“People in Afghanistan are today facing a food insecurity and malnutrition crisis of unparalleled proportions. The rapid increase in those experiencing acute hunger – from 14 million in July 2021 to 23 million in March 2022 – has forced households to resort to desperate measures…” – Dr Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special Representative for the UN Secretary General, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator
Food Crisis
People are not getting enough food to eat in Afghanistan. Now 95% of Afghans are in the critical category of not eating enough to sustain themselves physically. In homes where women are the bread-winners, 100% now don’t have enough to eat. The economy has collapsed, resulting in “more than 3.5 million children in need of nutrition treatment support,” according to the UN.
This food crisis is to be expected under a terrorist regime that declared previously that the hungry should pray to God for food because the Taliban-Haqqani network never promised to feed them.
The food emergency is just the latest evidence that the global diplomatic effort to stop the decline of Afghanistan is failing. More murders occurred this week – women working to provide vaccinations in Kunduz Province and some of the male workers accompanying them. Executions of young men charged with bogus crimes are ongoing as well. According to Independent Persian News, four Tajik teenagers are set to be executed to cover up recent Taliban crimes.
More Fighters and Murders
While diplomats continue to hold meetings with the Taliban-Haqqani terrorists, the regime continues to build up their militia forces and add new extremist ideological content to education institutes and centers. The world is standing by as the Taliban-Haqqani regime builds an army-sized terrorist force. The Taliban post weekly videos and photos of their graduation events where they proudly describe how the fighters were freshly indoctrinated with extremist ideology.
Ineffective Diplomacy
So far, the Taliban seem to be immune to diplomatic pressure. Time is running out for Afghans that are hoping for a return of normalcy and security. The Taliban-Haqqani regime has not stopped their terrorist attacks on Afghans; they are just being more selective in their targets.
While Afghans starve and live in fear, the nations of Turkey and Qatar are finishing up their negotiations with the Taliban regime to operate the Afghan airports. This is good news for the aviation sector and some Afghans, but in these negotiations and meetings, many clumsy or ill-intentioned diplomats are actually helping the Taliban-Haqqani terrorist group gain international legitimacy.
The One Hope is Afghan Women
The one sliver of hope that shines each week in Afghanistan is the bravery of Afghan women who continue to protest against the Taliban and ask for all of their human rights to be honored. This movement continues to inspire Afghans and keep the press interested in stories about Afghanistan. In an upcoming conference (March 23) The Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan organization is leading a “Women and Girls Speak Out” event to let the world hear first-hand accounts from women and girls in Afghanistan as they discuss the need to prioritize education in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.
Whether the diplomatic community will shift their approach and make headway in stopping the death spiral in Afghanistan, or continue the path to more despair is anyone’s guess. It is clear that the Afghanistan is no longer a hot topic in the news. Time is not on the side of Afghan citizens, and time cannot be recovered once lost.
