The earthquake that struck Herat, resulting in the tragic loss of over 2,000 lives and leaving several thousand others injured, has plunged the people of Afghanistan into a profound state of suffering. The Afghan society, currently grappling with the oppressive regime of the Taliban, finds itself far more susceptible to natural disasters due to the absence of a functioning government. Major natural calamities, such as the Herat Province earthquake, have transformed the humble mud dwellings of the impoverished and marginalized Afghan populace into heaps of rubble, burying thousands beneath. The abhorrent and inconsiderate conduct of the Taliban has further exacerbated these catastrophes.
A primary contributing factor to the high casualty count is the lack of preparedness for natural disasters. The organization operating under the guise of the Ministry of State for Natural Disasters is not designed to anticipate or mitigate these catastrophes but rather to provide post-incident services akin to charitable organizations. They furnish statistics and, in some cases, distribute aid. Furthermore, housing in Afghanistan, particularly the rural mud structures, is constructed without adhering to any standard earthquake-resistant measures or consideration of the geological fault lines. The construction of substandard clay houses in regions prone to seismic activity, often by individuals who can barely afford it, significantly compounds the casualties resulting from earthquakes.
Another distressing factor leading to the rising death toll in the Herat earthquake is the peculiar and reprehensible behavior exhibited by the Taliban. Since the earthquake occurred around midday when most people were likely at home for lunch, efforts were made to steer clear of hazardous zones. However, reports indicate that the Taliban resorted to assaulting women who had left their homes following the quake. These women were accused of lacking permission from their male guardians and heads of the family, or mahram, as dictated by Taliban policies. This illicit behavior of the Taliban hindered many women and children from escaping the imminent danger. Such conduct, often cloaked in religious and tribal garb, perpetuates the exclusion of women from society and subjects them to psychological and physical harm. In times of crisis, like the earthquake, it deprives women of the ability to seek their husbands’ or family members’ permission to leave their homes, even if they were to adhere to the Taliban’s misogynistic doctrines.
Yet another aspect of the Taliban’s behavior that contributed to the elevated casualty count was their delayed response in initiating rescue operations and the subsequent sluggishness of these efforts. The departments responsible for managing crises under Taliban control lack the necessary preparedness and resources. Following the earthquake, not only did they respond tardily, but they also lacked the essential facilities. A full day after the earthquake, the Taliban regime finally announced the dispatch of a deputy from the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) to Herat. These lapses and inefficiencies squandered valuable opportunities to save those trapped beneath the rubble, inevitably resulting in a higher death toll. The manner in which the rescue operation was conducted also raised concerns. Eyewitnesses reported that bulldozers were employed in such a manner that survival seemed improbable. According to these accounts, the bulldozers transported soil to different locations, while rescue workers searched for “corpses” within these heaps of earth.
The Taliban’s conduct in the wake of the Herat earthquake is deeply regrettable and scandalous, particularly concerning their treatment of relief teams and women. On October 8, reports surfaced indicating that while the bodies of male victims were respectfully buried and shrouded, the same dignity was denied to the female victims. Astonishingly, the Taliban prohibited women from being present in the area. Despite the willingness of a group of women to volunteer for the rescue operation and the task of bathing and shrouding the deceased females, the Taliban denied them access to the affected area. Individuals who ventured into villages in the Zinda-Jan district, where the earthquake had wrought devastation, to offer aid, reported a conspicuous absence of women participating in relief efforts. Reports also revealed that some women from Herat city, motivated by compassion, sought to assist and understand the plight of the earthquake victims but were similarly denied entry. Even female journalists were barred from accessing the earthquake-stricken regions.
In the midst of Afghanistan’s profound suffering, burdened by the weight of thousands of corpses, the Taliban persisted in imposing their regressive ideologies and misogynistic policies, exacerbating the misery of the Afghan people, especially the survivors of the Herat earthquake.
The Taliban have erected a formidable barrier between themselves and the populace. On one side stand armed and self-appointed men, unaccountable for their actions, who deem citizens as mere “subjects” and demand unwavering obedience. Any deviation from this obedience results in threats and intimidation. On the other side of this stark divide are individuals scarred by years of conflict, robbed of the joys of life. For over two years, these people have endured the Taliban’s brutal rule, enduring immense pain and suffering. A significant portion of their agony is not solely due to natural disasters; it is also a consequence of the inhumanity perpetrated by the Taliban and other terrorist groups.
In such dire times, expecting the Taliban to empathize with the people’s anguish is futile. The invisible barrier between the Taliban and the rest of society prevents them from comprehending the people’s grief during natural calamities. The Taliban view their relationship with society merely as one of command and obedience, erecting a boundary that isolates them from the people they purport to lead. Consequently, incidents such as the mistreatment of women following the Herat earthquake are tragically common. The Taliban failed to grasp the magnitude of the people’s suffering and persisted, even in the face of adversity, in imposing their narrow interpretation of religion and culture on the populace. These recurring patterns of behavior, coupled with the dissemination of conflicting and confusing statistics, have deepened the despair of the Afghan people.
Certain actions, such as barring women from high-risk areas and the delayed and ineffective execution of rescue operations, have tragically multiplied the number of victims. Afghanistan is in dire need of a functional government, like any other nation. The quasi-government established by the Taliban not only lacks the understanding of the importance of combating natural disasters but also lacks the requisite expertise to address them. Instead, this regime only compounds the people’s misery and intensifies their distress, further underscoring the necessity of a capable and compassionate government for Afghanistan’s future.
