Conflict and Mobility: The Case of Afghanistan

by Sharbari Ghosh

“The origin of the armed conflict in present-day Afghanistan was not an overnight cause-effect dichotomy. The aggression in the power politics seems immemorial. Be it the Soviet invasion into Afghan territory in 1979 (Cross 2), the military tension between the Mujahideen and the Soviet forces which continued for three years (coming to a close only in 1992 but remains unresolved, or the recent clash between the US Army and the Taliban. Afghanistan, along with other countries exploited in unequal geopolitical arrangements, continues to be made vulnerable, constant hotbeds of conspiracy and turmoil for ages. The present conflict can be traced back to 2001. The 9/11 terrorist attack in New York and Washington which killed 3000 people, instigated the United States under President George W. Bush to announce the infamous ‘War on Terror’ against the Al-Qaeda extremist group led by Osama Bin Laden, who at that time was being shielded by Afghanistan... The world needs to conceive of this conflict, not as a regionalised issue rather as a global threat. Violence in even one life will disrupt the harmony in the world. Hence, to keep the string of humanity taut and strong, all the countries around the globe need to come together to drive out the menace of violent conflict and work towards healing the trauma induced by terrorist groups.”

- Sharbari Ghosh, from an excerpt of the essay ‘Conflict and Mobility: The Case of Afghanistan’

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How to make a difference

Stay informed by following trusted organizations

​Amnesty International	https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/asia-and-the-pacific/south-asia/afghanistan/
​Chatham House (UK based)	https://www.chathamhouse.org/regions/asia-pacific/afghanistan
​Human Rights Watch	https://www.hrw.org/asia/afghanistan
​United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan	​https://unama.unmissions.org/
​World Health Organization	https://covid19.who.int/region/emro/country/af

Donate money or contribute other resources

​List of Afghan charities	https://afghanistanrelief.carrd.co/
​Asia Pacific Network of Refugees (APNOR)	https://chuffed.org/project/emergency-appeal-for-displaced-afghan-women-and-children
​International Rescue Committee (IRC)	​https://help.rescue.org/donate/afghanistan
​Save the Children	​https://www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/afghanistan
​UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)	​https://donate.unhcr.org/sg/en/afghanistan-situation