Say Afghan traders in Kyiv’s Troyeshchyna market

“The war on terrorism recently declared by the United States and the likely destruction of the Taliban movement forces in the course of the military campaign might play a positive role in Afghanistan’s future development,” Mohmad Omar Mohmad Azam, an Afghan refugee and now trader on Kyiv’s Troyeshchyna bazaar, told The Day.

The Talibs, military formations that in 1978 rallied under banners of jihad against the Soviet-sponsored Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, seized power following the withdrawal of the Soviet troops from the country. “At the time, we all had great hopes for a peaceful life and the country’s development,” a committee member of an Afghan civic organization in Ukraine and former soldier, Janat Subkhan, told The Day. But the hopes were short-lived. “The Taliban and the Malakh groupings, supported by superpowers pursuing their own strategic interests, plunged the country into the abyss of the civil war continuing until now,” he said.

A series of military and political interventions, with the emergence of the Taliban as their pitiful result, has become a national tragedy for the Afghans. The Taliban-controlled capital of Kabul lies in ruins, about three million of the country’s civilian population has died, and the economy does not function. “Many Afghans today have no means of existence whatever. After a three-year draught, some have simply been driven to eat grass,” Janat Subkhan continues. Even if the Talibs and the Malakhs make peace, they will not be able to run the country, he says. “They can only fight. Their place is in mosques.”

With his relatives still living in Afghanistan and dreaming of returning to his homeland, Mohmad Omar Mohmad Azam speaks about the likelihood of a positive impact the war with terrorism might have on his country. “After more than twenty years of ordeals, the Afghans fear no one,” he declares. “The Americans know where to bomb, and the civilian population will not be the target,” he states trustingly.

“The bombings, let alone land operations, will merely bring new misfortunes to the Afghans who could perhaps view them as yet another foreign invasion,” former combatant Janat Subkhan sounds more critical toward the US reprisals. “Had the Americans wanted, they would have destroyed Osama Bin Laden. Interestingly, twenty years ago they did not regard him as a terrorist.”

Anticipating new cataclysms, the Afghans are fleeing from their war- weary and embattled country, with over one million already having crossed over to Iran and Pakistan. It has turned out, however, that the bulk of the country’s fifteen million people has no means even to move to neighboring provinces, let alone escape to more distant countries.

For this reason, our interviewees reiterate, their compatriots will flee primarily to Iran and Pakistan, and Ukraine is unlikely to have any wave of refugees from Afghanistan. They also state that 99% of Afghan traders on the Troyeshchyna market in Kyiv have one or even several university degrees. They also say that in the aftermath of September 11 terrorists attack on the USA the Ukrainian authorities have not toughened control over immigrants from Afghanistan, noting they face the same problems as Ukrainian traders.

INCIDENTALLY

On September 26, police took twenty five illegal immigrants from Afghanistan into custody in border Zakarpattia oblast, including twenty in the forest area in the Velyky Berezny district and five in the woods near Uzhhorod. The State Committee for State Border Protection press service representative told The Day, “The anticipated considerable upsurge in illegal immigration after September 11 has not happened.” Still, border troops have been put on higher alert, with Operation Border-2001 gathering momentum along all Ukraine’s borders.

In view of the likelihood of increased illegal immigration the Ministry of Internal Affairs has already taken appropriate steps, a ministry press center spokesperson told The Day. In particular, the ministry has stepped up its activities and begun making more frequent checks. Our correspondent also found out that Minister of Internal Affairs Yury Smirnov is soon to sign a draft of Operation Migrant to tighten security even further.