Thursday, March 28

Protests in Afghanistan Continue Despite Intimidation

Afghans lined the streets for the third day on Wednesday, despite Taliban efforts to intimidate opponents. Images on social media show women demonstrating in the capital Kabul against the composition of the new government.

 

Protesters chant slogans like “a cabinet without women fails”. They also brought signs with inscriptions such as “work, education and freedom”. However, the safety of protesters is not guaranteed. The Taliban have cracked down on protests in recent days.

The fundamentalists seized power in Afghanistan last month and presented their new government this week. It has no female ministers. Also, no members of the Hazara minority, Afghanistan’s third population group, have been appointed to important positions.

The Taliban held a reign of terror in the 1990s but are now trying to show the world a more moderate face. A spokesman for the new rulers emphasized on Wednesday that peaceful protests are allowed, subject to permission from the authorities.

However, the Taliban spokesman also accused some protesters of using provocative slogans to provoke unrest.

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