"Since their return in 2021, the Taliban have waged a war on music, claiming that it causes moral corruption. The Taliban outlaws music, and criminalises performing or even listening to music. Musicians in the country live in fear of discrimination, humiliation, torture, imprisonment, sexual violence in the case of women and even death."
"The recent burning of hundreds of musical instruments and equipment reported last week on Afghan National Television is the latest stage of the Taliban morality police's ongoing mission to destroy all these artefacts. Last week's pyre included tablas and harmoniums, instruments that are the bedrocks of Afghanistan's unique tradition of classical music, as well as keyboards and amplifiers."
"This silencing of musical culture is another humanitarian nadir the Taliban are enforcing, an attempt to create a sharia-compliant, music-free country for which there is no precedent anywhere."
The Taliban's rule in Afghanistan extends beyond violence against women to encompass systematic destruction of cultural life, particularly music. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have waged war on music, claiming it causes moral corruption. They have outlawed music entirely, criminalizing both performance and listening. Musicians face severe persecution including discrimination, torture, imprisonment, and death. The Taliban recently burned hundreds of musical instruments including traditional Afghan instruments like tablas and harmoniums, as well as modern equipment. This cultural suppression represents an unprecedented attempt to create a music-free society under sharia law. Afghan musicians, particularly women, continue to resist through organizations like Zohra, the Afghan women's orchestra now based in Portugal, which advocates for musical rights and cultural preservation.
#taliban-cultural-suppression #afghan-music-persecution #human-rights-violations #cultural-destruction #women-musicians-afghanistan
Read at www.theguardian.com
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