Democratic Resistance

It starts to drizzle. People arrive one by one and quietly, their numbers growing steadily. The riot police are deployed. We are at Shahr-e-Naw Park, in the heart of Kabul, in November 2019. The government has banned marches on the streets due to too many attacks. Protests can only be held in this fenced area among the trees, surrounded by a metal net, like a chicken coop. The demonstration is organized by Hambastagi, the Solidarity Party, the only secular, progressive, and democratic party in the country. The protest is against the release of three Taliban members from the powerful Haqqani network in exchange for two American professors kidnapped in 2016. The three cutthroats are about to be freed, and the indignation among the people is strong. The enclosure is now full, and despite the prohibitions, they decide to leave the cage. People discreetly approach, shake hands, and cautiously whisper their approval. At that time, the party membership was growing, about 33,000: mostly young people, men, and many women. Entire families working together for their country.

Hambastagi militants were always there to welcome us at the airport when we arrived from Italy, with their enthusiasm and unwavering commitment. They stayed by our side throughout the CISDA delegation’s stay in Afghanistan. Our safety was in their experienced hands: a pickup truck with ten trusted and well-armed men followed us everywhere. They guided our steps, smiling and discreet. They knew; they were well informed. Party militants worked everywhere: in the government, the police, even in the secret services. An essential information network for those carrying out dangerous political work, even then, before the Taliban regime. Now we can only meet Nassim, the party spokesman, by phone.

How do Hambastagi members live today?

We can no longer expose ourselves. Demonstrations and public protests have become very dangerous; the Taliban conduct mass arrests. Prisoners often disappear. Some of us have been detained and tortured, and we managed to save them by a miracle. Our party was officially registered: we burned all the documents, but those who were more exposed, even on TV, and chose to remain in the country, have to constantly change houses to survive. We now work clandestinely, providing aid to the population devastated by poverty, which now affects even the middle class, without savings; we support, alongside the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) and the party militants, the needs and hopes of women.

The Taliban had promised more security. Is that the case?

No, unfortunately not. Almost every day there are suicide attacks, fights, and explosions, but the media does not report them. These news are censored.

Who are responsible? ISIS, Taliban?

Both. The war between ISIS Khorasan and the Taliban is fierce. The former has strong bases in Afghanistan, especially in the Northeast, gathering groups and militias dissatisfied with the Taliban. They try to destabilize the government in every way, even provoking reprisals. They cultivate the population’s hatred, bringing new adherents to their group. Rivalries between different Taliban factions often result in armed attacks. Then there are interethnic clashes.

What scenarios would a government collapse open?

Another civil war. It could happen, we expect it, maybe not immediately. For now, no foreign state is interested in eliminating the Taliban, and they will stay together as long as they have money to divide.

Where do these funds come from?

They have proceeds from drug trafficking and smuggling, and they regularly collect taxes. To increase them, in this economic crisis, they greatly encourage private enterprises. If you bring money, you can bypass their rules. Corruption is very high. The United Nations sends 40 million dollars a week to the government, officially for humanitarian aid.

We know from our sources how they divide it: each military leader takes their share and distributes it to their militias, leaving very little for the starving people. The Taliban do not provide any spending reports to the UN. It is likely that, in the secret clauses of the Doha agreements, economic support for the government installed after the Americans’ departure was also provided through indirect means.

Are there external interferences in Afghanistan?

Foreign countries use Taliban factions to counter other powers and protect their interests. Besides the United States, there are China, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, the Saudis, and Gulf countries. Each arms its Taliban or jihadists.

How is China moving?

Beijing is very present in Afghanistan, an advance not welcomed by other competitors on the ground, especially the US. They have started several projects, especially in the North, to extract gas and oil. Then there are lithium, copper, iron: they make deals with the Taliban for mine exploitation. In Kabul, they have their embassy, restaurants, and hotels. Last December, one of these was blown up.

What is Qatar’s role?

It has always been a mediator between the Taliban and the US, always involved in every negotiation, and acts as a bridge in the US support for the Taliban. This was presumably also in the secret Doha agreements. Qatar, the Emirates, and Turkey have provided money and protection to many warlords, like Mohamed Atta, or Dostum, and members of the past government, like Ashraf Ghani. They left the field in exchange for a rich and protected life in these countries.

Before saying goodbye, we ask him if he has grown a beard.

“There is no precise order, and I take advantage of that,” Nassim responds. “With men, the Taliban are not as harsh as they are with women, depending on who you face. With the ‘right’ beard, you are more at ease, but I continue to shave it with satisfaction every morning, and I dress as you have always seen me: with jeans and a sweater. A small form of private protest.”