INTRO TEXT
It doesn’t happen to you every day: To face a group of Taliban warriors. During a visit to Kabul we met a group of men who defected from the Taliban. The men have been accepted in an amnesty program, which they call a ‘peace accord’. but are very critical of the authorities. What motivates these men? Why did they fight the foreign troops and what do these deserters want now?
2.05 – v.o. Text 1:
These men are warriors for the Taliban. A few months ago they attacked foreign troops in Afghanistan. Now they hide behind a piece of cloth. They don’t want to be recognized, because they left their former comrades and are afraid of the consequences.
00:02:20:19 00:02:25:13 04:19
We laid down our arms because we benefit from it.
00:02:25:13 00:02:28:12 02:24
Allah will be pleased and there will be no more innocent bloodshed.
00:02:32:06 00:02:37:00 04:19
For five months we have worked on a peace accord.
00:02:37:00 00:02:40:24 03:24
If you honour the peace accord, we promise the foreign troops and the government that all Taliban will surrender.
00:02:45:22 00:02:52:18 06:21
But until now you did not succeed in fulfilling the wishes of the Taliban.
2.54 – v.o. Text 2:
Kabul last month. It is now five years ago that the fundamentalist regime of the Taliban was chased out of Afghanistan. But still many women don’t dare to go outside without a burqa. The Taliban didn’t care about women’s rights and they destroyed everything that wasn’t islamic.
00:03:09:12 00:03:11:23 02:11
Allah is great!
3.15 – v.o. Text 3:
Allthough the Taliban has been chased out of the capital Kabul, they are far from beaten and sometimes they still be can be seen.
3.25 – v.o. Text 4:
It seems that there are still remnants of the Taliban in Kabul itself. Via an English speaking man we are invited to a secret address. Our equipment is checked at the gate, but once we are in, we are made to feel welcome.
00:03:42:12 00:03:45:18 03:06
Hello, Peter. How are you?
00:03:45:18 00:03:50:00 04:07
These are journalists from the Netherlands.
00:03:50:00 00:03:55:07 05:07
They want to make a documentary about Afghanistan.
3.56 – v.o. Text 5:
We are meeting the former minister of education of the Taliban government, the minister of refugees and the official Taliban representative at the UN in New York. He is doing most of the talking.
00:04:08:00 00:04:11:00 03:00
We had close connections to the Taliban because they were religious students and we were their teachers.
00:04:15:06 00:04:21:06 06:00
Our relationship was as teacher and student.
00:04:21:06 00:04:23:12 02:06
We were close to them.
4.27 – v.o. Text 6:
The former Taliban ministers are partly responsible for destroying statues and the surpression of women. But now they try to seperate themselves from the past.
00:04:37:00 00:04:42:23 05:23
We seperated ourselves from the Taliban because of our frustration.
00:04:42:23 00:04:47:13 04:15
We tried to reform the Taliban.
00:04:47:13 00:04:52:05 04:17
We did not totally agree with the Taliban.
4.53 – v.o. text 7:
The former Taliban officials now are protected by the present Afghan government, because they distance themselves from the past. But they still seem sympathatic towards their former comrades.
00:05:06:09 00:05:13:19 07:10
They are being cornered. They don’t feel safe in Afghanistan or other countries.
00:05:19:16 00:05:23:12 03:21
They think: we are being followed.
00:05:23:12 00:05:28:03 04:16
We are being chased so we have to fight.
00:05:28:03 00:05:30:15 02:12
They see fighting as their only option.
5.34 – v.o. Text 8:
Who are these warriors who fight with the Taliban. An Afghan NGO persuades a group of defecters to talk to us. Five months ago these men were fighting foreign troops in the south of Afghanistan.
00:05:49:07 00:05:56:04 06:22
We used to fire rockets at them.
5.57 – v.o. Text 9:
One of the men claims to be the commander of this group. According to him they have been fighting the Americans. He seems to be full of confidence and has a list of demands for the government.
00:06:11:15 00:06:16:23 05:08
We put down our arms to secure our safety.
00:06:16:23 00:06:21:21 04:23
Our safety has to be garanteed.
00:06:21:21 00:06:28:23 07:02
If one of us is ill, we want him to be treated right.
00:06:28:23 00:06:35:09 06:11
And the comrades who were imprisoned should to be released.
00:06:38:03 00:06:43:11 05:08
Peace means that we have to make an effort. And so do you.
6.45 – v.o. Text 10:
In the last year the Taliban has grown stronger, especially in the south of Afghanistan. According to the commander the Taliban is supported by the population because of the brutal actions by foreign troops.
00:06:57:08 00:07:00:10 03:02
We are critical about the attitude of the foreign soldiers.
00:07:00:10 00:07:04:23 04:13
They search houses on their own initiative.
00:07:04:23 00:07:08:16 03:18
Our customs are different.
00:07:08:16 00:07:12:13 03:22
If it is necessary to conduct operations in our villages they have to contact the local population.
00:07:17:04 00:07:22:07 05:03
Foreigners should not just enter our houses without permission.
00:07:22:07 00:07:28:12 06:05
Afghan people get angry about these these things.
00:07:28:12 00:07:31:17 03:05
If they want a safe Afghanistan they have to work according to our way of life.
00:07:36:08 00:07:40:14 04:06
They have to invest in Afghanistan and support the peace process. Then the Taliban will cooperate.
7.49 – v.o. Text 11:
Not only the foreign troops are a problem, according to the commander, but also the corrupt Afghan authorities are a reason for the population to choose sides with the Taliban.
00:07:59:21 00:08:06:11 06:15
Until now the wishes of the Afghan people have been ignored.
00:08:06:11 00:08:10:01 03:15
The government surpresses the people.
00:08:10:01 00:08:15:22 05:21
The government does not have complete control over its personell.
00:08:15:22 00:08:20:09 04:12
Nobody pays attention wether thieves are employed.
00:08:20:09 00:08:26:04 05:20
High officials are not being checked out.
00:08:26:04 00:08:29:01 02:22
My governor can do whatever he wants.
00:08:29:01 00:08:34:02 05:01
The people have always been surpressed and for the last 5 years nothing was done about it.
00:08:34:02 00:08:38:23 04:21
There are laws against corruption but not on a local level.
00:08:38:23 00:08:42:00 03:02
That’s why people are joining the Taliban.
8.41 – v.o. Text 12:
Back to the former Taliban officials. They are hiding in a secret place and are being protected by the government.
00:08:49:18 00:08:54:11 04:18
Are there forces, maybe outside of the government, who want to bring you to court because you cooperated with the Taliban?
00:08:59:00 00:09:02:19 03:19
We are not afraid to go to court.
00:09:02:19 00:09:07:00 04:06
But we say again: an international tribunal will support one side, while it fights the other.
00:09:15:06 00:09:21:02 05:21
That way you create problems and an ambiguous situation.
00:09:21:02 00:09:23:10 02:08
I don’t think that is wise.
9.27 – v.o. Text 13:
The former Taliban representatives feel confident that they never go to court. Last December their former Taliban comrades assasinated a complete family because they were teaching girls in a school. The commander denies that the Taliban has anything to do with atrocities like these.
00:09:40:16 00:09:47:00 06:09
The Taliban never did that. According to islam lying is forbidden.
00:09:47:00 00:09:52:01 05:01
The Taliban are accused falsely of all sorts of things.
00:09:52:01 00:09:55:16 03:15
When something gets stolen, they say: it was the Taliban.
00:09:55:16 00:10:00:05 04:14
And ordinary murders are also blamed on us.
00:10:00:05 00:10:05:24 05:19
The Taliban stand behind their laws and are living according to their own policies.
00:10:05:24 00:10:09:23 03:24
Eventhough now, just like the government, we are dissatisfied with the Taliban.
00:10:09:23 00:10:13:02 03:04
The Taliban doesn’t want to kill foreigners, but they oppose cooperation with the government and the peace process.
00:10:18:23 00:10:23:06 04:08
That’s why the Taliban is after us.
00:10:23:06 00:10:30:09 07:03
I hope that the government apreciates our initiative and will not bother us as they do with the Taliban.
10.33 – v.o. Text 14:
It looks as if the defectors do not completely seperate themselves from the ideas of the Taliban. According to the commander the cooperation with the government depends on how he and his men are treated.
00:10:43:12 00:10:49:00 05:13
Are there many Taliban who would like to defect, but don’t dare to?
00:10:49:00 00:10:56:00 07:00
The Taliban looks at results. We have been negotiating a peace accord. I motivated 250 man to join me.
00:11:00:05 00:11:06:11 06:06
For example this man, who came from far away to join us.
00:11:06:11 00:11:10:18 04:07
But 6 of our people are still in jail.
00:11:10:18 00:11:17:12 06:19
So if I go back now, I will tell to my people: the peace accord is worthless.
00:11:17:12 00:11:22:23 05:11
If the government is really listens to the people, everyone will put down their weapons and join a peace agreement.
It doesn’t happen to you every day: To face a group of Taliban warriors. During a visit to Kabul we met a group of men who defected from the Taliban. The men have been accepted in an amnesty program, which they call a ‘peace accord’. but are very critical of the authorities. What motivates these men? Why did they fight the foreign troops and what do these deserters want now?
2.05 – v.o. Text 1:
These men are warriors for the Taliban. A few months ago they attacked foreign troops in Afghanistan. Now they hide behind a piece of cloth. They don’t want to be recognized, because they left their former comrades and are afraid of the consequences.
00:02:20:19 00:02:25:13 04:19
We laid down our arms because we benefit from it.
00:02:25:13 00:02:28:12 02:24
Allah will be pleased and there will be no more innocent bloodshed.
00:02:32:06 00:02:37:00 04:19
For five months we have worked on a peace accord.
00:02:37:00 00:02:40:24 03:24
If you honour the peace accord, we promise the foreign troops and the government that all Taliban will surrender.
00:02:45:22 00:02:52:18 06:21
But until now you did not succeed in fulfilling the wishes of the Taliban.
2.54 – v.o. Text 2:
Kabul last month. It is now five years ago that the fundamentalist regime of the Taliban was chased out of Afghanistan. But still many women don’t dare to go outside without a burqa. The Taliban didn’t care about women’s rights and they destroyed everything that wasn’t islamic.
00:03:09:12 00:03:11:23 02:11
Allah is great!
3.15 – v.o. Text 3:
Allthough the Taliban has been chased out of the capital Kabul, they are far from beaten and sometimes they still be can be seen.
3.25 – v.o. Text 4:
It seems that there are still remnants of the Taliban in Kabul itself. Via an English speaking man we are invited to a secret address. Our equipment is checked at the gate, but once we are in, we are made to feel welcome.
00:03:42:12 00:03:45:18 03:06
Hello, Peter. How are you?
00:03:45:18 00:03:50:00 04:07
These are journalists from the Netherlands.
00:03:50:00 00:03:55:07 05:07
They want to make a documentary about Afghanistan.
3.56 – v.o. Text 5:
We are meeting the former minister of education of the Taliban government, the minister of refugees and the official Taliban representative at the UN in New York. He is doing most of the talking.
00:04:08:00 00:04:11:00 03:00
We had close connections to the Taliban because they were religious students and we were their teachers.
00:04:15:06 00:04:21:06 06:00
Our relationship was as teacher and student.
00:04:21:06 00:04:23:12 02:06
We were close to them.
4.27 – v.o. Text 6:
The former Taliban ministers are partly responsible for destroying statues and the surpression of women. But now they try to seperate themselves from the past.
00:04:37:00 00:04:42:23 05:23
We seperated ourselves from the Taliban because of our frustration.
00:04:42:23 00:04:47:13 04:15
We tried to reform the Taliban.
00:04:47:13 00:04:52:05 04:17
We did not totally agree with the Taliban.
4.53 – v.o. text 7:
The former Taliban officials now are protected by the present Afghan government, because they distance themselves from the past. But they still seem sympathatic towards their former comrades.
00:05:06:09 00:05:13:19 07:10
They are being cornered. They don’t feel safe in Afghanistan or other countries.
00:05:19:16 00:05:23:12 03:21
They think: we are being followed.
00:05:23:12 00:05:28:03 04:16
We are being chased so we have to fight.
00:05:28:03 00:05:30:15 02:12
They see fighting as their only option.
5.34 – v.o. Text 8:
Who are these warriors who fight with the Taliban. An Afghan NGO persuades a group of defecters to talk to us. Five months ago these men were fighting foreign troops in the south of Afghanistan.
00:05:49:07 00:05:56:04 06:22
We used to fire rockets at them.
5.57 – v.o. Text 9:
One of the men claims to be the commander of this group. According to him they have been fighting the Americans. He seems to be full of confidence and has a list of demands for the government.
00:06:11:15 00:06:16:23 05:08
We put down our arms to secure our safety.
00:06:16:23 00:06:21:21 04:23
Our safety has to be garanteed.
00:06:21:21 00:06:28:23 07:02
If one of us is ill, we want him to be treated right.
00:06:28:23 00:06:35:09 06:11
And the comrades who were imprisoned should to be released.
00:06:38:03 00:06:43:11 05:08
Peace means that we have to make an effort. And so do you.
6.45 – v.o. Text 10:
In the last year the Taliban has grown stronger, especially in the south of Afghanistan. According to the commander the Taliban is supported by the population because of the brutal actions by foreign troops.
00:06:57:08 00:07:00:10 03:02
We are critical about the attitude of the foreign soldiers.
00:07:00:10 00:07:04:23 04:13
They search houses on their own initiative.
00:07:04:23 00:07:08:16 03:18
Our customs are different.
00:07:08:16 00:07:12:13 03:22
If it is necessary to conduct operations in our villages they have to contact the local population.
00:07:17:04 00:07:22:07 05:03
Foreigners should not just enter our houses without permission.
00:07:22:07 00:07:28:12 06:05
Afghan people get angry about these these things.
00:07:28:12 00:07:31:17 03:05
If they want a safe Afghanistan they have to work according to our way of life.
00:07:36:08 00:07:40:14 04:06
They have to invest in Afghanistan and support the peace process. Then the Taliban will cooperate.
7.49 – v.o. Text 11:
Not only the foreign troops are a problem, according to the commander, but also the corrupt Afghan authorities are a reason for the population to choose sides with the Taliban.
00:07:59:21 00:08:06:11 06:15
Until now the wishes of the Afghan people have been ignored.
00:08:06:11 00:08:10:01 03:15
The government surpresses the people.
00:08:10:01 00:08:15:22 05:21
The government does not have complete control over its personell.
00:08:15:22 00:08:20:09 04:12
Nobody pays attention wether thieves are employed.
00:08:20:09 00:08:26:04 05:20
High officials are not being checked out.
00:08:26:04 00:08:29:01 02:22
My governor can do whatever he wants.
00:08:29:01 00:08:34:02 05:01
The people have always been surpressed and for the last 5 years nothing was done about it.
00:08:34:02 00:08:38:23 04:21
There are laws against corruption but not on a local level.
00:08:38:23 00:08:42:00 03:02
That’s why people are joining the Taliban.
8.41 – v.o. Text 12:
Back to the former Taliban officials. They are hiding in a secret place and are being protected by the government.
00:08:49:18 00:08:54:11 04:18
Are there forces, maybe outside of the government, who want to bring you to court because you cooperated with the Taliban?
00:08:59:00 00:09:02:19 03:19
We are not afraid to go to court.
00:09:02:19 00:09:07:00 04:06
But we say again: an international tribunal will support one side, while it fights the other.
00:09:15:06 00:09:21:02 05:21
That way you create problems and an ambiguous situation.
00:09:21:02 00:09:23:10 02:08
I don’t think that is wise.
9.27 – v.o. Text 13:
The former Taliban representatives feel confident that they never go to court. Last December their former Taliban comrades assasinated a complete family because they were teaching girls in a school. The commander denies that the Taliban has anything to do with atrocities like these.
00:09:40:16 00:09:47:00 06:09
The Taliban never did that. According to islam lying is forbidden.
00:09:47:00 00:09:52:01 05:01
The Taliban are accused falsely of all sorts of things.
00:09:52:01 00:09:55:16 03:15
When something gets stolen, they say: it was the Taliban.
00:09:55:16 00:10:00:05 04:14
And ordinary murders are also blamed on us.
00:10:00:05 00:10:05:24 05:19
The Taliban stand behind their laws and are living according to their own policies.
00:10:05:24 00:10:09:23 03:24
Eventhough now, just like the government, we are dissatisfied with the Taliban.
00:10:09:23 00:10:13:02 03:04
The Taliban doesn’t want to kill foreigners, but they oppose cooperation with the government and the peace process.
00:10:18:23 00:10:23:06 04:08
That’s why the Taliban is after us.
00:10:23:06 00:10:30:09 07:03
I hope that the government apreciates our initiative and will not bother us as they do with the Taliban.
10.33 – v.o. Text 14:
It looks as if the defectors do not completely seperate themselves from the ideas of the Taliban. According to the commander the cooperation with the government depends on how he and his men are treated.
00:10:43:12 00:10:49:00 05:13
Are there many Taliban who would like to defect, but don’t dare to?
00:10:49:00 00:10:56:00 07:00
The Taliban looks at results. We have been negotiating a peace accord. I motivated 250 man to join me.
00:11:00:05 00:11:06:11 06:06
For example this man, who came from far away to join us.
00:11:06:11 00:11:10:18 04:07
But 6 of our people are still in jail.
00:11:10:18 00:11:17:12 06:19
So if I go back now, I will tell to my people: the peace accord is worthless.
00:11:17:12 00:11:22:23 05:11
If the government is really listens to the people, everyone will put down their weapons and join a peace agreement.