In this BBC documentary, journalist and native Afghani Tahir Qadiry revisits his hometown of Kabul. Qadiry meets with not only the historians and politicians, but also the workers, children, and homemakers who represent the over-four-million people who live in Kabul today. Ultimately, the document comes to the point that Kabul consists of many varying regions, classes of people, and amount of progress versus traditionalism.
It is evident from the documentary that Kabul is beginning to reach out to the modern age but various factors keep parts of the city from progressing. Narrow streets, hundred year old architecture, and poor sanitation systems seem to encourage old customs and little advancement. The people, though incredibly accepting and welcoming to Qadiry and his crew, still hold many of the fundamental values from Taliban occupation. With all its residents, it has become impossible to manage pollution and the documentary estimates that over 3000 people die every year from poor sanitation. Many families have to go all the way to the central part of the city just to carry water to their homes (Qadiry at one point tries to help a man to carry his water jugs but he can barely make it a few feet up a hill). Although an influx of foreign aid has begun to help reconstruct the new city, many parts have yet to see the money trickle down.
However, the most central areas of Kabul such as Shahr-e-now are not only progressive and urban but thriving, erudite and expensive. This district is much more progressive in its architecture, styles of clothing, successful corporations, building of public schools and private universities, and rapidly growing use of technology. After much music, cinema, and television had been banned under strict Taliban regime, the residents of Kabul are enjoying making progressive change and converting to a more westernized lifestyle.
Though there is much westernization, it seems many people are stuck in their old ways and fear change. Qadiry interviews two owners of a posh clothes store (who reap the benefits of being able to sell a simple t-shirt for over twenty dollars) who say that, in Kabul, "freedom has reached its peak, however we don’t need this much freedom." On the other hand, some residents – women especially who feel like second class citizens – believe that there is still progress to be made even in the most modern centers of Kabul. At constant risk of insurgent suicide bombings, security is a major concern but that is a sacrifice that many Kabul residents are willing to make to continue their way of life.
The spreading change in Kabul and slow advancement that has started to stretch from the center of the city would seem to signify that progress and westernization is possible in Afghanistan. Kabul should serve as a model of innovation as further urban centers develop in the country and look to see the good and bad steps taken in Kabul.
You can watch the video after the jump (It begins around 15:00):
Really interesting stuff, Greg. Do we know if there are other cities in Afghanistan that have a similar degree of security and development?
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