In The Land Of The Brave

What a joy and relief! The young Swiss couple that was abducted last summer while traveling through Baluchistan was able to escape and approach an Army outpost, leaving behind nine months of ordeal. They maintained an incredible spirit of survival and supported each other admirably over these long months. Now they share with us their endured hardship, accompanied by many laughters of relief and joy before being repatriated to Switzerland. At our guest room they spend their first night in freedom and I serve the rich chocolate cake at the Embassy that I had put in the freezer on the day of their capture and promised to bring it out only on the day of their liberation to celebrate their freedom. Luckily, it is still eatable, actually the most welcomed delicacy imaginable...


Afghanistan - a short visit (well, that was the plan...) to Kabul to celebrate ten years of Swiss development cooperation and the visitor is being welcomed at Kabul International Airport by a large and empty arrival hall and a Duty Free Shop that leaves nothing to wish for - as long as you are looking for cigarettes.

A huge poster at the exit of the airport promotes not the beauty of the country as one would expect, but an interesting slogan and I hope I can live up to such expectations during my stay.

A what could be short drive on a highway to the city turns into an odyssey through dirt roads for security reasons, the streets muddy and bumpy, the armored car bouncing adventurously, giving the feeling of a boat ride on rough seas. The snow has melted for the most part and the city with many streets on clay soil is slowly turning into a city of dust during the days of my visit. Dust is everywhere and a violent sandstorm will be delaying the departure, technical failure, crashed computer systems, a bird hitting another plane, overbooked flights and sandstorm in Dubai add to this, and my stay gets extended by two days with several drives to and back from the airport - by now I know all routes leading there.


Meeting Samira Hamidi, the Director of Afghan Women Network, the umbrella organization of 92 Afghan Women's organizations, I am surprised to be welcomed and identified first as a visitor from Pakistan and the discussion start with the complex relationship between the two neighboring countries, before we change to topics related to women. I encounter a deep resentment of alleged interferences in the country's affairs particularly by Pakistan. But there is also appreciation for the considerable relief efforts in favor of refugees that found a home and some education, having better perspectives upon their return as coming back from other neighboring countries. She herself acquired a Master's degree at the University of Peshawar in Pakistan.

Many women's organizations were founded after the fall of the Taliban regime, but there is growing concern, that the current government is backing away from supporting them,  having other priorities and shying away from confronting the raising conservative forces in the country. Harassment of women in public spaces, be it with words or inappropriate touchings, is one of the bigger concerns in their daily lives.

The street life looks so different here and to my surprise there are many women, mainly younger ones, dressed in tight jeans and even leggings, covered only by a mini skirt or a knee long coat western style, and a scarf, of course, while I was expecting those famous sky blue burkas. Not many of those to be seen in the center of Kabul.

Fashion designer Zolayka Sherzad founded the brand Zarif and uses wonderfully rich Afghan silk fabric for her unique creations of coats and jackets - the prices for her artworks reflect the budget of the many expats living currently in Kabul and would perfectly match on Madison Avenue!

Nancy Hatch Dupree, a living legend in Afghanistan with a profound knowledge and understanding for this troubled country, tells me about the awakened fashion sense of Afghan women at the beginning of the 20th century and that they used to follow Western fashion with great enthusiasm. Born and educated in Upstate New York, she followed her husband Dupree, a famous archaeologist at the time, to Afghanistan in the sixties and stayed here ever since. She acquired the name "Afghanistan's Grandmother", knowing this country as probably no other foreigner does. She is deeply engaged in saving its cultural heritage as well as raising awareness and understanding for Afghanistan abroad - and a sharp writer herself. At the age of 86 she still has a magnetic presence and personalities in high positions encounter her with great respect and succumb to her charm.

The city's security concept is impressive - arms are everywhere, Kalashnikovs swung casually over the shoulders of anybody anywhere and one can only hope that they are secured and the bad guys can be distinguished from the good guys.

Still, an austere and inimitable charm can be found in this city of dust. Sitting on large pillows of Afghan carpets and dark wooden chairs with low legs, with warm burgundy and blueberry colors all around, restaurants and cafés offer simple dishes on earthen plates. They give a sense of the beauty of simplicity and natural hospitality in this country.