Hala Saraj Zada is my name, and I am one of the Afghan people who now live in Sweden. In my country, I was working with United Nations as Political Affairs Officer and Gender position. I was active in women's rights and political issues but due to insecurity and life threat from the Taliban, I had to leave Afghanistan. It wasn't a safe country for me anymore. I moved to Sweden in 2019.
I am incredibly heartbroken over the recent unfolding of events in Afghanistan. The Taliban has taken over the whole country in just a week.
We won’t be quiet to watch history repeat itself! I can't be quiet!
The Taliban need to be stopped before they get more out of hand. Everything you see right now from the Taliban is propaganda. They are aware that the world is watching. They know you are watching.
We all know what they stand for, and they have proved it in just a few days they have taken over the Capital of Afghanistan, Kabul.
But Afghans are not Taliban. Can you hear it?
However, they have been cannon fodder in this 20-year war that is now coming to an end, with the internationals running out of the country and leaving my people at the mercy of fundamentalists who represent nothing to the Afghans. The world shouted out for “Black Lives Matter”, they shouted out for “Turkey is burning”, “Free Palestine”. The world shouted out for “Pray for Syria.”, etc. The world needs to shout once again but this time for us, for me, for the Afghans. Because the Afghans, who are in 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 and are 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 themselves, were the ones who shouted loudest in the fight for justice for other countries, for other people.
𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 - silent when Afghans beg for help. Silent when Afghanistan needs the world more than ever. People have gotten used to the Afghans' suffering. Their pain has been normalized. “𝘖𝘩 𝘈𝘧𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯, 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯?”
No. Not again - this time Taliban are stronger than ever. This time Afghanistan is falling apart. People are losing their homes and seeing their loved ones dying. The Afghan Govt is calling on the Taliban to form a political party to participate in the elections. They have power through votes, while the Barbarians continue killing innocent people and taking power through violence. They don’t accept the Afghan constitution and want to change the Afghan flag to an ISIS flag.
We, who live abroad, know about women's rights. We have female leaders, female doctors, female judges, etc. The list is long here, but too short in a country like Afghanistan. There, it’s a man-dominated society, there, most women do not have a voice - neither outside in the public nor at home.
My home, my people, my hopes, and my dreams for Afghanistan all cast into darkness. I cannot concentrate on my studies. I cannot sleep. I am trying every Avenue to get my loved ones to safety. And nothing. Nothing is working.
I am under depression and cannot reach someone to help my parents... I want them out from Afghanistan as their life is under threat, and they need me a lot since I'm the only daughter who has devoted 32 years next to them.
Migrationsverket has rough law, they rejected my case last year, but this time I am applying again.
I have many things to say, and I pray for all Afghans' safety. I am praying for my family who is still there. Please if you can hear me, don't stay silent, shout once more. Shout for the Afghans this time. We need you! Afghans' lives matter!