Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Posts tagged: Herat

Herat

Failings of Inclusivity: The Herat uprising of March 1979

Charlie Gammell •

In the spring of 1979, Afghanistan was almost in open rebellion against the government of the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA); first uprisings happened around the country. One, that started today 36 years ago in Herat, succeeded in driving out the ‘Khalqi’ government and controlling the city for three days of chaotic independence in […]

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Civil Society's symbolic cabinet. Photo courtesy of Khaama.

104 Days Without a Government – and Counting: The national mood sours

Kate Clark • Obaid Ali • Thomas Ruttig •

More than three months after President Muhammad Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah were inaugurated, they have still not formed a government. That continuing lack of a cabinet has meant public confidence and patience – which, at the time of the inauguration, ran high – are now wearing thin. A civil society […]

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The Gitmo Five: a hypothetical threat?

AAN •

Himal (Kathmandu), 6 June 2014 A very clearly written piece by former the UN human rights chief in Kabul, Norah Niland, away from the overwhelming focus on the US perspective(s) elsewhere in many media, pointing out the shortcomings of the Guantanamo system, with its “common characteristic of the Bush and Obama administrations of equating suspicion of ‘terrorist’ activity […]

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Dividing the Field: Who shapes the electoral landscape in a Herat township – and how?

S Reza Kazemi •

In Herat, elders have divided a township into areas supporting different presidential contenders. They are motivated by financial and other benefits and a desire to end up on the winning side in any case. But they are also divided, mainly along political party lines. This heralds the coming of potentially highly contested presidential and provincial […]

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مردی با بمب دستی زن و دو کودکش را در غرب افغانستان مجروح کرد

AAN •

BBC (Persian), 18 February 2014 In an article about a man in Herat who blew up his own family members with a hand grenade, AAN's Wazhma Samandary is quoted as saying that cases of domestic violence might not have gone up, but the number of such cases reported: خانم وژمه سمندری از شبکه تحلیل گران […]

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Money, Jobs and Mutton Soup: Pre-election discourses in a Herat township

S Reza Kazemi •

In Herat, campaign activity for Afghanistan’s crucial simultaneous presidential and provincial council elections began well before the official start on 2 February 2014, at least in parts of the city’s outskirts. The candidates are increasingly making themselves known to ordinary people and some presidential candidates have also been making initial appearances in local communities. Small […]

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Rallies, Debate, Rain and Snow: The 2014 presidential election campaign starts

Kate Clark •

The Afghan presidential election campaign has kicked off – two months before polling day. Candidates are showing a range of attitudes, from launching big, brash public rallies to a rather desultory ‘we start tomorrow’ attitude. With no evident frontrunner, it seems the campaign will involve a real attempt to win over voters and will be […]

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Back to Stopgap Appointments? The story behind the replacement of Herat’s governor

Fabrizio Foschini •

Among the recent batch of governors’ changes, that of Herat’s Daud Shah Saba was probably the most conspicuous. Saba, a technocrat, had found himself in a confrontation with supporters of the pre-eminent local strongman, Minister for Energy and Water, Ismail Khan, and this conflict eventually led him to resign. So what is now in store […]

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Afghan Prosecutor Faces Criticism for Her Pursuit of ‘Moral Crimes’

admin •

New York Times, 28 December 2012 The only woman serving as chief prosecutor in any of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, in Herat, has come to personify the fine line between the progressive and the conservative. She has come under criticism — that her office is jailing women for so-called moral crimes at nearly the highest pace […]

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Guns, Girls and Grizzled Warriors: Ismail Khan’s mujahedin council project in the West

Fabrizio Foschini •

The phenomenon of Afghan strongmen visiting their home provinces and delivering fiery speeches to their ‘traditional’ constituencies is all but new. Still, it has intensified as of late, as the transition process is said to progress and the next presidential election approaches. The most recent rendition given by the Minister of Water and Energy, Ismail […]

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Rising kidnap cases spark strike in Herat City

admin •

Pajhwok News Agency (Kabul), 8 August 2012 Workers of industrial companies, moneychangers, doctors, jewellers and traders went on strike in protest against rising kidnappings in western Herat province.

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