Afghanistan: The Murder Of Volleyball Player Marks The Beginning Of A Dark Era

Taliban’s Murder of Volleyball Player Marks Beginning of Afghan Dark Era

Phyllis Chesler

The disturbing midnight phone calls began this past weekend in Kabul. The caller, a man, said that he represents a group known as “Humans First” and that the family is on a flight manifest out. Then, he requests personal information.

This is all a ruse. Also,

“People are now receiving phone calls in English that tell them to go to Bagram for evacuation and then they are never seen again.”

The Taliban have also resumed their house to house hunting, looking for anyone who worked for Westerners, but especially for girls who play sports, or sing, or write poetry, especially love poetry.

Apparently, just yesterday, they murdered a member of the Afghan junior women’s volleyball team. She was a Hazara, a Shii’a Muslim, a group which has been hated and persecuted by the Sunni Muslim Afghans. As one woman says:

“She was (slain) in Kabul by the Taliban because she was (part of a) volleyball youth team. The Taliban are the enemies of girls working out, singing songs, playing any sports. In their (mind), girls have to stay home and obey their fathers, brothers, and husbands.”

She was allegedly be-headed but her family was warned against saying so. Afghanistan is ISIS-like country and could easily have been the model for Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel.

One woman tells me:

“I have never experienced such dark days like we are experiencing now. I curse the Taliban and have a lot to say but as long as I’m trapped here I can say nothing.”

What can my small group do — given that Germany and England have, apparently, finally (had to) shut their doors; given that it takes so much money to charter a plane; hire a pilot as well as on-the-ground men in-the-know to guide people to the airport? Then, one must pay ransom for each precious soul saved, and thereafter, for legal services here.

Who will come forward now to underwrite the rescue of these women and their families — immigrants rarely come alone?

Another woman tells us:

“As we hear and see, the situation is getting worse. I am searching for a way out. All the borders are closed. I do not feel safe anymore. May God bless us. If anyone has good news, please share it.”

Then, today, a woman says:

“An Afghan interpreter who was working for the Australians was just hanged by the Taliban. The Interpreter and his wife and children were in hiding, waiting for a humanitarian visa that did not come.”