Welcome to...

By Brittany Bell, Individual Media Option F)

June 2001

A brochure exploring

Afghanistan in June 2001 - when Amir got the call from

Rahim Kahn...and came back

Once you leave... you may never come back!

FEATURING

GENERAL INFORMATIONCurrency; language; religion; ruling; weather

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WOMEN/MEN - RULES

Outlining what you can’t do in Afghan, the punishments for these acts and the limited freedom you do have

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PLACES TO GO. HISTORY. WEBSITES.

Where to go and what to see; learn about the Taliban’s history in afghan & websites to visit for more information

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Under Taliban Ruling issu.com/brittanybell9/docs/afghanbrochure

Inspired by The Kite Runner

The Taliban make a grand entrance in Kabul The Burqua Perspective

AFGHAN

GENERAL INFORMATION! PAGE2

SOURCES | goo.gl/1kNAfG |http://goo.gl/CP1oKI | http://goo.gl/gsF9Gu | http://goo.gl/VGwgRA

Weather forecast for the year 2001

Afghanistan's Flag Islam Prayer Session

CURRENCY

Afghan Afghani (AFN) is the currency of Afghanistan.

1 CAD = 53 AFN

LANGUAGEDari & Pashto are the 2 official languages.

English is barely spoken, except in Kabul.

Salam = Hi

Aga = Mister

Bachem = My child

Inshallah - God Willing

Jan - Word of EndearmentNamaz - prayer (5 times daily)

RELIGIONIslam is the official religion, practiced by over 99%.

Sunni Islam is majority of the population

Shi’as make up 15% , most are Hazaras"Afghanistan for Pashtuns, I say. That's my vision." (43)

TALIBAN RULINGAs of 1996, Afghan has been under Taliban government

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, a fundamentalist group lead by Mohammed Omar.

The government is under strict Sharia law, thus women/

men are subject to punishment everyday.

“We passed...a wall with the words ZENDA B A D T A L I B A N ! sprayed in black.” (264)

WEATHER

HUMIDITY

DEW POINTDAILY HIGH

DAILY RED

MEN/WOMEN RULES! PAGE3

SOURCE | http://www.rawa.org/rules.htm | http://travel.gc.ca/destinations/afghanistan

WARNING: AFGHANISTAN - AVOID ALL TRAVEL We advise against all travel to Afghanistan, as it is extremely dangerous and under constant threat of terrorist attacks, kidnapping, high crime and bombings. The country is a war zone, as the number of Taliban killings continue to grow, even in calmer areas of Kabul. Embassies have very limited control and cannot provide safety for citizens.

• Women must always be accompanied by a male outside

• Women must wear a Burqua, covering them head to toe

• Women must ride on their segregated, designated “women” bus

• Windows must be painted black to hide women from public eye

• No cosmetic use is allowed

• Ban on women laughing or talking loudly in public

• Ban on women playing sports or going in a sport centre

• Ban on women studying at educational institutes (school, uni)

• Ban on pre-marital sex

• Women may not wearing bright clothes as it is “enticing”

• Women may not work outside their home

• Women may not see male doctors or shopkeepers

• Women may not ride bicycles or motorcycles

• Women may not wear wide-pant legs, even with burqua

• Women may not wash clothes in public place

• Men must wear Islamic cap & attire

• Men must keep a long beard

• Boys must wear turbans

• Men must chant “Allah-o-Akbar”, without

cheering at stadiums

• Non-muslims must stitch a yellow cloth onto clothes so they are distinguishable

• Youth must abide to their forced haircuts

• ALL must pray in mosques 5 times daily

• Ban on KITE FLYING

• Ban on taking pictures of women

• Ban on music, movies, TV and videos

• Ban on use of internet

• Ban on playing with birds or keeping as a pet

• Men may not trim or cut their beards

Kite Runner, Stoning Scene Women’s Dress Code

PUNISHMENTS INCLUDE CHOPPING PAINTED-NAIL FINGERS OFF; PUBLIC STONING FOR ADULTERY; ACID ATTACKS

MOST OF THESE PUNISHMENTS RESULT IN DEATH AND PUBLIC-SHAMING

TALIBAN HISTORY! PAGE4

SOURCE | http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban-time-2001.html | http://goo.gl/EfrlYv

The Taliban movement began in

northern Pakistan, in midst of Afghan’s Soviet invasion. The

United States and Saudi Arabia

provided funds for group members to support the Afghani Resistance

of the Soviet Invasion. In 1980,

Leader Zia-ul-haq, grandfather of global Islamic Jihad, aligned

himself with fellow powerful men and started Pakistan's ISI training

of around 90,000 Afghans (most

notably Mohammad Omar.

When Afghanistan’s soviet-supported Government fell in

1992 (due to the Mujahideen

forces), many political parties made a peace and power-sharing treaty,

the Peshwar Accord that formed

the Islamic State of Afghanistan and a temporary government. The

fighting continues as the Taliban

gradually become a force to be reckoned with.

In 1994, Pakistan appoints the Taliban to protect a trade, which

quickly emerges as one of the

strongest factions. Two years later, the Taliban (ruled by Mullah

Muhammad Omar) dominate and seize Kabul, exiling President

Rabbani to introduce a strict

Islamic law. Afterwards, they welcome Osama bin Laden under

their safety and protection. Pak i s tan’s re l ig ious school s

continue to send money and

equipment to the Taliban.The country becomes more of

a war zone as the years pass, breaking peace agreements,

arresting and executing thousands

of Hazara Shiites. The Taliban

continues to hold public stoning, whipping and arrests for those who

are accused of breaking their strict

laws.

In 2001, the Taliban bans

mu s i c , p l ay i n g c a rd s , T V, instruments and board games in

the “name of Islam”. Religious minorities must wear different

clothing stitching to differentiate

themselves from the majority. They blow up two 2,000 year-old

Buddhist statues, despite world’s pleas. On September 11th, they

assumably attack on World Trade

centre and trigger a decade-long w a r b e t w e e n t h e U S a n d

Afghanistan. In weeks, over 4,000

Afghans/day attempt to cross into Pakistan, in fear of U.S. response.

History of the TalibanTHE DESTRUCTION OF AFGHAN

The Taliban are down for photo-ops...media isn’t haram if they’re in it!! ...Or was it an inside job?

SIGHTSEEING PLACES ! PAGE5

SOURCE | The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini

KABUL

Destroyed Architecture in Kabul

Capital, AfghanistanLargest city: 3 million

Once a beautiful city, Kabul turns into a mess of “Rubble and

beggars” (257), due to the Soviet Invasion, Mujahedin opposition and Taliban...Spoiler alert! The US bombs Afghan later in 2001,

destroying even more of the architect and culture of Kabul.

The city welcomes you with a bold smell of diesel.

In Kabul, you can visit Baba’s house, which was originally

“...the most beautiful house in the Wazir Akbar Khan

district.” (4). Now, it’s far from the house that Amir remembers, however its memories are still prominent, and it’s still the only

pink house in Kabul.

The pomegranate tree that Amir and Hassan carved is now

wilted, never to bare fruit again. However, it still shows “Amir

and Hassan. The Sultans of Kabul” (277) - a must-see for any mourners of the fallout of Hassan & Amir.

HotelsOne of the remaining hotels is near Pashtunistan Square. It has a

run-down appearance, charging an “unthinkable price” (277) of $75 for its small rooms.

Some of the hotel’s features include:

• No hot running water

• A broken toilet

• Single bed with a worn mattress

• Ragged Blankets

• Dried bloodstains

• [Broken] Window overlooking the square

JalalabadDirections from

Jalalabad - Kabul

“In the old days, the drive from Jalalabad to

Kabul took two hours, maybe a little more. It took Farid and me over four hours to reach

Kabul.” (256)

4

SIGHTSEEING ATTRACTIONS! PAGE6

SOURCES | The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini | Dancing Boys Of Afghanistan, 2010

In the Kite Runner, Sohrab is a victim of the Bacha Bazi trade,

with Assef as his master. Sohrab is

taken in and out of his orphanage to

dance for Assef, and the experience proves to be traumatizing for him. When he’s at risk for going back to the orphanage again, he attempts suicide and

becomes mute. This is the fate of many

dancing boys, as a person can only handle so much.

Perverse men hold a Bacha Bazi (Dancing Boys) Party Public Hanging Stadium

Public StoningPublic Stoning is a huge event held at Ghazi Stadium! Before you witness 2 people accused of adultery being stoned to death, you enjoy watching two teams play soccer through a cloud of dust. Just make sure not to cheer, or else you get whipped by Talibs.

During halftime, people are thrown into waist-deep holes as the Taliban attempts to justify their brutality with a prayer and speech about God. Then the Taliban throws stones at the sinners until they are “...a mangled mess of blood and and shredded rags” (284). The dead bodies are thrown into trucks before the soccer players finish their game in the blood-stained field of dirt.

Bacha BaziBacha Bazi (Dancing boys) are young Afghan boys who are bought or kidnapped and trained to dance for older, perverse men who often rape the children. They are seen as an alternative to female stimulation, and not seen as haram by the men who hire them. It was banned by the Taliban, yet the tragedy continues to grow and spread.

You can easily hire dancing boys for a wedding, bachelor party, or just for fun. They are especially common in Kabul, and their ages range from 5-18. At 19, they are released to reclaim their status as a “man”, but the stigma is difficult to overcome. Some Bachas aspire to grow up and be a master of their own Dancing Boys, triggering a cycle of being abused, to abuse others.

Sohrab

AFGHAN BROCHURE

Let’s hope this is as close to Afghanistan

as you get.

June 2001

XOX

B R I T T A N Y B E L LC u l m i n a t i n g A c t i v i t y , I n d i v i d u a l M e d i a O p t i o n F ) Issue No. Two

Thanks for Visiting!

For more information, please visit:

http://goo.gl/CP1oKI | http://goo.gl/gsF9Gu

| http://goo.gl/VGwgRAhttp://documentaryheaven.com/the-

dancing-boys-of-afghanistan/