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Sunday, 24 September 2006 |
In Western perception, parents usually assume as a matter of fact that their children's schools are safe and harmless sites. When they go to work, American and European parents know that their children are learning and playing in safety, that there is nothing they should worry about.
This is not the case in Afghanistan. The problem in Afghanistan is not just the fact that there is an ongoing conflict between NATO/U.S. troops and Taliban insurgents. Of course, that does put school children in jeopardy because bullets and bombs could accidentally kill students who are on their way to school or even in their schoolyards.
Yet, it is quite a different case when students and teachers are targeted on purpose. In Afghanistan, schools, students, and educators are being targeted more and more frequently by Taliban insurgents. The insurgents are trying to regain control of the volatile Southern regions and spread their presence and influence all over the country, causing unpredicted difficulties to Western and Afghan troops. To that end, insurgents burn schools, kill teachers, and intimidate students and their families.
In Western perception, parents usually assume as a matter of fact that their children's schools are safe and harmless sites. When they go to work, American and European parents know that their children are learning and playing in safety, that there is nothing they should worry about. |
