Afghanistan, Emergency: “Kabul hospital full, population felt betrayed”

“The Emergency hospital in Kabul is full today. Dozens of people continue to arrive with gunshot and anti-personnel mine injuries. However, from the observatory of our hospitals, not only in Kabul but also in other areas, we can say that the situation is quite calm. The women continue to come to work, even without the burqa. Even if the Afghans feel betrayed by the Westerners for leaving in less than 24 hours “. To speak, in an exclusive interview with Adnkronos, is Rossella Miccio, the President of Emergency, who closely follows the developments in Afghanistan after the takeover of the Taliban. “We are receiving injuries from Lashkar Gah”, the capital of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, “mostly people who are injured by mines and unexploded ordnance, even if they are no longer actively fighting. In Kabul the situation seems quite calm to me. . We received about thirty patients yesterday. ” Yesterday’s wounded were shot “because there are still so many weapons in the country, and one of the real problems is precisely the indiscriminate management of these weapons, no one knows who holds them or who manages them”. Two days ago, the dead arrived from Kabul airport. Four in all. Gunshot wounds, as President Miccio explains “because the police had fired to restore calm”, “those who fell from the landing gear of the military plane did not arrive here”. But today how is the situation ? “Let’s say suspension … – Rossella Miccio answers – there is a lot of uncertainty, we are waiting to understand how the situation will evolve. Because there are still small areas in the country but very important, such as Panshir that have not yet been taken. by the Taliban on which all eyes are on at this moment. We are ready for all eventualities “. How did Emergency experience the taking of Kabul? “Surely there was a lot of fear on the part, above all, of the Afghan staff, fueled not only by the early withdrawal of international troops but also by the abandonment of the Afghan President and the evacuation of all the staff of the Western embassies. People were truly lost. , they saw that all those who had promised to protect them ran away, and this generated an uncontrolled panic “. On the decision of some embassies that have abandoned the post without even informing the Afghan collaborators, Rossella Miccio is very critical:” I really struggle to snatch it, it really seems to me a lack of a commitment made with the population. As well as an admission of total defeat and not having understood anything about what this country was and how to be close to the population and how to help them “. The President speaks of “treason”, like the Afghan doctor who has just arrived in Rome from Kabul. “The last time I went to Kabul was in February – says Rossella Miccio – and there was already a lot of resignation on the fact that the military would leave but there was still the hope that Western countries would remain close to the population. Instead this flight with the tail between the legs, in less than 24 hours, has left everyone speechless and with a lot of desperation, fueling the legitimate concerns and fears of the Afghans “. “But we do not know that Western diplomacies were asked to leave Afghanistan, neither by the Taliban nor by others, it was an autonomous choice of Westerners – he says – this will weigh heavily on the future of the country. A betrayal for an Afghan is something important. “And Afghan women? “In the first two days there was a lot of fear – she explains – even on the part of the female staff, especially those who worked in Panshir. For a few days they asked us not to come to work, because they had to travel and did not feel safe. something could happen. But for a couple of days the situation is almost normalizing. The staff are returning to the hospital, even the women. They tell us that even on the road from Kabul to Panshir they are stopped by the check points but nothing is contested. To date, the fears of a return to harsh imprisonment against women have not occurred, even if we must not let our guard down “. “Our hospitals that treat everyone are a privileged observation point – she says – a sign of the strength and closeness of the Afghan population. They know that they are not only alone and that we have always fought for women to be able to work and be treated. We have schools of training that many women access and we want to carry them forward. Surely being able to be there and continue this dialogue together in support of the Afghan women is an important signal for them “. And on the burqa and its use, Rossella Miccio explains:” I lived there a lot in Afghanistan, and I can tell you that the burqa is the least of the problems. It is more a symbol that we Westerners use to talk about women’s rights and not the real problem. to women in practice is achievable. How long they will be able to go to school and work etc. We will try to monitor this and do everything possible to ensure that it is guaranteed. a major commitment of Western diplomacy to protect women’s rights “. “To date, even our Afghan colleagues have told us that no one has asked or imposed anything – she explains – Some continue to come even without a burqa, with the veil, which they have always worn in recent years. Let’s say that I do not connect the burqa to the Taliban. We have to see what will happen in practice. Although the President has fled, there are other members of the government in the country who have remained in their posts. Like the Minister of Health. Let’s say it is a fluid situation, very different from 1996, when the Taliban. For us the priority is to protect the civilian population of Afghans and Afghans “. How does Emergency see the near future in Afghanistan? “The area that worries us most is that of Panshir, we know of the decades-long enmity with the Taliban. We know that there are internal discussions going on in the Afghan groups. We have a hospital there. We know very well the population and needs. And that area. it worries us more, because in the rest of the country the fighting has stopped, there is a situation of temporary calm. And we are there to be close to the Afghans … “. (by Elvira Terranova)