[Nettime-bold] Seeking Knowledge

["Ivo Skoric" <ivo@reporters.net>]

The more I read about it, the more it reminds me of Europe - in 
12th century. What was built there in this century - bridges, roads 
and the important tunnel through Hindu Kush - was built by the 
USSR and by the US. But since they locked into their geostrategic 
conflict over the region - which ended in the agreement (Geneva 
Accords) that did NOT include the Afghan forces on the ground, the 
country essentially traveled back in time, half a century per year. 
Roads were left in disrepair, gas wells were capped. The only 
remaining man-made objects of interest - two large ancient Buddha 
statues - were dynamited by Taliban last year, serving as a legacy 
of the enduring stupidity of their government. 

Yesterday, I heard Taliban 'foreign minister' on CNN complaining 
that they have to use sports stadiums (also foreign built) for public 
executions, because the West neglected to leave them appropriate 
facilities for such purpose. What? The Soviets didn't leave them a 
single operational gulag? What an a*holes! Taliban, of course, do 
not build, they are capable only of blowing big objects up. Did they 
build a single mosque, at least, in the whole country since they 
took over? But for prison building, at least, they could ask the 
world's leading expert: the U.S. Since the prison-building euphoria 
here in the US is slowly dying out, the prison building companies 
would be happy to take their business elsewhere.

The U.S. could also abolish the death penalty, as the rest of the 
Western civilization did, and let them use the gallows, gas 
chambers and electric chairs - as a more humane way of 
administering death penalty than what they are currently doing. As 
the enlightened minister said: the victims of a crime are pleased to 
see the perpetrator punished. Nothing would please New Yorkers 
more than to see Osama warm up the good Ol' Sparky.

Demographic info:
http://www.ifc.org/camena/afghan.htm
http://www.tradeport.org/ts/countries/afghanistan/wofact.html
http://www.tradeport.org/ts/countries/afghanistan/bnotes.html
http://www.tradeport.org/ts/countries/afghanistan/

70% of population over 15 in Afghanistan is illiterate. The rest are 
Taliban. That's perhaps why there is no newspapers. There are only 
30 thousands telephones on 26 million people. But 60% own a 
radio receiver - the main tool of spreading the Taliban thought (AM 
only, naturally, music is verboten).

10% of population has access to clean water. Only 20% live in the 
cities. Life expectancy is 45 for males and 43 for females, who 
gave birth to about 6 infants during their deprived and secluded life. 
And the inflation is over 200% (1996).

The country slightly smaller than Texas has a total of about 15 
(fifteen) miles of railroad track, and, of course, 87% of roads are 
unpaved.

Ok, here is another cool Afghan group:
http://www.geocities.com/bormal/
Afghan Youth Organization (AYO)
http://www.geocities.com/afghanm/
...and there is also the Afghan opposition radio and news service in 
English: http://www.afghanradio.com/azadi.html

There are hopes for peace even in the darkest and the most 
abandoned corner of the world.

ivo


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