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The Taliban, a predominantly Pashtun Sunni Islamic fundamentalist group, regained control over Afghanistan in July of 2021 during the withdrawal of US troops from the country. They have remained in power ever since. 

The Taliban’s sudden rise to power received extreme levels of media coverage in the Western world during its few months of relevance in late 2021. In addition to the general concern that a terrorist organization had reclaimed control of a country, this was a chance for Republicans to criticize the President. 

Biden’s decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan was ultimately what reignited the Taliban movement following their 20-year insurgence. However, this situation has slowly lost exposure to Western news whilst the people of Afghanistan have been forced to live under Taliban rule. 

The Impact on Afghanistan

There are clear concerns tied to a terrorist organization running a country, but surprisingly, there was not a single political party that could solidify its role long enough to prioritize the economy. 

Although it was done forcefully and against the will of the people, the last 3 years have been the most stable times that Afghan citizens have witnessed in decades. There is now a clear leader, and this has ultimately allowed for the country to develop. 

Additionally, crime rates in Afghanistan have fallen drastically, primarily due to the Taliban’s emphasis on stopping drug production. It is estimated that the production of opium is down roughly 95% since 2021; Afghanistan was previously notorious for being the world leader. 

Human Rights Violations Under the Taliban Regime

Despite these positive factors, there is a fair share of negative factors to the Taliban’s rise to power. The most obvious of these negative factors would be the deprivation of human rights, specifically for women. The Taliban interpret the Quran from an extremist lens. Women are often married off young, they can not attend school, they do not have the right to vote on any public matters, and they are wholly excluded from public office and the judiciary. 

In addition to the significant disadvantage placed upon women, there are certain human rights which are being violated for all. For instance, Islam is now the mandatory religion in Afghanistan, stripping people of their fundamental right to religion. Certain ethnic groups have also faced extreme discrimination and marginalization, which has further segregated the country rather than uniting it. In short, although the country has developed economically and looks to be improving statistically, the quality of living has dropped. This leads to the following question: is this trade-off worth it? 

Citizens of Afghanistan have certainly been more obedient over the last 3 years. As a result, we have seen crime rates drop, the economy rise, and peace within its borders. However, we must question the legitimacy of this obedience. One in support of the Taliban might argue that people willfully obey their rules as they understand that it is necessary and within the country’s best interest. 

Opponents would disagree, as they believe that this obedience comes from something far simpler: fear. If putting your daughter in high school augmented the chance of her being murdered by an extremist, you would also likely keep her out of school. If wearing a hijab in public decreased your chances of being killed, you would also wear a hijab. If your neighbour were killed for refusing to marry off his 14-year-old daughter to a 25-year-old man, you would have no choice but to marry off your daughter. Therefore, people will comply when they fear for their lives. 

The Illusion of Peace and the Hypocrisy

Most would agree that free will outweighs improved statistics on a piece of paper, not to mention that Afghanistan’s governance framework is not sustainable. There is a false sense of “peace” in Afghanistan because the only reason that one group is in control is because of their dominance. One can see the absurdity in considering a superior group that kills anyone in their way to be peaceful. 

There is also a level of hypocrisy for this group, which is not mentioned enough. The Taliban have set all of their laws to align with their extreme interpretation of the Quran. Women must cover their hair and skin, drugs and alcohol are prohibited, and same-sex marriage has been criminalized. These laws have all been created to ensure Afghan citizens follow the Quran. 

The irony is that these laws apply to everyone except themselves. Murder is considered to be one of the greatest sins in Islam, yet the Taliban can justify it without hesitation. Premarital sex and slavery are also strictly haram, but the Taliban can justify the acts of human trafficking and sex trafficking against children as young as 9 years of age. Forcing an entire country to practice and abide by an extreme form of religion is wrong in itself, but what is even worse is failing to practice what you preach.

Supporting Afghanistan’s Struggle for True Freedom

It is difficult to offer a direct solution to this ongoing problem; if it were easy, then it would have already been resolved. Nonetheless, we can attempt to prevent the Taliban from forming a full-blown dictatorship. There are reportedly a number of scattered opposing forces in the country, but none of them are significant enough to have any real impact. Therefore, the people of Afghanistan clearly need support from outside countries. 

From a realist perspective, helping Afghanistan by funding and supporting these opposing forces has benefits. Afghanistan currently has over $1 trillion worth of minerals, which can greatly benefit first-world countries. From a liberal perspective, Afghanistan has a population of 43 million, and each of these people has been stripped of their fundamental human rights. It is hard to justify remaining as a bystander. 

The Taliban have provided some positive aspects to Afghanistan. The economy has grown, drug and crime rates are down, and the civil war is over. This said, there is a clear violation of human rights present in Afghanistan, specifically for women and non-muslims. The question remains: does a stable economy and “peace” outweigh fundamental human rights? Our answer: no.

Edited by Light Naing and Osama Alshantti