The UK Independent features an article on how, thanks to the British opium-eradication programme in Afghanistan, some farmers are being forced to hand their daughters over to drug traffickers to repay their debts.
It's pretty well known that women are treated as chattels in Afghanistan, but the British and Americans went ahead with the programme without caring what the consequences would be for the impoverished farmers and their families who grew the opium poppies.
Why, when Afghanistan is able to grow such large quantities of opium poppy, is the majority of legal farming of opium poppies done in India, Turkey, France and Tasmania? Obviously there is a finite market for legal opiates, but as the British and Afghan authorities continue to renege on promises of compensation and free seeds for sowing of alternate crops, why can't Afghan farmers be afforded a place in the legitimate opium poppy-growing industry? It can't be because it's more costly when produced by Afghan farmers; it must be because of Afghanistan's complete lack of diplomatic clout.
Many years ago, even before 9/11, I saw footage screened on SBS of Afghan women accused of adultery being lined up and shot in the head in a football stadium. At the time I wondered why the powerful governments of the world didn't do something about it. It didn't take me long to figure out what their priorities are. Despite the rhetoric, human life is not one of them.
4 comments:
Why didn't the west react until the Taliban backed Bin Laden killed US nationals in NY?
Because alas governments around the world have adopted 'realist' models where they only intervene when their national interest is threatened.
And at the time the Saudi's had backed the Talliban regime as a Bulwurk against Iran and no one wanted to annoy the Saudis.
Like Rwanda inaction in Afghanistan is one of the many recent scars on the conscience of the western world.
Currently in Afghanistan about 50% of the govt are ex warlords who had previously given allegience to their Taliban masters. And their hard cash comes from drugs.
Afghanistan - king country of the busted arse nations of the world. No wonder people tried to get out. Oh wait, it's all safe now. All those refugees from there we locked up or gave finite three year visas to can now be sent back...
Lol, yes, so safe in fact that Alexander Downer would move there himself if he didn't have such pressing responsibilities here!
I wonder how his prediliction for fishnets would go down with the locals...?
So long as his high heels didn't make a noise on the street I think he'd avoid a beating...
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