-for-un-public-service-award/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:18:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Laween Atroshi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Activism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Afghanistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iraq]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kurdistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kurds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Middle East]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Youth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clean technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Prophet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iran]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=14631</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Throughout history the kurds have been forgotten and stigmatized as having a high record of unemployment, lack of human rights and primitive education. To treat this misperception as Kurdish professionals we have a ethical &#38; moral duty to represent Kurdistan &#8230;]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/2012/01/19/first-time-in-history-the-invisible-nation-iraqi-kurdistan-nominated-for-un-public-service-award/laweenatroshi/" rel="attachment wp-att-14630"><img class="size-full wp-image-14630 alignleft" src="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/LaweenAtroshi.jpg" alt="" width="123" height="114" /></a>Throughout history the kurds have been forgotten and stigmatized as having a high record of unemployment, lack of human rights and primitive education. To treat this misperception as Kurdish professionals we have a ethical &amp; moral duty to represent Kurdistan within different intellectual platforms.</p>
<p>As a British &#8211; Born Kurdish Health professional whereby having graduated in the cutting edge field of Biomedical Informatics I wanted to prove locally, nationally and internationally that this is not an accurate reflection of the Kurdish people.</p>
<p>Indeed, after visiting Kurdistan for the first time in July 2011 &amp; October 2011 it was quite hard not to notice the wealth of talent, determination and skills that stem from the Kurdish professionals.</p>
<p>After visiting different universities and hospitals it was clear professionals and the youth were very dynamic and keen to grow. Moreover, the influx of girls being encouraged to study and work was overwhelming and an area that carries my support. As with any system, there will be flaws but a reform is happening and I always think of the saying &#8216;Rome was not built in a day&#8217;.</p>
<p>My message to my fellow Kurds has always been to study and utilize the knowledge gained effectively and contribute it back to Kurdistan. For Kurdish Anfal recognition I started an e-petition on the British Government website urging them to recognize and remember the Kurdish Anfal. Indeed,www.ekurd.net the weapon of defense for our forefathers was riffles but now it&#8217;s the pen and it should be used to protect Kurdistan and show the world the talent this forgotten nation holds.</p>
<p>However, actions speak louder then words so I nominated the Slemani Autism Centre a project initiated by a non-political NGO called Kurdistan Save The Children working collaboratively with the Ministry of Labour &amp; Social Affairs for the most prestigious award of public service from the United Nations. This is the first time in history that Iraq has been nominated for such an award and my rationale for doing so was because it promotes and integrates disability into society. it acts as a platform to encourage community partnership &amp; serves as an educational tool in reforming the stigmatization of disabilities.</p>
<p>We may not win the award but at least we are striving hard to try and compete intellectually at that platform and will be recognized for attempting.</p>
<p>Kurdistan may not be independent at the moment but by working collaboratively as one voice we can claim independence at other channels, nationally and internationally which will gradually lead to Kurdistan&#8217;s independence by having people informed on our capabilities and peaceful rich culture.</p>
<p>Thus, as Kurds we must never give up, never be pessimistic and always support each other and aim high, with the hope we may become recognized for our good qualities and talented workforce.</p>
<p>Laween Atroshi<br />
UK Health Informatician &amp; Ambassador For Peace (UPF)<br />
All views &amp; opinions are of my own and do not reflect my employers or any organization whom I have a direct or indirect affiliation with.</p>
<p>Tweet me @laweenatroshi and let me know your opinions, I could be wrong but this is how I feel from my experience. My views do not reflect any individual or institution. www.laweenatroshi.com</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2012/01/19/first-time-in-history-the-invisible-nation-iraqi-kurdistan-nominated-for-un-public-service-award/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>On GTMO&#8217;s 10th Anniversary, Video of US Marine Abuses Emerges</title>
		<link>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2012/01/12/on-gtmos-10th-anniversary-video-of-us-marine-abuses-emerges/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2012/01/12/on-gtmos-10th-anniversary-video-of-us-marine-abuses-emerges/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:56:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Suzan Boulad (Syria)</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Afghanistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iraq]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Middle East]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[USA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gitmo]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=14533</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On January 11th a disturbing video began to make the rounds along various sites on the internet, showing exclusive footage of a group of US Marines in full combat gear huddled around several dead bodies in what appears to be &#8230;]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>On January 11th <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2012/01/11/u-s-marines-investigating-video-urinating-taliban/#.Tw5mIW_iMw9" target="_blank">a disturbing video</a> began to make the rounds along various sites on the internet, showing exclusive footage of a group of US Marines in full combat gear huddled around several dead bodies in what appears to be Afghanistan. The Marines then, while smiling for the camera, pull down their pants and pee on the dead bodies, cracking jokes like &#8220;Have a great day, buddy.&#8221;</p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zyFauuaM4qs" frameborder="0" width="500" height="369"></iframe></p>
<p>The unexplained video went viral, and the US Marine Corps is supposedly launching a <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/checkpoint-washington/post/video-appears-to-show-troops-urinating-on-corpses/2012/01/11/gIQAywxhrP_blog.html" target="_blank">thorough investigation</a> into the origins and perpetrators of the video, and released a statement saying &#8220;While we have not yet verified the origin or authenticity of this video, the actions portrayed are not consistent with our core values and are not indicative of the character of the Marines in our Corps.&#8221;</p>
<p>All this is fine and well from a media standpoint, but is the desecration of both the living and dead bodies of &#8220;enemy combatants&#8221; really not a core value of the United States Marines? The whole incident is reminiscent of the United State&#8217;s 2004 &#8220;publicity fiasco&#8221; when photos of US army soldiers abusing prisoners in <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2006/02/15/LI2006021501067.html" target="_blank">Iraq&#8217;s Abu Ghraib prison</a>, where detainees were stripped naked, forced into degrading positions, scared by dogs, and a long list of other abuses, all caught on camera by the perpetrators themselves.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carlos-harrison/post_2825_b_1200146.html" target="_blank">10 years ago today</a>, the United States cleared the way for 20 detainees to arrive at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility. Since then, 775 detainees have crossed Guantanamo&#8217;s gates, and as of January 2012, a year after President Obama promised he would have GITMO closed, 171 detainees remain behind bars there, denied their fundamental rights and subject to psychological and physical torture. 89 detainees are even cleared for release, but because of bureaucratic debate about where they should be &#8220;sent&#8221;, they remain in Guantanamo&#8217;s grasp.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ec6dAvfZu7k" frameborder="0" width="500" height="284"></iframe></p>
<p>But US has not limited its illegal detention and torture of detainees to Guantanamo. The <a href="http://rt.com/news/bagram-torture-afghanistan-investigation-359/" target="_blank">US controlled Bagram prison</a> in Afghanistan has been under suspicion since the homicide of two civilian Afghan prisoners. For the last 10 years, there have been regular reports of torture and abuse coming out of Bagram prison. Even now, as Afghan president Hamid Karzai and the US <a href="http://rt.com/usa/news/karzai-us-afghan-transfer-315/" target="_blank">battle for control</a> of the prison, a new <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2012/01/2012185334800952.html" target="_blank">investigating commission</a> has revealed not so new continued abuses. <a href="http://crowdvoice.org/us-torture-in-bagram-prison-afghanistan#" target="_blank">Crowdvoice </a>has documented articles and videos related to the past and present torture allegations, linked below.</p>
<p>Thrilled and captivated by the protests that have swept across the Middle East and North Africa, the United States no longer dominates media coverage about the region. And indeed good riddance. However, on this somber anniversary, with yet another piece of evidence of the dehumanizing tactics of the US military, this point must not be forgotten. The effect of US policies continues to wreak havoc on other countries and on their citizens. The human rights abuses of the US military are not exceptions to a set of &#8220;core values&#8221;; they are a systemic method of marginalizing the bodies and voices of people in the way of US policies, a marginalization that we must fight against. The suffering of Afghanistan and Iraq must not be forgotten; in fact, it must be a key part of our region&#8217;s rebirth. When strong proud voices of change from the Middle East are louder than the voices of ignorance and violence both within and outside of the Middle East, then our revolutions will be solidly on their way to success.</p>
<p><iframe src='http://crowdvoice.org/widget/us-torture-in-bagram-prison-afghanistan?size=tall&#038;scope=this&#038;show_description=0&#038;rtl=0' scrolling='no' frameborder='0' style='overflow:hidden; border:none; width:100%; height:595px;' allowTransparency='true'></iframe></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2012/01/12/on-gtmos-10th-anniversary-video-of-us-marine-abuses-emerges/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>One Day to Recognize: the Story of 11.11.11</title>
		<link>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2011/10/15/11-11-11/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2011/10/15/11-11-11/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 15 Oct 2011 21:20:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Al-Nasir Bellah (Iraq)</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Afghanistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Creativity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Film]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iraq]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Youth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[events]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=13375</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[To some people, November 11th, 2011 is yet another regular day that may pass as much as the next one, aside from the funny coincidence that it carries 6 (ones) in it. Well, I beg to differ; for this day &#8230;]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>To some people, November 11th, 2011 is yet another regular day that may pass as much as the next one, aside from the funny coincidence that it carries 6 (ones) in it. Well, I beg to differ; for this day is a major event for the rapidly increasing community of One Day On Earth, as it is considered a day to embrace the humanity in all of its forms and remove the differences that stand as obstacles in the way of uniting the population of the globe, by bringing them to do but a simple thing; to videotape part of that day simultaneously in every country in the world, and reveal what each and every one of them has videotaped in 11.11.11 and sharing these videos with the rest of the world.</p>
<p>This idea has drawn my attention, through it&#8217;s ease, simplicity and in the same time creativity in which it gives each person the space to be creative in his own way, that is; you choose the theme, idea and place of your video, and when and what to comment, and after that, a documentary will be made, featuring videos collected about this day from all countries of the world.</p>
<p>One Day On Earth is a 3 years old idea, being first thought of and planned in early 2008, and executed for the first time in 10.10.10, and it was a total success; videos from all countries of the globe (192 countries, just imagine) were collected and viewed, including videos from war-torn countries like Iraq and Afghanistan, and the famine-savaged Africa.</p>
<p>This year, everyone is looking forward to this day to implement the idea he/she is thinking of, and to show the whole world how his/her country is on this day, making this day of 11.11.11, truly, one of a kind.</p>
<p><em>Registering for this event can done through the fo</em><em>llowing link:  www.onedayonearth.org</em></p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/2011/10/15/11-11-11/xg_body_home_2011_v1/" rel="attachment wp-att-13376"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-13376" src="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/xg_body_Home_2011_v1-300x47.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="47" /></a></em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2011/10/15/11-11-11/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Women&#039;s Status in Islam: Line Between Culture and Religion</title>
		<link>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2011/04/03/11133/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2011/04/03/11133/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 03 Apr 2011 19:31:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sarah Alaoui</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Afghanistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture and Society]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gender]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iran]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Islam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News and Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Religion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saudi Arabia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Society]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=11133</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Before the status of women in Islam can be determined, the religion itself must first be analyzed separately from the cultures and practices in “Islamic” countries—most notably, those in the Middle East.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b>Introduction</b><br />
Before the status of women in Islam can be determined, the religion itself must first be analyzed separately from the cultures and practices in “Islamic” countries—most notably, those in the Middle East. I argue that Islam gives women and men equal human rights spiritually, financially, and socially, thereby making it compatible with the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its emphasis on gender equality. I maintain that because of the persistence of agrarian labor and tribal traditions that created an imbalance and inequality of gender roles, these rights are not protected in many Middle Eastern countries that claim to practice Islam. I present these inequities, which result from the survival of patriarchal traditions, by examining three countries and their breach of women’s rights as protected in Islam and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Afghanistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia.</p>
<p><b>Afghanistan</b></p>
<p>The subjugation of women in Afghanistan today cannot be attributed solely to the Taliban’s rule—rather, its roots were planted long before and continue to exist today. Even before the fundamentalist group took control, its past as a patriarchal agrarian society created a legacy of distinct gender roles and “…tribal traditions where men exercise unmitigated power over women,” (Ahmed-Ghosh 1). The structure of Afghan societies—especially in rural areas—is based around strong tribal and ethnic divisions with honor systems playing a major role in the various groups’ customs and their attitudes towards women. These honor codes center primarily around the preservation of their purity and morality. Women are used as pawns that help create and seal alliances between tribes through marriages, which are usually planned without the consent of the brides. In these unions, “…total obedience to the husband and his family is expected, and women are prevented from getting any education,” (Ahmed-Ghosh 2).</p>
<p>The Pashtuns, the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, have a complex honor-based society that exemplifies the way tribal traditions have continued to define women’s roles today. Pashtunwali, translated literally as “the way of the Pashtuns” is the foundation of this people’s identity. Violation of any of the various stipulations prescribed by the code places the defier at risk of being shunned by his or her tribe, making adherence the obvious choice. The izzat, or honor of the Pashtun individual, is crucial to their membership in the group—without it, “…he or she is no longer considered a Pashtun, and is not given the rights, protection, and support of the Pashtun community” (Kakar 3). Members of self-sustaining agrarian communities are interdependent, eliminating exile as an option for survival.</p>
<p>The most important pillar of this extensive system is the purdah, often referred to as the symbolic veil separating the men’s sphere from the women’s sphere—a segregation necessary to uphold honor. In agrarian societies of Afghanistan, this is often practiced through the division of labor based on gender. Women are “…left to care for the household while the men are out shepherding the flocks for days and weeks” (Kakar 5). They are expected to remain within their respective sphere and it is common knowledge that consequences arise when these boundaries are crossed. For women, these consequences include getting, “…beaten, accused of dishonor, and even perhaps expelled from the community” (Kakar 5). The purdah and izzat are crucial to the survival of the Afghan system of patriarchy because the honor of the male head of a family is directly dependent on his wife’s virtue. In fact, “it is often said that Pashtun men customarily see women as comprising the essence of the family. If a woman earns a bad reputation, her whole family, which includes the men, is sullied” (Kakar 8). Places where mixing of unmarried or unrelated members of the opposite sex is prevalent are regarded as areas where moral defilement is likely to occur—unfortunately these places often include schools and even hospitals. This explains why such drastic measures are often taken to separate the women of Afghanistan from anything that may bring shame to their families—even if it comes at the expense of their basic human rights.</p>
<p>Though many may confuse the tribal traditions practiced in Islamic countries with the religion of Islam, it is important to note that, “…though the Pashtuns were Sunni Muslims of the Hanafi school of law, it was their Pashtun tribal code, Pashtunwali, which governed them before all else,” (Kakar 2). Afghan society is structured around tribal divisions and although its people are practicing Muslims, the religion is ordained through tribal leaders who rarely recognize the line that lies between cultural customs and Islamic laws. They conveniently fail to enforce parts of the religion that could potentially obstruct the continuity of their patriarchal system, and the steps they take to preserve their ways are often in clear violation of not only Islam, but also the universal standards of human rights.</p>
<p>The fact that the first word of the Quran revealed was iqra, which translates to the command, “read” or “learn” in Arabic, is proof enough of the impact that Islam places on the education of its followers. However, there are numerous other places within the scripture and also in the hadiths (words or deeds of the Prophet, peace be upon him) in which the education of both males and females is emphasized. The Prophet (pbuh) used to say, for example, that, “education is obligatory on both Muslim men and women, even if they have to go to China to seek it” (Bhutto). The reiteration of the importance of learning in Islam is in clear opposition to the current practices of the Taliban in Afghanistan today—a group still deeply entrenched in ancient tribal practices. As of 2009, more than 630 schools have been shut down by the Taliban because they have been deemed “un-Islamic” (IRIN). Ironically, it is the closing down of these educational institutions that are against the tenets of Islam and in comparison, the tribal traditions they have carried throughout the years that condone such actions.</p>
<p>With respect to the forced marriages and subservience to men that is expected of women in Afghan tribes, these actions are also condemned in Islam where, “no one – not even her father can force her to marry against her expressed consent. And a woman does not cease to be an individual after marriage” (Bhutto). A woman’s humanity and singularity is acknowledged in Islam and she is not regarded as property to be beaten and abused as is the case in patriarchal Afghan societies. Tribal leaders abuse their absolute power and, by labeling cultural traditions as religious, they manage to maintain their sexist system of hierarchy.</p>
<p>According to the UN Universal Standards of Human Rights, the institutionalized patriarchies of Afghan societies violate several articles, including the document’s core premise that “…the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people.” Women in Afghanistan live in the constant fear that they will bring shame upon their families. They live their lives in fear that they will be punished for simply desiring access to an education or healthcare in a public place alongside their fellow human beings. Afghanistan’s tribal rituals, as demonstrated by the Pashtunwali, are also in clear violation of Article 16 of the Universal Standards, which declares that only marriage between two consenting spouses is humanely permissible. In addition to its transgression of many other standards, the Afghan tradition of segregation—often depriving women of an education altogether—breaches Article 26, which ultimately acknowledges that all human beings have the right to an education.</p>
<p><b>Iran</b></p>
<p>Similar to the tribal system in Afghanistan, Iran’s history of patriarchies is framed within a monarchical patrilineal heritage. Males were placed on a much higher scale than women were during Iran’s dynastic era, which contributes to the subordinate place in society that women fill today. As was done in the tribal societies of Afghanistan, where marriage unions were created to facilitate alliances between groups, marriages in Iran were carried out more as eternal business deals than meaningful relationships. According to Sedghi, this system:</p>
<p>    …ensured patriarchal domination…and permanent marriage analogous to a commercial transaction, in which the woman, the object of the contractual transaction, is exchanged for the mehr (brideprice). The brideprice specifies saman-e boz or the price for a woman’s sexual organ. The marriage contract approximates a commercial contract in Islamic Law, where saman (price) is exchanged for the mabi (object for sale). Marriage is thus a contract for the legalization of sexual intercourse, not for love… (28)</p>
<p>These transactions were arranged and conducted by the bride’s father and groom without ever receiving her consent. In fact, many of the marriages that took place in Iran involved young nine or ten-year-old girls. Essentially the unions symbolized a transfer of the female’s sexuality to the possession of her new husband—her role was to serve as a sex object and reproductive machine.</p>
<p>From their childhoods and onward, women were taught to be ashamed of their gender. During the late 18th to early 20th centuries, under the rule of the Qajar Dynasty, it was considered a social disgrace to give birth to girls. The consequences of a female birth, “…usually meant disappointment to the father and fear in the mother, who might face abandonment or punishment by her husband or his close relatives or her own father,” (Sedghi 27). During this period of time, it was common for members of the royal family or wealthy landlords to take on as many as 300 wives at a time—some legitimate and some servants that were taken on as concubines. Having many wives maximized the husband’s chances for having male children to carry on his name—this was important for members of royalty especially because of the legacy of their dynasties. This number of spouses, though disproportionate to that found in Iran today, further entrenched a patriarchal system that doted on males and subordinated females to the role of domestic baby-making machines.</p>
<p>Contrary to popular belief, polygamy is not encouraged in Islam and is only allowed under certain conditions:</p>
<p>    And if you fear that you cannot act equitably towards orphans, then marry such women as seem good to you, two and three and four; but if you fear that you will not do justice (between them), then (marry) only one or what your right hands possess; this is more proper, that you may not deviate from the right course. (Qur’an 4:3)</p>
<p>During the time of the Prophet (pbuh), it was appropriate to take on more than one wife (but only a maximum of four were permitted) because the wartime conditions during this period left many women widowed and even more orphaned—marriage was seen as an act of charity that helped save and support these women. 300 wives would not be permitted as there would be no feasible way in which the husband can provide equal time and care to each of them—another stipulation to this “luxury” of polygamy. This is another example of the misrepresentation and exploitation of Islam through cultural practices.</p>
<p>Even the way women were forced to dress during the Qajar Dynasty was an indication of their lower status in society simply because of what the various articles of clothing were widely known to symbolize. Women wore a “…three-piece dress consisting of…very loose trousers…that signified their separate world; it assured them space and identity as…the weak and status as…those obedient to men’s will,” (Sedghi 26). This dark, uniform clothing represented their isolation from the world of men and the clearly distinct sphere they were made to live in as part of the male-dominated world that ruled them.</p>
<p>The patriarchal dynasty of Iran during the Qajar and Pahlavi monarchical rule came to a halt with the 1979 Revolution. The series of protests and demonstrations against the rule of the kings united most of Iran’s citizens against the patriarchal structure that had so staunchly defined Iranian families. Women were strongly represented among the protesters and they, “…themselves began recognizing their strength in numbers. An egalitarian spirit prevailed in the streets during this period of the Revolution,” (Fathi 132). This inkling of hope for women remained just that, however, because the traditional Iranian family structure that was entrenched under Iran’s dynastic rule was too engrained in the culture to be overcome by a renewal of ideas—no matter how radical.</p>
<p>Rule under then Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and now Khamenei’s theocracy was similar to the monarchs before them, but now hidden under the pretext of Islamic rule. Soon after coming into power, Khomeini enforced the hijab head covering for all women venturing out into public, and reaffirmed their domestic roles in the household and away from the public sphere by denying them access to political power. He also went so far as to have women arrested who violated certain dress codes. Both Khomeini and Khamenei are known to carry out inegalitarian punishment for things such as adultery, giving women the short end of the stick (Sedghi 202). The theocratic leaders’ rule served the same purpose as that of the monarchs—keep women subservient to men. The former leaders under the umbrella of the Islamic Republic of Iran, simply added a religious spin to their actions and, “in an attempt to ‘Islamicize’ women’s position, they resorted to coercion, passed inegalitarian laws, and mobilized female morality squads or…the gender police, to enforce its codes of propriety” (Sedghi 202).</p>
<p>An oft-publicized and debated subject about Islam is the issue of women’s dress and covering. While it was imposed upon women in Iran, the Quran mentions it as advice directed towards women and not towards men or anyone else to mandate:<br />
“Say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty…” (Al-Mu’minun 24:30-31).</p>
<p>Ultimately, it is a Muslim woman’s choice to practice modesty how she sees fit and this decision does not religiously fall within any Ayatollah’s jurisdiction. This freedom is also in accordance with the UN Universal Standards of Human Rights which recognize every individual’s, “…right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference.” Under the scriptures and the human rights document, no entity should have the power to tell any individual how to express themselves—whether it be through imposing the donning of the veil or not.</p>
<p><b>Saudi Arabia</b></p>
<p>In Saudi Arabia, the extended family is a crucial part of the country’s society. The way various roles within these families were organized, especially, led up to the norms we see today. Even before Islam arrived in Saudi Arabia in the 7th century, division of labor was divided by gender. Similar to Afghanistan and Iran, “the primary male roles were as providers and protectors of the family, working outside the home. The primary female roles were as nurturers and managers within the home, in which all women in the family tended to band together to influence family decisions,” (Long 36). These various positions in society that the two genders held and traditions of secluding the women away from the public lives of men were entrenched in Arabian society even before its origination of Islam. Included in these customs was the issue of female modesty—this was a common theme prevalent in many civilizations at this time. The, “…virtue of female modesty, including its assocation with women’s apparel in public, is expressed in Genesis 24—65: ‘And Rebekah lifted up her eyes and when she saw Isaac, she asked the servant, ‘Who is that man walking through the fields to meet us?’ And the servant replied, ‘That is my master;’ then she took her veil and covered herself” (Long 36).</p>
<p>This atmosphere that placed such a large emphasis on women’s modesty (similar to the honor codes of Afghanistan and the dress of women in traditional Iranian families) set up the backdrop for future violations against women’s rights in Saudi Arabia.</p>
<p>In a society trying desperately to hold on to its beliefs and traditions amidst the oncoming waves of development and progression of women in the public sphere, Islam remains a static, sentimental piece of the world they firmly hold on to. The modest woman as depicted in the Quran symbolizes the antithesis to the Western woman, according to Saudis—the latter is one they do not want existing within their patriarchies. As a result of their attempts to prevent “Western thoughts” from permeating their close-knit, delineated gender roles, they have implemented many laws including mandatory head to toe covering, lax punishments for perpetrators of domestic violence and the banning women from driving. As mentioned before in the examinations of the previous countries, covering is up to the woman and not something that should be mandated by a state or other unaffected individual. Domestic violence, as in other Abrahamic religions, is not condoned and the woman has a right to divorce with her husband providing for her: “[65:7] The rich husband shall provide support in accordance with his means, and the poor shall provide according to the means that GOD bestowed upon him. GOD does not impose on any soul more than He has given it. GOD will provide ease after difficulty.” As for driving, according to the Hadiths, Aisha, the Prophet’s wife (pbuh) rode her own camel while fighting in battles as did his prior wife, Khadijah. Once again, the religion of Islam has been used in a Middle Eastern country as a scapegoat in order to preserve the patriarchal status quo.</p>
<p><b>Conclusion</b></p>
<p>It can be simple to blur the line between culture and religion when referring to the Middle East and its various countries’ violations of women’s rights as accorded to them naturally and specified in the UN Universal Standards of Human Rights. However, when one looks at first the examples of Afghanistan, then Iran and Saudi Arabia, it becomes clear that the patriarchal cultures in each of these societies developed from tribalism, patrilineal dynasties, and roles in extended families, outlasted and often outshined the Islamic religion that was practiced in their midst. The bonds of culture and traditions are too strong to take the backseat to religion and are often spread and implemented under its pretext—especially by the dominant male ruling group to justify their patriarchal societies. When one looks at the actual teachings of the Islamic religion, however, it becomes clear how they have been used in these countries to propel their ruling, male-dominated class’s agendas forward and how in reality, they mirror the universal standards of human rights.</p>
<p><font size="1"><b>Works Cited</b></p>
<p>Ahmed-Ghosh, Huma. A History of Women in Afghanistan: Lessons Learnt for the Future. Diss. San Diego State University, 2003. Print.</p>
<p>Bhutto, Benazir. “The Prophet Preached Equal Rights; Now the Task Is To Restore Them.” Asiaweek 25 Aug. 1995. Print.</p>
<p>Fathi, Asghar. Women and the Family in Iran. Leiden: Brill, 1985. Print.</p>
<p>“IRIN Asia | AFGHANISTAN: Taliban Forces Students out of Schools into Madrasas | Asia | Afghanistan | Children Education Gender Issues Conflict | Feature.” IRIN ” Humanitarian News and Analysis from Africa, Asia and the Middle East – Updated Daily. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. .</p>
<p>Long, David E. Culture and Customs of Saudi Arabia. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 2005. Print.</p>
<p>Sedghi, Hamideh. Women and Politics in Iran: Veiling, Unveiling, and Reveiling. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2007. Print.</p>
<p>“Tribal Law of Pashtunwali and Women’s Legislative Authority.” Diss. Harvard University. Web. .</p>
<p>“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” Welcome to the United Nations: It’s Your World. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. .<br />
“Human Rights Concerns.” Amnesty International USA – Protect Human Rights. Web. 11 Mar. 2010.</font></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2011/04/03/11133/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The first Asian caravan for solidarity with Gaza</title>
		<link>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/12/13/the-first-asian-caravan-for-solidarity-with-gaza/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/12/13/the-first-asian-caravan-for-solidarity-with-gaza/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:57:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lord Kavi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Activism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Afghanistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interfaith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iran]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iraq]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Palestine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Photos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syria]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=9883</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The first Asian caravan for solidarity with Gaza is gathering volunteers from all around the Asia to Gaza. AsiatoGaza is a movement that intends to break the illegal siege of Gaza in a peaceful manner. AsiatoGaza consists of non governmental &#8230;]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.asiatogaza.org/" target="_self">The first Asian caravan for solidarity with</a> Gaza is gathering volunteers from all around the Asia to Gaza.</p>
<blockquote><p>AsiatoGaza is a movement that intends to break the illegal siege of Gaza  in a peaceful manner. AsiatoGaza consists of non governmental  organizations as well as people from various Asian countries like India,  Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia,  Kuwait, UAE  and various religions like Muslims, Christian, Jews,  Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists. In coordination with other activists all over  the world, AsiatoGaza has arranged a caravan from India to Gaza with the  participation of several Asian countries. This caravan will start in  first week of December 2010 from India through Pakistan, Iran to Turkey  and from Turkey toward Gaza.</p></blockquote>
<div id="attachment_9884" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010065.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-9884" src="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010065-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Caravan&#39;s path</p></div>
<p>Caravan is currently in Iran (Isfahan to Tehran) and below is some photos that I took from one of caravan&#8217;s campaigns while I was in Tehran, yesterday.</p>
<p style="text-align: left">
<div id="attachment_9885" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 235px"><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010051.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-9885" src="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010051-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Nestle, Israeli brand</p></div>
<p><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010069.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9886" src="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010069-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a></p>
<div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter">
<dl>
<dt><a href="../wp-content/uploads/11122010053.jpg"><img src="../wp-content/uploads/11122010053-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a> </dt>
<dd>You are not here</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<p><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010060.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9888" src="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010060-300x225.jpg" alt="Gaza" width="300" height="225" /></a><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010064.jpg"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010064.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9890" src="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010064-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010054.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9895" src="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010054-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010050.jpg"></a></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010054.jpg"><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010050.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9896" src="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010050-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010047.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9898" src="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010047-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010055.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9899" src="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/11122010055-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/12/13/the-first-asian-caravan-for-solidarity-with-gaza/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Aisha, Taliban, and the Women of Afghanistan.</title>
		<link>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/08/01/aisha-taliban-and-the-women-of-afghanistan/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/08/01/aisha-taliban-and-the-women-of-afghanistan/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Aug 2010 10:12:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ahmad H. Aggour (Egypt)</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Afghanistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Regional Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sexism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=8544</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Aisha, 18 years old, had her ears and nose cut off last year on orders from the Taliban because she fled from her abusive in-laws. According to Time Magazine, Aisha posed for the picture and says she wants the world &#8230;]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Aisha, 18 years old, had her ears and nose cut off last year on orders from the Taliban because she fled from her abusive in-laws. According to Time Magazine, Aisha posed for the picture and says she wants the world to see the effect a Taliban resurgence would have on the women of Afghanistan, many of whom have flourished in the past few years.</p>
<p><img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs163.snc4/37485_1496848417053_1109389413_1489128_8320483_n.jpg" alt="Aisha" /></p>
<p>The vast majority of Afghanistan&#8217;s population professes to be followers of Islam. Over 1400 years ago, Islam demanded that men and women be equal before God, and gave them various rights such the right to inheritance, the right to vote, the right to work, and even choose their own partners in marriage.</p>
<p>However, for many years now and since Taliban had rose to power from 1996 till their fall in 2001,  and women were treated worse than in any other time or by any other society. They were forbidden to work, get education, leave the house without a male escort, not allowed to seek medical help from a male doctor, and coerced into wearing burqas and the Afghan <em><a href="http://1.1.1.1/bmi/www.curatedobject.us/photos/uncategorized/2008/02/01/3afghani_chadri_front.jpg">chadri</a></em>, even covering their eyes. Women who were doctors and teachers before, suddenly were forced to be beggars and even prostitutes in order to feed their families.</p>
<p>Ever since the fall of Taliban in 2001, the situation in Afghanistan for the women had relatively improved, according to the Afghan constitution, they were able to go back to work, they were not coerced into wearing the Afghan chadri and burqas and they had even been appointed to prominent positions in the government.</p>
<p>Despite all these changes, violence is still exhibited against the women in many strict families, more frequently in the southern areas of Afghanistan where the Taliban has an affirmed and strong prescence. numerous schools for Afghan girls had been burnt, girls were subjected to death by poisoning or acid attacks on their faces by gangs of men for demanding to get a simple education or even dare go to school, there is <strong>STILL</strong> an increase in abuse against the Afghan women by their respective males whether husbands, brothers or fathers.</p>
<p>There had even been cases of self-immolation where Afghan women as young as below 20 who suffer under extremely abusive marriages they had been coerced into would desperately set themselves ablaze with a hope of dying and getting rid of their miserable lives&#8230; Yes it&#8217;s true!</p>
<p>This kind of abuse towards a woman is never tolerated by any human being or any individual for that matter, even Islam speaks against such violence and brutality, <a href="http://www.themuslimwoman.com/herrights/womensrights.htm">Women have rights in Islam</a>! The Prophet (peace be upon him) was most emphatic in enjoining upon Muslims to be kind to their women when he delivered his famous khutba &#8211; his final sermon &#8211; on the Mount of Mercy at Arafat in the presence of one hundred and twenty-four thousand of his Companions who had gathered there for Hajj al-Wada&#8217; (Farewell Pilgrimage). In it he ordered those present, and through them all those Muslims who were to come later, to be respectful and kind towards women. Of the things he said was:</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Treat your women well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Aisha is just one woman of many Afghan women&#8230; Who suffer daily under the oppressive extremist and <strong>un-Islamic</strong> regime of Taliban which had heavily influenced many Afghan families of little awareness and knowledge and is reflected upon how the way their respective women are treated in almost every aspect their lives.</p>
<p>Look at that picture!!! This is not a part of a statistic, she&#8217;s flesh and blood&#8230; A human! And my heart is with Aisha!</p>
<p>Hear out the crying voices and whispers of the Women of Afghanistan!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/08/01/aisha-taliban-and-the-women-of-afghanistan/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Prophecy of Urdu Language</title>
		<link>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/03/23/the-prophecy-of-urdu-language/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/03/23/the-prophecy-of-urdu-language/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Mar 2010 08:16:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ali Arsalan Zaheer (Pakistan)</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Afghanistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ethics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iran]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Literature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nationalism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Turkey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Youth]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=7108</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Language is concisely defined in our vocabulary as a &#8220;human system of communication that uses arbitrary signals, such as voice sounds, gestures, or written symbols&#8221;. It is the term of human communication in which the knowledge, belief, and behavior preserved, &#8230;]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Language is concisely defined in our vocabulary as a &#8220;human system of communication that uses arbitrary signals, such as voice sounds, gestures, or written symbols&#8221;. It is the term of human communication in which the knowledge, belief, and behavior preserved, enrolled, and conveyed. It is the inner core of what makes us human. However openly to say, language is extremely convoluted, fascinating, and inexplicable to be suitably enlighten by a concise description. Well, I still try to define by my precise knowledge to much extent it possible.</p>
<p>Several creatures of the world, even plant species communicate with each other.  Human beings are not sole in this facility yet human language is unique in being a figurative communication structure. One of the foremost benefits of human language communication system is that it is much flexible. It is a fact that changes made in previous words and new words are produced each and every day. A single expression formed of multiple words that in mixture convey particular denotation consign by a language, which creates such a powerful sense that people are willing to take and give their lives for just a pair of words.</p>
<p>Moreover, the most, the highly interesting matter about language which is in-the-air all the time is that, how languages grow and alter over instant, how languages are used in conversation, the past and present relationships between languages, the responsibility of language in nation-building and identity marking, the advancement of script classification, how they are learned by children, how the common sense enrolled, how the mind processes speech and language, how communication is achievable when speech and language are prejudice, how to save the vanishing languages prior to their disappearance. These all questions are those which gave born to the science of language known as Linguistics.</p>
<p>There is no doubt language is such obsession which is used to build every other obsession. Language is power and by endeavoring your proficiency with language you can craft masterpieces. It is a fact that a language dies when nobody speaks and to say that language is dead is like saying that person is dead. If we didn’t exist the language also won’t exist.</p>
<p>Every nation is recognized through its language and every arrogant land conserves its wealthy civilizing customs in the shape of its language. Language is the most essential aspect of culture. Language is a symbol of a people’s heritage and identity. It plays central role in shaping identity. It is a binding force among different states of a single land that they are joined together by one national language which is the heritage of all. Language illustrates the traditions of existing and the degree of interaction between people. It is a strength that brings closer a group of people, and crafts them as a unique and discrete nation.</p>
<p>The national language of Pakistan is Urdu. Every national language of any country represents the identity of a nation. Those who are living abroad are always identified as Pakistani because of their national language. The citizens of Pakistan represents solitary nation, and to what extent, their thinking, aims and objectives are common. Their maturity, development and privileged circumstances depend upon their harmony and for this the Urdu language is the most vital feature for achieving this unity.</p>
<p>Urdu is a gorgeous language. Urdu is a Turkish word, which means &#8216;foreign&#8217; or &#8216;horde&#8217;. The existence and advancement of Urdu language has been made in a period of centuries by gathering different civilizations underneath single platform. It forms relation between local people of north of Sub Continent and Muslims of Arabia, Iran and Turkey. It is an Indo-European language of the Indo-Aryan family that developed beneath the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire. The Urdu language flanked by the Muslim soldiers of the Mughals armed forces that belonged to a variety of ethnicities like Turks, Arabs, Persians, Pathans, Balochis, Rajputs, Jats and Afghans. Urdu is the official language of Pakistan. It is also an official language of Jammu and Kashmir territory which India occupied. At the time of independence; the dawn of independence Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah said that</p>
<p><strong>“Let me make it clear that the national language of Pakistan is going to be Urdu and no other language. Without one state language no nation can remain tied up solidly together.”<br />
</strong><em><br />
Urdu language possesses a valuable treasure of verses and styles. No doubt, great poets and writers were born from this language. Our motherly language is in our blood. It is a duty of every citizen of its nation to serve at peak and inculcate their national language in new born generation. Therefore, whatever the circumstances were faced and whatever the circumstances we will have to face, it is clear that they could never ever weaken our divine and charming Urdu language.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/03/23/the-prophecy-of-urdu-language/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Re-Arming Afghan Civil Society</title>
		<link>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/02/13/6718/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/02/13/6718/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 13 Feb 2010 20:50:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ibn Yousof (Afghanistan)</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Afghanistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nationalism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Regional Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Terrorism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[War]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=6718</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Afghan people are trapped in a limbo between two styles of governance that do not fit in with their society: a Western-style democracy and a Wahhabist Taleban emirate. They believe in the ideals of freedom, equality, and national pride, but they need to be empowered to build a system that embodies these ideas in a uniquely Afghan way.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><div id="attachment_6732" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 160px"><img src="http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/rumi1-150x150.jpg" alt="Rumi" width="150" height="150" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-6732" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Rumi</p></div>I have always been a supporter of the invasion of Afghanistan by the US and its allies. At the start of the operation in 2001, their <a href="http://middleeast.about.com/od/afghanistan/qt/me081007b.htm">stated aim </a>was &#8220;to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations, and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime.&#8221; I grew up hearing stories from my dad and my uncles about the beauty of Afghanistan in their youth and the country&#8217;s history of giving birth to some of Persia&#8217;s brightest minds like ibn Sina (Avicenna), Rumi, and Behzad among others. Of course, this image of Afghanistan directly contradicted the Afghanistan that I saw on the television throughout the 1990s, the one in which the Taleban banned dancing and all the windows in every house were painted black. So, like most Afghans living in the expatriate community, I hoped an invasion would bring something more than just a hunt for Arab terrorists and the end of Mullah Omar. I hoped it would usher in the Afghanistan that I daydreamed about, an idealised one that I&#8217;m not sure ever even existed.</p>
<p>But nine years on, the picture looks shakier than I like to admit. The Afghan people are trapped in a limbo between two styles of governance that do not fit in with their society: a Western-style democracy and a Wahhabist Taleban emirate. They believe in the ideals of freedom, equality, and national pride, but they need to be empowered to build a system that embodies these ideas in a uniquely Afghan way. This is the heart of the issue. The international community has imposed a system of governance that is exported from France and the USA. Rather than having the Western democratic system designed and imposed, Afghanistan needs a natural process of giving birth to its own revolutionary thinkers and champions of freedom in order to ensure long term stability.That would come at a price. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_J_Curve:_A_New_Way_to_Understand_Why_Nations_Rise_and_Fall">Such a social revolution would be tumultuous at best</a>. But it would have been easier if the opportunity was seized from the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom. It&#8217;s not too late, at least not yet. The international community needs to channel more of the current flow of human and material resources to instiling the values of open society and self-governance in the Afghan people so that they can take the pure knowledge of these concepts and convert it into something of their own.</p>
<p>Much of the onus lies on Afghan youth outside of Afghanistan as well. This is a point that I feel is never made often enough. Many of them are in a sad state, marginalising themselves into street gangs and expressing what I call &#8216;BS nationalism&#8217; through gangster memorabilia like guns painted red, black, and green or rap songs about how being Afghan is synonymous with doing drugs and fighting and somehow that&#8217;s &#8216;cool&#8217;. The Afghan youth need to take up the intellectual mantle of Rumi and Avicenna and re-empower their homeland. It is the only way that we can prove that our society <em>is</em> capable of creating an Afghan system of government and society that we can all live with.</p>
<p>My hope is that a combination of all these factors and more would allow for the mental shift in both the international and Afghan communities that would naturally repel Talebanisation and reconcile democracy with Afghan identity. Once again, it&#8217;s not an easy process. In fact, revolutions in Turkey, Iran, and Egypt show us that it can be very violent. But as Avicenna, being a scholar of the natural sciences, would remind us, in the bigger picture a wildfire makes the forest grow healthier.</p>
<p>I know I haven&#8217;t gone into too much detail about what a plan for social revolution towards a uniquely Afghan system, in my mind, looks like. But that&#8217;s because that would be far too long to go on here and I&#8217;m not an expert on state-building (yet <img src='http://www.mideastyouth.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> ). So what I&#8217;m going to do is write a series of articles over time covering various important sectors of civil society and how I think they can be further empowered. I&#8217;d love to hear your views as well on what this process would look like. I welcome comment and debate.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/02/13/6718/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Assessing Foreign Strategy in Afghanistan</title>
		<link>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/01/27/invitation-to-join-the-debate-on-the-war-in-afghanistan/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/01/27/invitation-to-join-the-debate-on-the-war-in-afghanistan/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:03:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben (Atlantic Community)</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Afghanistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Affairs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=6520</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In preparation for a policy memo on the War in Afghanistan, the editorial staff of Atlantic-Community.org would like your feedback. We want to incorporate more of the opinions of the students and young professionals in the Middle East. Please contribute &#8230;]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>In preparation for a policy memo on the War in Afghanistan, the editorial staff of <a href="http://www.atlantic-community.org">Atlantic-Community.org</a> would like your feedback.  We want to incorporate more of the opinions of the students and young professionals in the Middle East.  Please contribute by answering the highlighted questions and giving concrete recommendations and/or policy suggestions. We look forward to hearing your ideas!</strong></p>
<p>Atlantic-community.org members generally agreed on two major inter-related issues facing NATO operations in Afghanistan: stemming from a lack of coherent strategy and clarity of goals, insufficient engagement of the local population and failing international cooperation, ISAF is seen as being in urgent need of grass-roots, systemic reform. Our members developed the following key suggestions towards improving the ISAF mission.</p>
<p>1. NATO must clarify its goals and strategy.</p>
<p>Strategy changes are necessary, chief among them being a greater clarity of NATO’s goals, as the lack of a coherent strategy is one of the most important obstacles facing the mission. Continued, credible consultations amongst all contributing nations are necessary to achieve a viable plan. The Goals of the mission must be the development of a non-corrupt Afghan state with full domestic engagement and a definition of success that is culturally appropriate to the Afghan context – and does not merely mean an emulation of western-style democracy. A reformed ISAF mission must focus on counter-terrorism, corruption (especially in addressing the political and human dimensions of the drug trade), as well as providing real, lasting security.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the new approach must explicitly recognize civilian efforts, thus creating an effective, multi-dimensional operation. The new strategy must allow local groups to grow into an effective anti-Taliban force.</p>
<p><strong>What are some concrete suggestions regarding how the international community can fight corruption? Should western aid be contingent upon certain standards of development?</p>
<p>A recent poll suggests that <a href="http://www.atlantic-community.org/index/articles/view/Support_for_Foreign_Troops_is_Up">support for international troops is up</a> amongst Afghans. What projects and policies need to be undertaken to continue to improve ISAF’s image amongst Afghans?</strong></p>
<p>2. The international community must win the support of the locals.</p>
<p>NATO needs greater support from the local population, and must get Afghans actively involved and invested in civil and security apparatuses. Training new security personnel, as well as updating the Afghan National Army’s weaponry must top the list when it comes to security reform.</p>
<p>Reducing the Taliban’s support base is crucial in order to reverse the insurgency. There is some debate as to whether negotiating with the Taliban is a viable policy option now, though in the long run, some political agreements will have to come about. In the medium term, offering positive incentives, such as secure salaries or lower-level positions in government institutions to non-ideological combatants is necessary: by encouraging these groups to become invested in the political development of Afghanistan, the mission will affect lasting military and political stability.</p>
<p>While this is a way to reduce the pool the Taliban draws its combatants from, preventing the higher echelons, namely militia leaders and those with proven records of human rights violations, from prominent roles in governments – local and national – is essential towards the development and improvement of the rule of law. Thus, the international community must demand that the Afghan government consults with its citizens and “supports justice-focussed political debate in Afghanistan”.</p>
<p><strong>There is a general consensus amongst members regarding the harmful effects of warlords in parliament, as well as holding regional influence. What practical steps should be taken to improve this situation? How can their hold on power be reduced/weakened? How can the international community empower new politicians?</strong></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/01/27/invitation-to-join-the-debate-on-the-war-in-afghanistan/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chickens, Goats and the Taliban</title>
		<link>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2009/11/06/chickens-goats-and-the-taliban/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2009/11/06/chickens-goats-and-the-taliban/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:33:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Vahid S. (Iran)</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Afghanistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Terrorism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[War]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=5747</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I have been out of the posts for a while for many reasons but I wanted to chime in with respect to something that has been weighing on my mind for some time. As a witness to the current events &#8230;]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I have been out of the posts for a while for many reasons but I wanted to chime in with respect to something that has been weighing on my mind for some time. As a witness to the current events unfolding in Waziristan I cannot help but think that there must be a more holistic approach to fighting the Taliban and their respective allies. As any fair-minded person would wonder, I often say &#8220;Well jeez, these people are only terrorists because the politics of the day make them so&#8221;. How then can we answer the questions which they raise, and the issues that so often divide us.</p>
<p>While this subject is worthy of much scholarly debate and has been since 9-11, we as a global community need to ask ourselves the fundamental questions. How can we successfully fight terrorism without so much collateral damage? Collateral damage in this sense refers to civilian loss of life. I am not going to enter into a debate about privacy or the hijacking of religious themes. The simple matter of the fact is that the current conflict in that part of the world claims the lives of many innocent people. I would like to propose we focus on non-violent means to answer the infringement of terrorists on the lives of the everyday person in &#8220;AFPAK&#8221;.</p>
<p>One alternative to fighting terrorism is simply empowering people economically. The US military has recently seen evidence to support the fact that Afghans would rather raise livestock and traditional crops as opposed to opium. The only reason they continue to grow the problematic plant is that the Taliban pay to do so. So, in short, instead of dropping bombs and leveling villages in an attempt to kill high value targets, why not parachute a box of male and female goats into a village? Why not let chickens drop from the sky? Imagine the scene if villagers came upon a ready and of age flock of chickens and roosters, goats, and livestock. There would be an immediate appreciation and a simultaneous impulse to protect and defend ones livelihood. In this part of the world, the most important bargaining chip is that which you can do and show for. Forget the far off notions of democracy and freedom. The people need food and a means of empowerment before any sort of political system. First, address the most basic of needs, then move to the next step. At the same time, give the people a reason to trust the occupiers. Presently, American troops and their Afghan partners are promising security and prosperity on the condition of cooperation. In reality the average Afghan doesn&#8217;t give a hoot about what goes on in Kabul. They care about the village and tribe. So, to answer this dilemma, fill a gap the Taliban cant&#8211;give them chickens and goats to raise and sell.</p>
<p>While this may sound funny and out of place in light of much more articulate descriptions of the current problems, I would like to humbly remind the reader of an acronym I learned recently. KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid. We have PhDs and generals losing sleep overnight about how to fight the insurgency. Could it be the reality of the matter is not about terrorists and AK-47s, but simply about alternatives and finding something else to do with ones time? People are more inclined to avoid subversive behavior, of any sort for that matter, if they are engaged in something productive and fruitful. At present, the average Afghan is jobless, poor and without much alternative. This leads to desperation and poverty and in some cases seeking sustenance via any alternative&#8230;aka shooting a weapon.</p>
<p>I think my point has been made and I will leave it at that.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.mideastyouth.com/2009/11/06/chickens-goats-and-the-taliban/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

