Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Return of the Mullahs: On the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Return of the Mullahs: On the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Taliban have sent a clear message that they care little about what the world thinks of them

The debate on whether the Taliban would form an “inclusive (सर्व-समावेशी, सहित, सम्मिलित) government” representing all sections of Afghan society was laid to rest by the Taliban themselves on September 7 when the group’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, announced the formation of the new administration (प्रशासन, सरकार, शासन, कार्यकारी) of the ‘Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’. Of the 33 Cabinet Ministers named, 30 are Pashtun, two ethnic (प्रजातीय, सजातीय, एक जनसंख्या उपसमूह से संबंधित) Tajiks, and one is Uzbek. The Taliban are predominantly (मुख्य रूप से, अधिकतर) Pashtun (Pathan; They make up around 42 percent of the population of Afghanistan. They live mainly in the south and the east of the country. They have a distinct language called Pashto (an official language since 1936)), who make up (constitute, account for, comprise, form, compose) some 40% of Afghanistan’s ethnically (जातीय आधार पर) diverse (विविध, बहुत भिन्न, अनेक) population of 40 million. Women and the Hazara Shia minority — both faced targeted harassment (उत्पीड़न, कष्ट, जबरदस्ती) and discrimination (भेदभाव, पूर्वाग्रह, असहिष्णुता) when the Taliban were in power in the 1990s — were excluded completely. Seventeen Ministers are on the UN sanctions (प्रतिबंध) blacklist for terrorists, including the head of the government, Mullah (a Muslim scholar, teacher, or religious leader) Hassan Akhund, and Sirajuddin Haqqani, the head of the Haqqani Network (a major group within the Taliban that’s driving the campaigns on the battlefield). Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s reclusive (एकांत, पृथक, अंतर्मुखी) emir, will be the ‘Amir ul-Momineen’ (commander of the faithful), a title Mullah Omar had assumed (accept, undertake, take on (the power/responsibility)) in the 1990s. With the Cabinet portfolios allocated to the Taliban’s core and the Haqqanis, and introducing a system that resembles (समान होना) the previous Islamic Emirate known for its disregard (उपेक्षा, अवज्ञा, अनादर) for basic human rights, the Taliban have sent a clear message that they care little about what the world thinks about them.

Today’s Taliban appear to be stronger than their last avatar (अवतार, प्रकार।). In the 1990s, only three countries recognised the Islamic Emirate (a military commander, chief, ruler, leader (in Islamic countries)); the Taliban also never controlled the whole of Afghanistan. But now, more regional powers are ready to engage with them, including China and Russia. The group has also claimed total control over the country, with Panjshir, the last holdout (प्रतिरोध करना), overrun (invade, overwhelm, occupy (a place)) earlier this week. With the new government, a stronger Taliban are trying to tighten (make stricter, make more rigorous, make more stringent, stiffen, toughen) their grip (पकड़, नियंत्रण, शक्ति), though it may not be easy. Ever since Afghanistan became a republic (a group of people involved in a particular activity with certain equality; “The Republic” is a form of government in which a state (country) is ruled by elected representatives of the people (citizen body)) in 1973, no government in Kabul has managed to stabilise the country. The ethnic, religious and political contradictions (a combination of statements opposed to one another) are too deep to be glossed over (ignore, avoid talking about/dealing with something unpleasant and treat it as less important; conceal or cover up a mistake/crime; hide, camouflage, whitewash) by the Taliban’s divisive Islamist (relating to Islamic fundamentalism.) Pasthun nationalism (it refers to a system (with a narrow set of ideas) created by a group of people who believe their nation is superior to all others. It is also a perception of national superiority and an orientation toward national dominance- called chauvinism (excessive nationalism)). In Panjshir, the rebels may have withdrawn (retreat, draw out, pull out, take out, pull back) to the mountains, like the Taliban did in 2001, but they could regroup and hit back like the Taliban did after 2005. The total exclusion (banning, prohibition; elimination, ruling out; expulsion, removal) of Shias (relating to Shia branch/sect of Islam) and marginalisation of other ethnicities (a category of people who identify with each other based on common language, ancestral, social, cultural, or national experiences) could blow back in the near term. Afghanistan has also seen the emergence (appearance, arrival, coming) of a vibrant civil society (civil society refers to space for collective action around shared interests, purposes, and values, generally distinct from government and commercial for-profit actors. It refers to a wide array of organizations: community groups, non-governmental organizations [NGOs], labour unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, and foundations. Civil societyHindi Meaning - English Meaning - sometimes called the “third sector” (after government and commerce)Hindi Meaning - English Meaning - has the power to influence the actions of elected policy-makers and businesses), especially in its cities, which may not accept the Taliban’s rule of the Mullahs quietly. Already, the crackdown (getting tough, severe/stern measures, restriction, suppression/repression, clampdown) on women’s rights has sparked large-scale protests by women in Kabul and elsewhere, which was unimaginable (unthinkable, inconceivable, unbelievable) in the 1990s. If the Taliban were wise (well advised, well thought out, well judged, far-sighted; sensible rational, logical), they would have focused on healing (alleviate, assuage, relieve, ease, lessen, mitigate) the wounds of the long war and rebuilding the ruptured (divided, disrupted, broken, fractured) state and society. But the Pashtun, Islamist, sectarian Taliban seem programmatically (in a programmatic manner. (according to a program, schedule, or method)) incapable (incompetent, inept, lacking ability, not good enough; unable to, not capable of) of doing that.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.inclusive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सर्व-समावेशी, सहित, सम्मिलित
English Meaning - all-inclusive, including all the parties/groups involved in something.

2.administration (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रशासन, सरकार, शासन, कार्यकारी
English Meaning - government, cabinet, ministry, regime, executive.

3.ethnic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रजातीय, सजातीय, एक जनसंख्या उपसमूह से संबंधित
English Meaning - relating to a population subgroup (cultural, national, traditional/folk) with a common national or cultural tradition.

4.predominantly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - मुख्य रूप से, अधिकतर
English Meaning - mainly, mostly.

5.ethnically (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - जातीय आधार पर
English Meaning - culturally, racially.

6.diverse (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विविध, बहुत भिन्न, अनेक
English Meaning - very different, varying, multiple.

7.harassment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उत्पीड़न, कष्ट, जबरदस्ती
English Meaning - persecution, persistent annoyance, coercion/intimidation.

8.discrimination (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भेदभाव, पूर्वाग्रह, असहिष्णुता
English Meaning - prejudice, intolerance, inequity, unfairness (against an individual or group of individuals by society and its institutions (basically in the procedures, policies or objectives) as a whole.

9.sanctions (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिबंध
English Meaning - action taken, or an order given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc; embargo, ban, prohibition, barrier, restriction.

10.reclusive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - एकांत, पृथक, अंतर्मुखी
English Meaning - solitary, secluded/isolated, introverted.

11.resemble (verb)

Hindi Meaning - समान होना
English Meaning - look like, be similar to, be like.

12.disregard (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उपेक्षा, अवज्ञा, अनादर
English Meaning - indifference, inattention, heedlessness, carelessness, neglect, lack of notice, negligence.

13.avatar (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अवतार, प्रकार।
English Meaning - type.

14.holdout (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिरोध करना
English Meaning - an act of holding out (resisting) something.

15.grip (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पकड़, नियंत्रण, शक्ति
English Meaning - control, power, hold.

16.Haqqani Network (noun)

English Meaning - a major group within the Taliban that’s driving the campaigns on the battlefield.

17.Hazara (noun)

English Meaning - As an ethnic group, Hazaras have always lived on the edge of economic survival in Afghanistan. The recent persecution of Hazaras was not instigated by the Taliban but had existed for centuries. One of the main factors in Hazaras’ continued persecution is their Shi’a religious faith, their distinctive ethnic origins, as well as their having separate economic and political roots.

18.Shia (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to Shia branch/sect of Islam.

19.make up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - constitute, account for, comprise, form, compose.

20.Pashtun (noun)

English Meaning - Pathan; They make up around 42 percent of the population of Afghanistan. They live mainly in the south and the east of the country. They have a distinct language called Pashto (an official language since 1936).

21.lay something to rest (phrase)

English Meaning - to end something.

22.mullah (noun)

English Meaning - a Muslim scholar, teacher, or religious leader.

23.emir (noun)

English Meaning - a military commander, chief, ruler, leader (in Islamic countries).

24.assume (verb)

English Meaning - accept, undertake, take on (the power/responsibility).

25.portfolio (noun)

English Meaning - the area of responsibility (department) assigned to a Minister.

26.overrun (verb)

English Meaning - invade, overwhelm, occupy (a place).

27.tighten (verb)

English Meaning - make stricter, make more rigorous, make more stringent, stiffen, toughen.

28.tighten your grip on something (phrase)

English Meaning - start to control something more strictly.

29.republic (noun)

English Meaning - a group of people involved in a particular activity with certain equality; “The Republic” is a form of government in which a state (country) is ruled by elected representatives of the people (citizen body).

30.contradiction (noun)

English Meaning - a combination of statements opposed to one another.

31.gloss over (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - ignore, avoid talking about/dealing with something unpleasant and treat it as less important; conceal or cover up a mistake/crime; hide, camouflage, whitewash.

32.divisive (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to something that causes arguments between people; disharmonious, discordant, alienating, estranging, isolating.

33.Islamist (noun/adjective)

English Meaning - relating to Islamic fundamentalism.

34.nationalism (noun)

English Meaning - it refers to a system (with a narrow set of ideas) created by a group of people who believe their nation is superior to all others. It is also a perception of national superiority and an orientation toward national dominance- called chauvinism (excessive nationalism).

35.withdraw (verb)

English Meaning - retreat, draw out, pull out, take out, pull back.

36.hit back (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - retaliate against, strike back at, counter.

37.exclusion (noun)

English Meaning - banning, prohibition; elimination, ruling out; expulsion, removal.

38.marginalisation (noun)

English Meaning - an act of making something as insignificant/unimportant.

39.ethnicity (noun)

English Meaning - a category of people who identify with each other based on common language, ancestral, social, cultural, or national experiences.

40.blow back (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to have an unforeseen negative consequences of an action/decision.

41.emergence (noun)

English Meaning - appearance, arrival, coming.

42.vibrant (adjective)

English Meaning - high-spirited, energetic, lively.

43.civil society (noun)

English Meaning - civil society refers to space for collective action around shared interests, purposes, and values, generally distinct from government and commercial for-profit actors. It refers to a wide array of organizations: community groups, non-governmental organizations [NGOs], labour unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, and foundations. Civil societyHindi Meaning - English Meaning - sometimes called the “third sector” (after government and commerce)Hindi Meaning - English Meaning - has the power to influence the actions of elected policy-makers and businesses.

44.quietly (adverb)

English Meaning - silently.

45.crackdown (noun)

English Meaning - getting tough, severe/stern measures, restriction, suppression/repression, clampdown.

46.spark (verb)

English Meaning - prompt, trigger, provoke, incite.

47.unimaginable (adjective)

English Meaning - unthinkable, inconceivable, unbelievable.

48.wise (adjective)

English Meaning - well advised, well thought out, well judged, far-sighted; sensible rational, logical.

49.heal (verb)

English Meaning - alleviate, assuage, relieve, ease, lessen, mitigate.