The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has announced that it has sent a delegation led by the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) to Afghanistan, along with other Islamic religious institutions. According to the organization’s press release, this delegation engaged in discussions with Taliban authorities concerning moderation and fairness in Islam, as well as the right to education and women’s work. The deployment of this delegation, as per the request of the organization’s executive committee and council of ministers, has been carried out. The Taliban have also confirmed that this delegation met with the political deputy of the Prime Minister and the acting Foreign Minister of their group. The group claims that this delegation has praised the Taliban’s handling of the ISIS threat as “unparalleled and effective” and has urged the world to “acknowledge” the Taliban’s progress. However, some citizens argue that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should focus on addressing the widespread bans on women’s rights, bone-crushing poverty, extensive human rights violations, and the political crisis in Afghanistan, rather than lauding, whitewashing, and condoning the “medieval” behavior of the Taliban.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has announced that it has sent a delegation of Islamic scholars and intellectuals, led by the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), along with other religious institutions related to the Islamic world, to Afghanistan for discussions with the Taliban. According to the organization’s press release, this trip was carried out within the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)’s pursuit of resolutions from the executive committee and council of ministers. The organization’s statement reads: “Scholars, under the leadership of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) and other relevant religious institutions in the Islamic world, have been dispatched to Afghanistan [ to the Taliban government] to engage in dialogues on significant issues such as moderation and fairness in Islam, girls’ education, and women’s employment.” It is reported that these religious scholars come from countries including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Chad, and Ghana.
Meanwhile, the state-run Bakhtar news agency in Taliban-controlled has reported on the praise given by this delegation for the Taliban’s two-year performance. The news agency cites members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) delegation who described the Taliban’s handling of ISIS as “unparalleled and effective” and called on the world to “acknowledge” their progress. However, the Taliban have made no mention of moderation, fairness, or women’s rights, which were the primary focus of this delegation’s mission.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is currently commending the Taliban’s performance in countering the ISIS Khorasan (IS-K), but in the latest development, the United Nations Security Council has expressed concern over the increasing complexity of ISIS attacks in Afghanistan. Council members have emphasized that ISIS has enhanced its operational capabilities, and now over 20 different terrorist groups are active under Taliban rule. The Washington Post has also reported that with the return of the Taliban to power, Afghanistan has become a significant hub for ISIS.
Meanwhile, some citizens of the country argue that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), as a significant Islamic institution on the international stage, should focus on universal values, ensuring justice, and addressing the widespread human rights violations in Afghanistan. According to them, the delegation sent by this organization has concentrated on whitewashing the Taliban, a group accused of extensive human rights violations and the complete exclusion of women from public life.
These citizens contend that Afghanistan is in its worst humanitarian situation, as reported by international organizations and aid agencies. Habibullah, one of the country’s citizens, states that the economic situation of the people is dire. He adds that the economic conditions of the majority of citizens are alarming, and people are fleeing their homes due to extreme unemployment and hunger, seeking refuge in neighboring countries.
According to citizens, the current situation necessitates that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) exert pressure on the Taliban to cease oppression, exclusivity, and extremism. This would allow people to return to their normal lives. These citizens emphasize that Islamic countries should condemn the Taliban’s actions, which include exacerbating bone-crushing poverty and imposing severe restrictions on women. They call on the members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to address the critical situation in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, alongside the people’s demands. They urge that this crisis not be misrepresented to the Islamic world.
It should be noted that in the latest development, the Taliban have excluded women and girls from the medical council exam and the master’s program in public health. Currently, dozens of female graduates in medical fields are awaiting entry into specialized health institutions, but the Taliban have repeatedly deprived them of the entrance exam for medical specialization centers. In the past two years, the Taliban have issued over 50 decrees against women. According to these decrees, women are prohibited from higher education beyond the third grade, work, travel, desired clothing, entry into recreational facilities, restaurants, sports venues, and employment in international organizations, including the United Nations.
On the other hand, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has sent a delegation to engage in dialogue with the Taliban regarding Islamic moderation and fairness, even as this group, in the past two years, has excluded Jafari jurisprudence from the educational curriculum and marginalized it. This organization has also imposed severe restrictions on religious freedom, particularly during Shia religious ceremonies in Afghanistan. The Taliban have placed significant limitations on Shia mourners during the month of Muharram, resulting in several casualties due to the shooting by Taliban militants.
Previously, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) stated that the Taliban have severely restricted religious freedoms in Afghanistan. Additionally, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) expressed strong concerns over the systematic exclusion and widespread violations of religious freedoms of Shi’ites in Afghanistan by the Taliban. This organization has noted that the Taliban have prohibited the religious and creedal freedoms of Shi’ites, primarily Hazaras.
According to multiple human rights reports, the humanitarian crisis and human rights situation in Afghanistan have worsened. In the two-year rule of the Taliban over the country, the “Afghan Witness” group has reported 3,329 cases of human rights violations by the Taliban. These violations include the detention and killing of former military personnel, the arbitrary detention and suppression of women and girls protesting, torture, media censorship, and restrictions on religious freedoms and women’s rights, all of which the Taliban have been accused of committing.
Previously, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented 800 cases of human rights violations by the Taliban. According to UNAMA’s report, the Taliban have been held responsible for extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, torture, and mistreatment of former security forces and officials from the previous government. On the other hand, human rights watchdogs have described the human rights situation in Afghanistan as catastrophic and nightmarish.
It’s worth noting that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had previously sent a group of Islamic scholars to Afghanistan in July of this year. These religious scholars engaged in discussions with the Taliban, including topics related to women’s rights, such as the right to education and employment. However, the outcome of these talks remains unclear. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) resumed its activities in Afghanistan on March 6, 2022, following the Taliban’s takeover, and currently, 57 Islamic countries, including Afghanistan, are members of the organization.
