Among the ethnic groups of Afghanistan, Mr. Ismael Yoon is renowned for making controversial comments, the most recent of which was broadcast on government television, giving 95 points to Taliban’s tyranny! This comment, coming from someone who was a prominent political figure of the Republic era and a respected academic, was met with surprise by many educated citizens, sparking a variety of reactions.
The people were taken aback as they were unaware of the criteria that had been used to give such a high score to an entirely authoritarian system. According to the internationally accepted standards, which have been established by international organizations since the 1980s, good governance has several distinct criteria: people’s involvement in the governance process, the most prominent manifestation of which is elections and people’s votes, the rule of law, particularly the constitution, transparency, particularly in financial matters, accountability through providing opportunities to political parties and civil institutions, equal rights of citizens, ensuring public consensus, accountability for programs and their effectiveness. Anybody who is academically literate would have to refer to these valid, tangible and measurable criteria when evaluating the rule of the Taliban or any other government that comes to power, so that their judgment is valid.
The Taliban, which Mr. Yoon scored 95, not only deprive girls of education and women of work, but also makes Afghanistan suffer crippling disadvantages as well. This group does not believe in the people’s vote, does not recognize any form of participation from the ground up, does not believe in the rights and freedoms of citizens, has disregarded public consensus, and does not allow questioning parties and institutions that provide the basis for the accountability of rulers to operate. Suppression of the media and the loss of freedom of expression have left no room for transparency, and there is no permission to discuss this group and its programs in the public space. In other words, the situation is the antithesis of what is known in the world as indicators of good governance.
In Afghanistan, speaking carelessly and giving irresponsible opinions has unfortunately become a common occurrence, and even those with an academic background often forget the timeless advice of Hafez: “Know what you say, or remain silent, O wise man!” This case serves as a moral lesson that hasty judgement and grading of an autocratic apparatus can have dire consequences, even for those who do not die. This was made evident when Mr. Yoon became angry and said that the Taliban wanted to take his TV building and turn it into a religious school, before the footprints of the interview had even dried.
Despite the fact that politicians in this country have not taken heed of their egregious errors, if there is anything to be learned from the Taliban’s rule, it is that tyranny should be taken seriously and not be overlooked for any reason. Making no effort to eradicate it will not only leave a stain on history that will be passed down to future generations, but will also bring about short-term regret, disappointment, and humiliation. Do not reward tyranny in any way, do not grade it, do not give it incentives.