Afganistan, azijska država koja na zapadu graniči s Iranom, na sjeveru s Turkmenistanom, Uzbekistanom i Tadžikistanom, na krajnjem sjeveroistoku s Kinom, na istoku i jugu s Pakistanom.
Afganistan je jedna od najsiromašnijih zemalja svijeta.
Afganistan, omeđen međunarodno priznatim granicama na zemljopisnim kartama svijeta, ali teško ga je zvati ‘državom’ u modernom smislu te riječi. Povijest toga područja, okruženje i sastav stanovništva, teško bi pokazali da takva država može biti poput drugih.
Dovoljno je zaviriti na sveprisutne mreže i dostupne opće statistike koje primjerice pokazuju omjere ruralnog i urbanog stanovništva (75 : 25 u korist ruralnog). Potom, gotovo je polovica u prosjeku mlađa od 15 godina, a prosječni životni vijek jedva doseže 63 godine.
Statistike također govore o etničkoj podjeli stanovništva na velike skupine: Paštune, Tadžike, Hazare i Uzbeke, te desetine onih malih kao što su Nuristanci, Turkmeni, Darii, Balosi koji stoljećima žive u rodovsko-plemenskim ruralnim zajednicama – i daleko su od pojmova narod ili nacija. Ako tomu dodamo industrijsko-tehnološku zaostalost, prometnu i komunikacijsku nepovezanost, onda se uloga države svodi samo na urbano stanovništvo koje živi u nekoliko većih gradova i centara 32 provincije, a čine četvrtinu ukupne populacije, od, ovisno od izvora, 32 do 40 milijuna stanovnika. Za ostale tri četvrtine stanovnika značajke moderne države ne dopiru.
Igrom slučaja i radi posla kojim se bavim (fotograf-novinar tada svjetske novinske agencije) dopalo me da u tri navrata izvještavam iz tih afganistanskih nedođija do kojih se i helikopterom teško dolazilo, a zbog nepostojanja normalnih puteva danima putovalo vojnim konvojima. Preko prijevoja na 4 tisuće metara nadmorske visine do polu-
pustinjskih visoravni nastanjenih ljudima koji se uglavnom bave poljoprivredom uz gotovo nikakvu mehanizaciju, ali uz stoljećima razvijan sistem navodnjavanja polja maka, kanabisa i krušnih žitarica. Ili, nasuprot tome, uz vinograde s vjerojatno najstarijom sortom grožđa od kojeg rade najukusnije suhe grožđice na svijetu.
Da nije ratova, od unutarnjih, plemenskih, ili novovjekih – prvo s Englezima, pa Sovjetima i na kraju Amerima i NATO koalicijom, ništa izvana ne bi narušilo njihovu svakodnevnicu koja zapadnjacima izgleda teška, katkad mučna, ali gotovo uvijek, kako zapadnjaci to vide – po pitanju ljudskih prava, suspektna.
Kao novinar i autor niza potresnih fotografija iz toga područja, ne mogu suditi tko je tu trebao biti u pravu ili krivu, niti tumačiti povijest, ali ona je i danas krvava. Brutalna i do kraja nepravedna prema pojedincu ili bilo kojoj manjinskoj skupini unutar takve zajednice.
Međutim, teško je ne primijetiti, a to nam je povijest u više navrata pokazala, nikada intervencija izvana nije tamošnjem stanovništvu donijela išta dobro.
Naravno, najgore su u takvim situacijama prolazili pripadnici one četvrtine afganistanske populacije koja živi u gradovima, jer do njih doseže famozna država kojom upravljaju ili diktatori ili nečije korumpirane marionete, suvremene sluge koje na koncu stradavaju u osvetničkoj ognjici osloboditelja – ma kako se oni zvali, talibani ili mudžahedini.
Zapadu je svejedno, ne trude se razumjeti ni jedne ni druge ni treće, već ih koriste za svoje interese, ekonomske, geopolitičke, geostrateške ili već neke geo.
Afghan man with daughter rides his motorcycle at the market place in center of Kherwar district in Logar province on October 5, 2009.REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN)
An elderly Afghan man street vendor prepares a meal at a market in Baraki Rajan, Baraki Barak district in Logar province October 10, 2009. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)
An Afghan family carries woods at their donkey while soldiers from the U.S. Army's Alpha Company, 3rd brigade of 10th Mountain Division based in Fort Drum, New York, search for IED (improvised explosive device) in the fields along the road in Charkh district, Logar province October 14, 2009.REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN)
Burqa-clad women walk past the street in the village in Charkh district in Logar province October 14, 2009. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN)
An Afghan boy carries his youngest brother at wheel barrel in the village in Charkh district, Logar province October 14, 2009. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN)
Afghans gather from their shop as U.S. Military Police and Canadian soldiers from Camp Nathan Smith join force with local police to patrol in Kandahar City centre, May 11, 2010. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)
An elderly Afghan man takes a rest at the street in Kandahar City centre, May 11, 2010. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)
Afghans gather as U.S. Military Police and Canadian soldiers from Camp Nathan Smith join force with local police to patrol in Kandahar City centre, May 11, 2010. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)
Afghans drink a tea in front of their shop in village of Loy Bala Karz southeast of Kandahar City on May 12, 2010. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)
Two elderly Afghan men sit at street in village of Loy Bala Karz southeast of Kandahar City on May 12, 2010. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)
Afghan villagers watches while soldiers from the U.S. Army's Alfa Company, 3rd brigade of 10th Mountain Division based in Fort Drum, New York, search for IED, (improvised explosive device) in village of Apdici in Logar province. Picture taken September 26, 2009. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT) MILITARY POLITICS)
Three Afghan boys' watches from a wall while soldier from the U.S. Army's Charlie troop, 371 Cavalry, 3rd brigade of 10th Mountain Division based in Fort Drum, New York, patrol in their village at Kherwar district in Logar province on October 2, 2009.REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT MILITARY POLITICS)
Three Afghan men waits to be question by soldiers from the U.S. Army's Charlie troop, 371 Cavalry, 3rd brigade of 10th Mountain Division based in Fort Drum, New York, which patrol in their village at Kherwar district in Logar province on October 2, 2009. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT MILITARY POLITICS)
Young Afghan girl watch out from a shop at the market place in center of Kherwar district in Logar province on October 5, 2009. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN)
Young Afghan girl walk out from a shop at the market place in center of Kherwar district in Logar province on October 5, 2009. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN)
Young Afghan girls watch up from the house door while soldiers from the U.S. and Afghan Army walk trough their village of Chehel Tan, Baraki Barak district in Logar province, during a joint patrol October 12, 2009. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)
An elderly Afghan man select his grape fruit in the fields at the Charkh district in Logar province October 14, 2009. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN)
Burqa-clad women with children walk through a street market in Kabul October 16, 2009. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN)
Three young Afghan girls bagging as U.S. Military Police and Canadian soldiers from Camp Nathan Smith join force with local police to patrol in Kandahar City centre, May 11, 2010. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)
An Afghan streets bakery vendor shows his fresh bread in Kandahar City centre, May 11, 2010. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)
A group of Afghans coming back from their fields to village of Loy Bala Karz southeast of Kandahar City on May 12, 2010. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)
Canadian soldiers from Camp Nathan Smith walk in village of Loy Bala Karz southeast of Kandahar City while provide security for Aid workers on May 12, 2010. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)
An Afghan child sits inside street bakery in neighborhood next to Police substation 3 in Kandahar City May 26, 2010. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)
An Afghan worker cycling to his duty in neighborhood next to Police substation 3 in Kandahar City May 26, 2010. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)
Afghan children gather as members of U.S. 293 Military Police Company patrol in neighborhood next to Police substation 3 in Kandahar City May 26, 2010. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT POLITICS)