In today’s Afghanistan, many people ask what should be done in the face of Taliban rule. Is taking to the streets the solution?
The reality is that many Afghan women and men know that public protests can lead to arrest, imprisonment, and repression. But that does not mean people have no way to resist.
History has shown that authoritarian governments fear one thing more than guns: informed and united citizens.
The Taliban can close the doors of a school, but they cannot stop people from learning. They can silence a media outlet, but they cannot bury the truth forever. They can imprison an individual, but they cannot remove the desire for freedom from the hearts of millions.
Today, the real struggle in Afghanistan is the struggle for awareness and knowledge. Every parent who encourages their children to learn is taking part in that struggle. Every woman who continues her education despite restrictions is taking part in that struggle. Every young person who speaks the truth and refuses to surrender to lies is taking part in that struggle.
In South Africa, the apartheid system eventually fell. In Eastern Europe, communist governments collapsed. In many countries around the world, people changed their future without weapons. The reason was simple: knowledge and awareness cannot be imprisoned.
The greatest mistake is to believe that nothing can be done. Authoritarianism becomes stronger when people lose hope. But when people preserve their hope, knowledge, and solidarity, no power can last forever.
Afghanistan needs informed, educated, united, and responsible women and men more than ever before. The future of this country will not be built by guns. It will be built by those who learn, educate others, speak the truth, and refuse to surrender to fear.
Every book that is read, every child who is educated, every truth that is spoken, and every mind that is awakened is a step toward a freer Afghanistan.
Noor Wodjouatt
