Like most Canadians I struggle to make sense of our mission in Afghanistan amidst daily headlines which tell of torture allegations, roadside bombs, the cowardly killing of civilians by unmanned U.S. drones, and the deaths of our military personnel. That’s why it is so inspiring to read about the successful work being done by the Central Asia Institute (CAI) and its humanitarian founder, Greg Mortenson to build schools for girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mortenson is the author of two remarkable books, Stones into Schools and Three Cups of Tea which I am encouraged to note has now become required reading for U.S. Special Forces and senior Military Commanders serving in Afghanistan as well as for members of Canada’s Department of National Defense.
According to Mortenson educating children, especially girls, should be the top global priority. As he says, “Until girls are educated, society won’t change.” To that end he has built over 130 mostly girl schools in Taliban regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan so remote and difficult to reach that few people know about and even fewer would ever think of going.
With patience, consultation and a profound respect for local customs Mortenson has been able to get tribal leaders and whole communities to ‘buy into’ building and protecting schools where the emphasis is on teaching girls. The CAI provides the building materials, skilled labor and teacher training while the communities provide free land, tools and labour. Because of the strong relationships he has built in this region, where the Taliban and other militant groups have bombed, destroyed or otherwise closed hundreds of mostly girl schools, only one of Mortenson’s schools was attacked. In this case it was swiftly taken back and put under guard by the locals.
Mortenson was even asked by the elders in the home village of Mullah Omar, the Afghan Taliban’s top commander to build them a school.
Mortenson expressed concern that President Obama held secret meetings without any public debate, congressional hearings or media attention when trying to ascertain whether or not to deploy more troops to the region. Neither was there any consultation with the three to five dozen Shura in each province of Afghanistan, comprised of elders, poets, warriors, businessmen and even a few women, who he says are the real people with integrity and power in Afghanistan.
“I think half of diplomacy is just showing up,” said Mortenson in a Bill Moyers interview on PBS (available online) where he also noted that the military, after the steep learning curve they have had, are beginning to recognize the importance of building these strong consultative relationships but that civilian officials have been quite a bit slower on the uptake.
Mortenson hires former Taliban members to teach in his school all of whom he says would lay down their lives without hesitation to protect the girls’ schools. These are men who turned away from the Taliban because their mothers told them that what they were doing was wrong and against Islam. Culturally, when someone goes on jihad without their mother’s permission it is regarded as a shameful disgrace.
Over the past couple of years Mortenson has observed that public sentiment is turning away from the Taliban as they have become more criminally inclined and unable to deliver on healthcare, education, roads and peace.
I recommend that everyone read these adventure packed and enlightening books especially our military personnel serving in Afghanistan – you won’t be sorry you did.
Tags: Afghanistan