Exclusive; Ariana Saeed: The Achievements of 20 Years in Afghanistan Were Destroyed Under Taliban Rule

On the second anniversary of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, Ariana Saeed, a popular Afghan singer and songwriter, criticized the situation in Afghanistan and the conditions of the people, especially women and artists, during this period in an exclusive interview with the Persian section of Voice of America. Ms. Saeed told Manoochehr Pordel from the Persian section of Voice of America that Afghanistan has faced economic problems and poverty over the past two years, and women have been deprived of their fundamental rights. According to this singer, while some artists in Afghanistan have turned to living in hiding, others have committed suicide. In the detailed interview, she discussed the social changes in Afghanistan, especially regarding women, stating that since the Taliban returned to power, the situation for the people of Afghanistan is not good at all. People are suffering from poverty, hunger, and misery. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans have migrated to other countries, and those who remain in Afghanistan are facing severe economic difficulties. There is no income, no work, and everyone is experiencing a kind of mental distress. Alongside this, especially Afghan women have completely lost their rights and freedoms. All their 20 years of achievements have been erased. Women are banned from working and are not allowed to work. All schools are closed to girls, and they do not even have their basic rights. In summary, since the Taliban returned to power, the only thing that has not happened is suicide bombings; apart from that, Afghanistan has problems from every perspective. Regarding the arts, culture, and music, Saeed stated that the Taliban have shown that they have issues with many aspects of Afghan culture. Art and music are a significant part of Afghan culture and always will be. However, they have once again banned music in Afghanistan. As a result, many artists have migrated and are facing numerous problems in other countries. Some artists who have remained in Afghanistan are currently isolated and live secretly in their homes out of fear of punishment. One of their biggest problems is economic, as the only source of income for artists is their art, and with the ban on music, they have no other means of earning a living. Additionally, there are no jobs available in Afghanistan for them. In summary, these artists are facing severe economic challenges, and their families and children do not have food to eat. Some artists that I personally know have committed suicide and are in very poor mental health. In this period of Taliban rule, unlike the first period in the 1990s, we have witnessed civil resistance from women. Saeed believes that the civil society that formed over the past 20 years is strong enough to continue the civil resistance of the people. She emphasized that Afghan women have made significant achievements over the past 20 years despite existing challenges. Women have studied and educated themselves, becoming teachers, engineers, and doctors, and they are aware of all their rights. It has been truly remarkable and interesting that women have stood up for their rights over the past two years, marching in the streets, fighting the Taliban, and resisting. She believes that if they continue their struggle, they will surely achieve their rights, and in the end, the Taliban will be forced to restore their rights, as the issues that women in Afghanistan endure are completely unacceptable and inhumane, and such rules imposed by the Taliban on women do not exist anywhere in the world, even in Islamic countries. Regarding the international community and Afghans living abroad, Saeed stated that the international community sends more than $30 million to Afghanistan every week, which goes directly to the Taliban. The international community has the power and capability to pressure the Taliban, thus forcing them to treat the people of Afghanistan, especially women, humanely and restore their rights. She believes it is important for Afghans in other countries to unite and pressure their governments to not forget Afghanistan. She thinks this is the least expectation that they can have from the international community.