“The world is talking about al-Qaeda. The world is talking about the Taliban. The world is talking about the war going south or north. Nobody talks about the people of Afghanistan. As if we did not exist.”

~ A Darkness Visible: Afghanistan

I encourage you to take the time to get to know Afghanistan and its people. Learn about what life was like prior to the invasion by the Soviet Union in 1978. You might be surprised to know that it was flourishing place that attracted tourists from around the world. It was a moderate Islamic country that had a “live and let live” philosophy.

Unfortunately, following the Soviet invasion, which lasted the next 10 years, three million Afghans were sacrificed in the fighting. Regardless of their losses, Afghanistan remained determined and continued fighting under the leadership of Commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, who led the Afghan Mujahideen guerilla resistance, which was heavily funded by the United States.

Once the Soviets finally pulled out in 1989, Afghanistan was left in a broken state. They had lost so many lives and the country was scarred by the destruction. At this time crucial and pivotal point, the world abandoned Afghanistan and the people were left to heal and rebuild their country on their own. After ten years of violence, they were not prepared for such an extraordinary task without help from the global community. Their intentions were good, yet progress always remained out of grasp—as the toll of the invasion had left so much in ruins—including the land and its people.

This environment set the perfect stage for the Taliban to take a stronghold and by 1996 they had taken hold of Kabul. No longer was Afghanistan a country of freedom, tourism and acceptance of all people as the intent to radicalize was set in motion by the Taliban. Commander Massoud rejected the fundamentalism of the Taliban and led an armed opposition—the United Islamic Front (also known as the Northern Alliance), until his assassination on September 9, 2001.

During this video below, A Darkness Visible: Afghanistan, you will join photojournalist Seamus Murphy, as he shares his beautiful, intimate and revealing images of Afghanistan spanning from 1994-2010. You will discover a people, like all people, wanting to live their lives in freedom, tending to family, work and community—but doing so under the most extreme of conditions.

“I think you always learn something deeper by actually getting to know people from a culture different that is not yours.You can travel and you can learn alot just by walking around. There is a deeper understanding though, if you get to know people.”

~ Seamus Murphy

Too often we only are exposed to current events through the limited perspective of the the news channels, that frequently not only fail to show the human side of the story, but also tend to divide the world into “us versus them” or “here and over there.” This creates division, a false illusion of separation—a detachment to the idea of oneness that is at the core of our existence.

We must always educate ourselves and search for the deeper stories that allow us to connect with our brothers and sisters around the world—as together we are one humanity.

To watch the film A Darkness Visible: Afghanistan, please click here.

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Ed: Bryonie Wise

{Photo: Young Girl in Afghanistan, Seamus Murphy (November 2001) screenshot via Pinterest}