Days after the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban took control of major cities at a break neck speed and installed themselves in the presidential palace in Kabul. Uncertainty prevails, with many Afghans desperate to leave the country.
As evacuations draw nearer to an end, the founder of the privately-run School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA), Shabana Basij-Rasikh, said that nearly 250 adolescent students, faculty, staff, and family members would decamp to Rwanda to continue their education for the next several months following a Taliban takeover earlier this month.
The militants have repeatedly promised a different kind of rule that will se democracy in the country , a move that raises concerns and questions as to truly how the regime can change their history compared to their brutal regime of the 1990s that saw girls barred from school, women confined to their homes, most entertainment banned, and stoning and public executions used as punishments.
But since their August 15 takeover of Kabul, Afghans have grown increasingly desperate to escape the country, with many terrified of facing life under the Taliban despite he hardships, many more Afghans continue to fight in getting their ways out of the county since all do not know what lies ahead of them after evacuation efforts stop.
On Tuesday, Shabana Basij-Rasikh, the founder of the privately-run School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA) said that nearly 250 adolescent students, faculty, staff, and family members would decamp to Rwanda to continue their education for the next several months.
On a social media post, Shabana Basij-Rasikh said everyone is en route to Qatar, and later to the nation of Rwanda where its intended that the students will begin a semester abroad for our entire student body. When circumstances on the ground permit, we hope the students can return home to Afghanistan
Yolande Makolo, a government spokeswoman In Kigali confirmed the news. And extended his sincere welcome of the SOLA community to Rwanda. In respect to their right to privacy, the spokesman further said more details will come as and when situations unfold but in the meantime, we expect the learners anytime in Rwanda.
Days earlier, Basij-Rasikh said she was burning her students’ educational records, in an effort “to protect them and their families”.
The UN rights chief warned on Tuesday that the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls was a “fundamental red line”. Speaking at the opening of an emergency session on Afghanistan, Michelle Bachelet urged the militants to honor commitments to respect the rights of women and girls, and of ethnic and religious minorities, and refrain from reprisals.
Time has now come for the Taliban to translate these commitments into reality.
Also, Bachelet added that her office had received credible reports of serious violations in places that have been under Taliban control, including summary executions, restrictions of women’s rights, blocking girls from attending school and recruitment of child soldiers.
Furthermore, in addition to Rwanda, Uganda is also considering a US request to take in Afghan refugees, with unconfirmed media reports last week suggesting that Kampala had agreed to host some 2,000 people from the country.
Aid agencies have repeatedly said that the international response to support refugees in East Africa has been underfunded, with the UN World Food Programme slashing its monthly assistance to refugees in Rwanda by more than half this year.
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