BAMIYAN // As the Taliban edge closer to Kabul, villagers in one Afghan province are still living with the destruction caused when the militants last held power.
The burnt-out shells of homes continue to scar the otherwise beautiful landscape of Bamiyan. Charred black, they are both a testament to the past and a warning for the future.
"I heard the Taliban shooting and saw lots of pickup lorries, so we took all the women and children and escaped to the mountains," said Mohammad Hussein, recalling the militant's arrival at his house all those years ago.
Bamiyan, in central Afghanistan, is the heartland of the country's Shiite Hazara community.
The Sunni-fundamentalist Taliban movement captured the area in 1998, but fierce resistance meant they were soon driven out. Then, in 1999, they seized power again.
"They killed my uncle, my sister's sons and my brother's sons," said Mr Hussein, from inside a fire-damaged part of his home.
Bamiyan has become synonymous with the Taliban regime's extremism because of a single act: the blowing up of the ancient Buddhist statues that were carved into a cliff-face in the provincial capital.
A decade since their initial arrival here, the human cost of Taliban rule is equally obvious, yet the idea of them returning no longer seems as far-fetched as the US-led invasion once made it appear.
They already control huge swathes of territory in the country's south, east and west, effectively operating like a government in those areas. Bamiyan itself is relatively peaceful, but the unrest is closing in, and no one knows what the future holds.
Mr Hussein lives in the village of Pai-Katol-Mamora, which fell to the Taliban on three different occasions during the late 1990s. With Arabs and Pakistanis in their ranks, they destroyed his home and the local mosque. "Now we are just passing our lives," he said. "We don't have money, and we can't even eat rice or meat. All we have to survive on is bread and water from the river."
Throughout the Shaidan Valley, similar horror stories are told. Bodies of innocent farmers scattered the fields, mullahs were arrested and murdered, and children died in the mountains as they tried to flee the carnage.
Hussein Ali, who is in his late sixties, recalled how no one was quite sure what to expect as the militants approached.
"At the beginning, I heard from lots of people on the way that the Taliban were good people who do not steal," he said. "But when the Taliban arrived in Maidan Shah, slowly, slowly, we started to hear they were stealing and killing civilians."
Mr Ali eventually escaped and did not return until after the 2001 war.
"When we came back here there was nothing - just land and dust," he said.
This year looks to be the most violent since the Taliban regime collapsed, and there is now a real sense across Afghanistan that the insurgents have gained the upper hand. Foreign soldiers are dying at record levels, with more than 100 American troops already killed in 2008 alone.
A key reason for the chaos is the government's lack of support among the general population. All ethnic groups often feel sidelined and suspicion towards Hamid Karzai, the president, is widespread.
Abdul Hadi Rezai, a school principal in the village of Nal-e-Shera, said leaders of the Mujahideen - warlords who resisted Soviet occupation and the Taliban - should now be used to crush the insurgency.
"The people of Bamiyan believe that Karzai and the Taliban are going the same way," he said.
"Karzai does not want to finish the Taliban because then he will lose his position. He wants to show the people that if he leaves, the Taliban will return."
Perhaps that day will never come, but no one here seems 100 per cent certain that the bloodshed is fully behind them.
In Haji Gak Shaidan, near Shaidan, some of the buildings are still charred wrecks and there is not a radio or car to be found. For the meantime at least, the residents are happy in their isolation.
"We don't know anything about the Taliban now - if they are finished, if they are still fighting, if they are close to us," said Mohammed Hassan, 25. "We are living in the mountains so if we see people running away we will know the Taliban are coming."
@email:csands@thenational.ae
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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SPECS
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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2252 – Dh 50
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Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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if you go
The flights
Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return.
The trek
Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required.
SHAITTAN
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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