links
Pul-e-Jawan: A Regional Peace-building Team
Pul-e-Jawan, which literally means “bridges of youth” in Dari, Urdu and Hindi, is a group of regional peace building and active youth from Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. In September 2011, Internews, Afghanistan took initiative and invited five citizen journalists with an interest in peace and reconciliation issues from each of the above countries (a total of fifteen people) to meet in Kabul. The aim of Pul-e-Jawan is to provide an exchange for the youth and to bridge any gaps and issues…
Support Afghan Female Boxers Fighting their Way to London Olympics
In the basement of once notorious Ghazi National Olympic Stadium of Afghanistan is where the Afghan national team of female boxers train tirelessly hard for the Olympics 2012 in London. Once known as the stadium of death the venue was used for holding public executions and stoning under the brutal Taliban rule, 1996 to 2001. Under the Taliban women were completely forbidden from participating in any sports, not even as spectators. Refurbished by the US government, Ghazi Olympic Stadium reopened…
The Irrepressible Pashtun Sense of Humor
Pashtuns like to have a very loose schedule. We spend a lot of time trading jokes with other ‘comrades’, especially if there is green tea and a nice little Hujra(guest room). No matter how sad or troubled we are, we make fun of the misery and laugh about it. Interesting read in Dawn: The Irrepressible Sense of Humor of the Pashtoons Part of the article: ‘Where is Comrade Amin, our first Socialist Leader?’ ‘He’s dead, Comrade.’ ‘And where, Comrade Information officer…
A “Step Backwards” for America in Afghanistan
A video posted online last week showing US Marines urinating on the corpses of unknown Afghans was truly deplorable. Asia Times Article
On the Hunt for Mullah Omar
America has been trying to hunt the leader of the Taliban, Mullah Omar for over a decade now. Unsuccessful to get him, it wants to negotiate with the Taliban. Where is he? What does he look like? New Yorker Article: Looking for Mullah Omar
Malala Was Inspired by Her Great Leaders
Malala is a 14-year-old courageous Pakistani who has challenged the local Taliban that she’d do the opposite of what they’re doing. They destroy schools and Malala who was inspired by her great leaders, will spread education in Pakistan by setting up Malala Education Foundation. Read the multiple prizes winner’s inspiring story here.
U.S. Prepares for a Curtailed Relationship With Pakistan
“Mushahid Hussain Sayed, the secretary general of the Pakistan Muslim League‑Q, an opposition political party, summed up the anger that he said many harbored: “We feel like the U.S. treats Pakistan like a rainy-day girlfriend.—: this is a quote from the New York Times article. It’s funny that he thinks that the U.S. treats Pakistan like “a rainy-day girlfriend”. Nobody spends billions of dollars on “a rainy-day girlfriend”. Pakistan, Afghanistan and the U.S. are three countries that have been affected…
From Afghanistan to Cambodia
Today, I met with a special group of young citizen journalists and bloggers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. At this 4 hours event we discussed Online Freedom of Expression in Cambodian. I shared my experiences about blogging and the use of social media in Afghanistan and the problems and obstacles that we are facing in this area. Digital media collective forum features my talk. More details about the event here.
Links
This has floated across my linkspace over the past week: Pajhwok News — a local Afghan run news service, recently signed contract to provide video and photos to CNN. How to write about Afghanistan — amusing reading. (Thanks Ben Atlas!)  I guess we have to study it harder, since we’re failing so far. Jim Gant: the Green Beret who could win the war in Afghanistan — inspired reading. Kuchi, Afghan Nomads — Megan has been called a Kuchi, in particular by one enthusiastic boy.  Supposedly since the…