Yes I have read the taliban speeches to the UN. During the taliban regime Abdul Hakeem Mujahid in his application for a seat on the assembly stated that the Taliban's ban on women's education was because "Afghanistan lacks the resources to educate them". He also said the taliban do not trust the values that became part of the education system under previous governments, being another reason they totally banned womens education.
OK, so it is a resource issue (the right syllabus is just another resource). It does not sound exactly evil. Men have to provide for women afterall so it is maybe right they are helped a little bit. In addtion, it begs the question, what proportion of Afghanistan boys were going to school in these days? What is the exact size of the discrepancy ... maybe if we knew the number we would have realised that it is not that uncommon in poor countries.
So I am curious as to why the taliban themselves have stated they banned womens education in Afghanistan but you seem to think they did not? You seem to be very proud of your education and so you should be but do you not believe our sisters in Afghanistan deserve the same educational opportunities?
Of course they do. Except that they deserve security and food more. It is a matter of prioritisation. People often forget that taliban ruled a war ridden country that was under sactions and for only 5 years. How much can you really achieve within that time?
I think it is also very interesting to note that the daughter of Mr Mujahid went to a private school in Pakistan while he was helping to ban womens education.
Actually, this is against you. It comes to show that taliban was not against women education in the right conditions.
So yes I do read what taliban spokesmen say when they try to defend their decision that all windows of homes with women in must be blacked out, women that have to travel must do so on special buses with blacked out windows .... the list goes on and on. Could you live in almost permanent darkness? I think I would go mad and I find nothing in Islam that suggests I should live this way, like a small animal in a dark hole. Islam even offers more rights than this to prisoners of war.
I have never heard about that and would be interested in your sources. Anyway, presuming that this was right, would it not be similar to building special swimming pools for *modest* women & creating spaces -albeight small- where muslim women can feel they are not under the eyes of intruders ?
It would have all been nice if they requested electric powered automated shades and special AC car chambers for their women except that they just did not have it!
Even if we reject everything written about the taliban by a non Muslim, I do wonder why the OIC (Organization of Islamic Conference) has withheld both a seat and recognition from the taliban?
I'd not hold my breath for whatever the OIC say/do not say. They are not an authority in my book.
It deeply saddens me that these sisters are living under virtual permanent house arrest and people still defend these men and their actions.
I fully appreciate your sentements. However, -although I disagree with the taliban on many things- I don't think this justifies dropping 1/2 ton bombs on them & on their women. If a father was short on money and decided to get his son married rather than sending his daughter to the college then this is not exactly a crime theat deserves capital punishment.
Salam alaikoom