The Two Faces of the Taliban: Who got rid of all those dogs?

 The Taliban, an Islamic extremist armed group, has ruled Afghanistan (hereinafter referred to as Afghanistan) twice (1996-2001 and 2021-present). The Taliban’s first term in power in Afghanistan was marred by tyranny that suppressed all freedoms. The Taliban, who are entering their second term in power in 2021, say they are different from before, but the West’s gaze towards them is not much different from the past. Which is the real face of the Taliban: what the Taliban say they are or what the West’s observers say about them?

In December 2023, Lee Shin-seok, a reporter specializing in reporting conflict areas for ‘The AsiaN’; who faced Afghanistan under the Taliban with his body and mind, tells the story of the Taliban and Afghanistan as they are. -editor

By Lee Shin-seok,
Conflict zone reporter Journey through The Wrong Side of the Tracks

 SEOUL: On August 15, 2021, the United States suddenly withdrew from Afghanistan, causing chaos at Kabul Airport as U.S. and other multinational soldiers and officials, as well as Koreans from various countries, fled Afghanistan. This news came while media around the world were reporting the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the resulting chaos.

Dogs locked in cages and taken somewhere. Filmed in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.

They say, “When you look at pets, you can see a country’s human rights.”

According to the news, a retired Royal Marines was running an abandoned dog shelter in Afghanistan. As the situation in Afghanistan became more complicated, he persuaded the British Parliament to charter a plane and escaped to England with 170 abandoned dogs.

At the time, in a crisis situation, there was a heated debate over whether ‘animals’ lives come first’ or ‘human lives come first’. Each individual may have different opinions, but I believe that regardless of the priorities of animals and people, respect for life is directly related to human rights. This is especially true in Afghanistan.

Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. White buildings here and there gave a neat impression, but there were few people on the streets.

North Korea, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan are among the worst human rights blind spots on the planet. I have never been to North Korea, but I have been to Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, seven times so far. Ashgabat is nicknamed the ‘City of Angels’ because the entire city is filled with buildings made of white marble.

However, there were very few people among the white streets of Ashgabat. People did not come out onto the streets because soldiers and police monitored and controlled every corner of the streets. Tourists were also allowed to enter and take pictures only in approved areas. The reality of Ashgabat, which operates under strict control, seemed far from the words human rights and freedom.

In contrast, Turkmenistan’s attitude towards animals was special. In Turkmenistan, the Alabai, a very large breed, was treated as the ‘national dog’. Because it was so loved by the people, it could often be seen everywhere on the streets. Although Alabai later disappeared from the streets for contaminating the streets and carrying diseases.

Turkmenistan’s famous horse, Akhal Teke (local language). It is also called one-blooded horse or red horse. This species, which has short fur and thin skin, is often eaten by parasites by sucking blood, and after vigorous exercise, it looks as if it has shed blood, giving it the name Han-Blood Horse.

It is said that past presidents of Turkmenistan also loved horseback riding and worked hard to maintain the bloodline of the horse called ‘Ahal Teke’. The red tomato we know is also an Akhal Teke species, boasting strong vitality and endurance. Its reputation is well known worldwide. Turkmenistan’s ‘human rights’ are poor, but its ‘animal rights’ are as good as those of any other country.

A stray dog we met at the Parthenon Temple in Greece. An identification tag worn around the neck means that the entity is under the management of the local government.

The case of Greece is also interesting. While covering Greece, I saw countless stray dogs roaming the streets. In some cases, stray dogs had dog tags tied around their necks. This is filled by the local government, not the dog owner, which means that each local government is responsible for managing abandoned dogs. It was a common sight at Greek temples and famous places to see dogs acting cute and getting food from tourists.

Shadows are cast on the faces of caged street dogs and poor handymen.

Let’s go back to the Afghan story. After the Taliban came back to power in August 2021, Afghanistan cleaned up the streets and demolished illegal buildings in the name of social purification. It is said that at this time, the Taliban began culling abandoned dogs on the grounds that they picked up street waste and spread germs. Since then, it has become difficult to find dogs on the streets of Afghanistan. I also rarely saw street dogs while reporting in Afghanistan last month. However, I only occasionally witnessed dogs being loaded onto trucks and taken somewhere.

Ornamental birds being traded at the market in Kandahar. The sanitary conditions in the cages were very poor, raising concerns about the health of the birds. In Afghanistan, raising birds at home is a long-standing tradition. There are many concerns that commercially sold birds are vectors for various germs.

However, the Taliban’s irrational and inconsistent side is also revealed in their treatment of animals. Ornamental birds used to be traded in the streets of Afghanistan, and this was probably possible with the permission of the Taliban. When I looked at the birds, their condition was unusual. Birds that have not been vaccinated with antibiotics and are exposed to all kinds of germs are being sold. To compare it to us, it was similar to the act of buying and selling sick chicks in front of an elementary school back in the day when we didn’t know when they would die. If the Taliban’s reason for attacking abandoned dogs is the same, shouldn’t the buying and selling of sick birds also be prevented?

Boys begging in the market. In the cage in the back, sick birds are waiting for a new owner.

The author believes that respect for all life is not much different from respect for human rights. There may be some variations, but the way the Taliban treats abandoned dogs is excessive. If we take animals lightly, can we value humans?