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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
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Anonymous

‘Do not laugh. Do not wear this. Do not speak aloud’: life under the Taliban

Women wearing yellow and blue burkas in Afghanistan
‘In this grim situation, the spirit of freedom is stifled, leaving only a bleak silence where the hope for freedom and progress seems like a distant dream.’ Photograph: Marwan Naamani/EPA

Islamic fascism, a harsh form of tyranny, is marked by oppressive rule, intolerance and violence. Its most extreme form today is seen here in Afghanistan, where freedom is crushed under severe suppression. Fascism in Afghanistan is a particularly cruel and horrific form of oppression, severely interfering in every aspect of life, especially for women. It controls everything from what we wear and where we go and most importantly, what we are allowed to think. Women are denied education, stripping us of the ability to think independently. However, the lack of freedom also affects men, who are similarly restricted from thinking or acting differently or speaking out against the rules imposed by the Taliban.

Women are removed from all areas of life, our voices and presence erased from society. Democracy and human rights are completely ignored, considered enemies of the Taliban regime. Children’s minds are molded through harsh indoctrination, turning them into tools that threaten freedom and particularly women. Thousands of innocent children are being educated in Taliban’s schools to become adversaries of women’s rights, democracy, progress and freedom. Through extreme religious indoctrination, they are being shaped into a serious threat to the entire world.

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