As citizens of the country prepare for Eid al-Adha, poverty and unemployment have stripped them of the ability to celebrate and find joy. According to these citizens, hunger, joblessness, and an uncertain future threaten the collective fate, with no outlet for expressing their pent-up frustrations. They emphasize that the economic crisis and recent flood damages have made life bitter, and accuse the Taliban of having no plans to provide services or prevent poverty and hunger. They charge the Taliban with bringing a grim and disastrous fate upon the people, causing devastating poverty and widespread unemployment that threaten communal life. The reduction in purchasing power has taken away people’s excitement and joy, and the collective deprivation of women from jobs and education has dried up their enthusiasm, turning their happiness into despair.
Some citizens state that the markets are less vibrant compared to previous years as Eid al-Adha approaches, with people losing their sources of joy. They note that no one from the city or district is coming to the markets to buy dried fruits, sweets, clothes, or other necessities, whereas these markets were bustling in similar times before.
These citizens stress that the continuation of poverty and hunger, unemployment, and lack of a clear future have eradicated joy, with everyone focused on finding a morsel of dry bread so their children do not sleep hungry. They emphasize that people are worried about the current situation persisting, and their pent-up frustrations have left no room for laughter or joy.
Noorangiz (pseudonym), a teacher at a school in Fayzabad, the capital of Badakhshan province, says that Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has taken away the joy of all women, especially teachers who educate girls under the toughest conditions. She adds, “Despite the removal of women from all governmental sectors and institutions, some teachers and health workers still had a glimmer of hope; but with the assignment of a monthly fixed salary of 5,000 Afghanis, that hope has also vanished.” She mentions that they were told that those whose salaries are based on positions will see deductions in their July salary, leaving her with only “one thousand Afghani” next month.
In addition to the high cost of food, people’s pockets and tables are emptying every day due to collective unemployment and capital flight from the country. Mass expulsions of migrants from neighboring countries are ongoing, with those who had gone to Turkey and other regional countries for work being expelled daily. These migrants had been the economic backbone of their families, and now they have joined the ranks of the unemployed.
Many of those interviewed by the Hasht-e Subh Daily say they neither have jobs nor job opportunities. Additionally, recent devastating floods have destroyed all their possessions.
Shamsuddin, one of the flood victims in Ghor province, says he is struggling to provide a single meal for his children and worries about how to move forward in such a situation. He adds, “There is no news of Eid in my household. We don’t eat anything but dry bread. This year, the floods have taken everything we had, and with dry lips and hungry stomachs, my children and I look to God for help.”
Flood victims in other regions of Afghanistan, including Baghlan, Takhar, and Badakhshan provinces, are also suffering similar hardships. Several flood victims in these areas told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that the floods have destroyed all their possessions, leaving them without food or shelter. They emphasize that their grief and sorrow are so profound and endless that they find no way to find joy.
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, poverty and unemployment have been on the rise daily, and people’s purchasing power has diminished significantly. Many people can no longer afford even their necessities, let alone spend on leisure and happiness for themselves and their children.
Even those with relatively stable economic conditions confirm that they lack the enthusiasm to celebrate Eid. According to them, people are becoming “poorer and more miserable” each day, and economic difficulties are putting their lives at risk, leaving them unable to find joy.
Wahab, a health specialist with what he describes as a satisfactory income, says that the poverty of society and its citizens troubles him, and he cannot find joy in Eid or other ceremonies and celebrations. He emphasizes, “When my next-door neighbor has no bread, how can I feel happy? I can’t help everyone because the majority of people need assistance.”
This health specialist adds, “When I see people in the city and markets, their faces show grief, sadness, hopelessness, and despair. No one is happy; the lack of freedom and employment has made everyone worried and anxious about the future.”
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme has stated, ahead of Eid al-Adha, that millions of people will celebrate this holiday and gather with their families around food. However, one-quarter of Afghanistan’s population goes to bed hungry every night, and at least 12 million people in the country do not know where their next meal will come from.
Previously, the World Bank also mentioned that Afghanistan’s economic outlook would remain “bleak” at least until 2025.
At the same time, Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, in his Eid message, urged people to serve the regime and what he called the “Islamic system.” He emphasized that the group has taken significant steps to expand religious schools in Afghanistan.
You can read the Persian version of this daily report here:
عید قربان و بغضهای در گلو خفته؛ طالبان خوشیهای مردم را گرفتهاند | روزنامه ۸صبح