Sunday, April 08, 2007

In The News*

I didn't want to write this week's Sunday Scribblings. I was planning on skipping it. But this is on my mind and I might as well get it out.
Taliban kill Afghan journalist.
The Taleban in Afghanistan say they have killed an Afghan reporter abducted last month with an Italian journalist.
Afghanistan is in the news often, usually disheartening news about suicide attacks, losing hearts and minds and etc. I imagine it doesn't make much sense to others but it's painful for me. I read the news obsessively, checking e-ariana.com and all the other Afghan-news sources. But I can't process the information very quickly; I'm usually consumed by worry and anger, hope and hopelessness.

The news is my connection to Afghanistan, the everyday barometer of my life, of the lives of my loved ones. I don't like to talk about it; it forces me to confront so many fears and so many issues.

Confronting the privilege of being a refugee in the U.S. and not stuck in a soul-crushing regime. Watching local Afghans put themselves in danger to help their families, to right wrongs and maintain dignity in the dusty swirl of the current Afghanistan. Seeing that, yes, a person's nationality does make him more important to others. The mighty weight of a first world country reverberating in the little vinyl passport saves some and makes others less important in the great game of political chess.

The Taliban killed Ajmal Naqshbandi, Afghan journalist. It is a maneuver, to highlight the weaknesses of the Afghan government. The Taliban, the so-called Muslims, have killed a man. Have they never had any mercy in their lives? Did they consider, ever consider letting him go? That the Prophet (pbuh) wouldn’t allow a litter of puppies to be hurt by fighting and these people can’t save the life of a man? A fellow Muslim? A fellow Afghan?

Didn't they see something of themselves in him?

I imagine that the Naqshbandi family has been doing khatems, praying and crying, hoping for good news. Visitors have been coming to the Naqshbandi house, crying with them and praying. Women scurrying to quickly prepare snacks, meals and tea. They’re exhausted but hoping continuously.

I hope this is wrong. I hope it’s not true. But what else can we do now but pray?

*for more Sunday Scribbles

12 comments:

Regina said...

I saw this this morning- and it broke my heart...

Anonymous said...

I feel your helplessness, and I feel sick about this senseless loss of life.

One paradox is this: the Taleban's killing him won't advance their cause. They murdered for political/perception reasons, in order to look powerful, but no one sees them this way.

I think most see that they murdered an innocent person, and that this is an evil act.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you posted on this topic. I hadn't heard the news. It is so sad. As for the act itself, I find it so hard to find any sense at all in it, probably because there is none, at least within my sense of logic.

Your writing is wonderful, as always. Particularly liked: "maintain dignity in the dusty swirl of the current Afghanistan"

Thanks for posting.

Unknown said...

It makes some of our news seem so much smaller.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for your post. On the cover of Time magazine (Asian edition) last week, it said, "Talibanistan", and talked about this growing group. Praying for you and my friends who live, work, and have a love for the people there.

thefirecat said...

We are all praying. Not just his family, not just yours. All of us.

homeinkabul said...

yes, it is heartbreaking. it's an evil act and the only thing i can think of is to pray/send healing vibes.

laci, yes, i know the prayers weren't just limited to his or my family...

gautami tripathy said...

Whenever I read about news like this, I feel rage and helpless. When is all going to end?

Kristin Ohlson said...

Terrible, terrible. I'm sure they mean it as a warning to all the other Afghan journalists who dare to write truth.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't even find the words to post about it - I was so sad. I wanted to have good news. Guess life and reality were getting in the way of my plans. At least my boss came out with the right words again, pity they didn't seem to make any difference. Feeling a little hopeless today, indeed I am. I guess this too will pass.

Anonymous said...

i think i've found (been shown) a hole in the Great Firewall! Test Comment....

Anonymous said...

I'm thinking of you - here in London for a week I keep checking e-Ariana and yesterday felt a wave of guilt at being away when the mass grave was discovered - and I don't even work in the north, would have been doing nothing to help there.

And I'm not even Afghan, I can imagine a little of the complex emotional responses you must experience.

The only way I know to deal with the injustice of the different responses to the Italian and Afghan journalists is to make a conscious effort not to fall into the same trap. I'm sure I fail, but I have to keep trying, right?