The yellow badge of courage
Sikhs are not welcome in Afghanistan, not even after the fall of the Taliban (thanks, Baljeet):
In the Taliban’s birthplace, the southern city of Kandahar, their children cannot go to school and locals stone or spit on the men in the streets… “We don’t want to stay in Afghanistan,” says 40-year-old Balwant Singh. “The locals tell us ‘you are not from Afghanistan, go back to India’. Sometimes, they throw stones at us, the children. We feel we have to hide. I am even afraid to go to parts of the city.”
Their temple, or gurdwara, in Kandahar is a simple traditional yellow pole capped by the orange Nishan Sahib flag… The pole does not rise above roof level, unlike the splendid gurdwaras across India… [Link]
The Taliban even enforced a policy straight from the Nazis:
In 2001, the Taliban ordered Sikhs, Hindus and other religious minorities to wear yellow patches, ostensibly so they would not be arrested by the religious police for breaking Taliban laws on the length of beards… [Link]
The sick irony is that the turbaned men abusing other turbaned men would be similarly abused in Nascar country. And one of the few countries where turbaned and bearded Sikhs could pass undetected turned out to be no safe haven.
But then you’d expect nothing less from the philistines who fragged 1,500-year-old Buddha statues.
on Thursday, November 23rd, 2006, 1:50 pm in Issues, Religion › 
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One would think that after the fall of the Taliban this insanity would end. Very sad.
I have heard countless painful tales from one of my friend whose Dad was in Jalalabad…..like many of the Sikhs in Afghanistan, he was ia cloth merchant.
The painful stories are there aplenty…..apparently there are only 1200-1500 Sikh families remaining in Afghanistan…..
Hope things would change soon.
Southall is full of Afghan Sikh refugees — they work very hard and have started to take over many of the shops.
A sad and painful reminder how thankful for we Amrekan desis should be.
Sick ironly part two: The Sikh Empire conquered part of modern day Afghanistan and, in following with Sikh philosophy, allowed the Muslims to practice their faith freely and openly. Way to repay the favor, jerks.
The insanity doesn’t look like it’ll be ending anytime soon, especially since the Taliban is gaining in power and control.
My father in law is from Kandahar - I’m thankful his family left when they did so they didn’t have to be around to experience this horrible environment.
Jag - my cousin married into an Afghan Sikh family in Southall - it was a nonstop week of singing and dancing and a thousand and one rituals. Seemed like all the shops in Southall were owned by them - an extremely close-knit community.
I chatted to an Afghan Sikh family who have a stall at the trendy and hip Portobello Road market in Notting Hill, West London — some stuff happened there in Afghanistan that hasnt even been reported. The guy mentioned a massacre in a gurdwara in which some Sikhs and Hindus were hiding in Kabul at the time of the American invasion, a few families were killed by Taliban. It’s really bad. This man said his family had been there for 5 generations.
These stories are incredible. This is why we must all stand up and challenge troubles that we witness. Also, this is why sentences and sentiments such as:
“But then you’d expect nothing less from the philistines who fragged 1,500-year-old Buddha statues.”
are anything but helpful when it comes to providing information. When we, as the ones who are outraged and want change, reflect feelings of hate, we sabotage ourselves. Maintaining dignity and a sense of courage is the way to go. What we can do is spread the word, and tell our friends about it, and figure out how to help people like Balwant Singh, who don’t want to stay in Afghanistan.
It is possible. I will tell everyone I know right now.
Hope things would change soon.