KABUL: Afghan women’s rights activists pledged Sunday to launch a wave of protests across the country if the Taliban fail to reopen girls’ secondary schools within a week.
Thousands of secondary school girls had flocked to classes on Wednesday after the government reopened their institutions for the first time since seizing power last August.
But officials ordered the schools shut again just hours into the day, triggering international outrage.
“We call on the leaders of the Islamic Emirate to open girls’ schools within one week,” activist Halima Nasari read from a statement issued by four women’s rights groups at a press conference in Kabul.
“If the girls’ schools remain closed even after one week, we will open them ourselves and stage demonstrations throughout the country until our demands are met.”
The Taliban should be building more schools for girls in rural areas rather than shutting existing facilities, said the statement, which comes after several women’s activists were detained in recent months.
“The people can no longer tolerate such oppression. We do not accept any excuse from the authorities,” it said.
On Saturday, about two dozen schoolgirls and women staged a protest in Kabul demanding the reopening of the schools.
“Women, teachers and girls should come out on the streets and protest,” said student Zarghuna Ibrahimi, 16, who attended the press conference.
“The international community should support us.”
The education ministry has so far not given a clear reason for its policy reversal, but senior Taliban leader Suhail Shaheel told the Media that some “practical issues” were still to be resolved before reopening the schools.
It may be recalled that the Taliban had ordered secondary girls schools in Afghanistan to shut just hours after they reopened, an official confirmed, sparking confusion over the policy reversal by the hardline Islamist group.
“Yes, it’s true,” Taliban spokesman Inamullah Samangani told the Media when asked to confirm reports that girls had been ordered home.
A Media team was filming at Zarghona High School in the capital Kabul when a teacher entered and ordered everyone to go home.
Crestfallen students, back in class for the first time since the Taliban seized power in August last year, tearfully packed up their belongings and filed out.
The international community has made the right to education for all a sticking point in negotiations over aid and recognition of the new Taliban regime.
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