INTERVIEW Doctor Obaidullah from Afghanistan: The Taliban killed my brother! The pandemic in Slovakia is being abused by politicians – Topky

In the interview you will learn:

• Why he left Afghanistan and stayed in Slovakia
• What does it say about the current management of the pandemic in Slovakia
• What is the level of healthcare in Slovakia
• What he says about the current situation in Afghanistan

Most Afghans, like you, came to Slovakia years ago. Haven’t you considered returning to Afghanistan in that time?

I came to Czechoslovakia in 1985 to study medicine, in 1992 after successfully completing my studies at the Faculty of Medicine in KE I wanted to return to Afghanistan, I already had tickets from the Afghan Embassy in Prague on July 26, 1992 from Prague. I didn’t want to stay here, I wanted to go back to Afghanistan. Unfortunately, at that time, our progressive president, Dr. Najib, was overthrown, the Mujahideen came to power, a similar precarious situation just as now, so I stayed until the situation calmed down, then the Taliban came and it was even worse. In the meantime, I got married here, children came and there were other worries than Afghanistan. After the arrival of international forces in Afghanistan in 2002, I sometimes thought, but there were always some worries about attestations and mistrust of stability in Afghanistan until 2010, and after 2010 the situation gradually worsened, so I didn’t think much anymore.

Why did you decide to stay in Slovakia and start a clinic here?

I like Slovakia very much, Košice is an alma mater for me, but I wanted to go back to Afghanistan and do a doctor there at the Great University Hospital in Kabul near our house or in a big important military hospital in Kabul, which has been my dream since childhood. In 1992, when I finished medicine and the situation was exactly the same as today, I had to stay in Slovakia. I found a job at NsP Rimavská Sobota and since then Rimavská Sobota has become my second Cable. And I decided to do something useful for the people in the Rimavská Sobota district who accepted me as their own, for which I am and will remain grateful.

Source: Mir Obaidullah

You have been working as a doctor in Slovakia for a few decades. Would you be able to compare the level of healthcare during the time you are in Slovakia? Has it moved anywhere?

I think yes, the level of health care has certainly moved higher, at least the Slovak health care system keeps pace at least with the neighboring states of the former socialist bloc. Sure, more could have been done, but it would have to be less stolen. Unfortunately, this cannot be compared to the countries of Western Europe, but it also takes time and stronger determination. I am a member of the Za Ľudí party in Slovakia, I am also a member of the Za Ľudí party health group, where we work to promote clean healthcare – I mean corruption. I am cooperating with Mrs. Veronika Remišová, the chairwoman of our party, whose commitment to a non-corrupt country is an example to me and I am proud to have it.

How do you, as a doctor, perceive the management of a pandemic in Slovakia and the fact that a lot of people refuse the vaccine?

The management of the pandemic had its big problems and shortcomings, but where and in which country did they not? Somewhere less, somewhere more, but they had them everywhere. Experience makes masters, before there was no experience with a pandemic, there was a lot of improvisation, so unfortunately mistakes were made. Surely it could have been better managed than anything else in life. A big problem of the pandemic in Slovakia is not even in the management of the pandemic, as in the politicization of the pandemic as a grateful topic for some political parties and a maximally ungrateful topic for Slovakia.

Source: Mir Obaidullah

Unfortunately, the political abuse of this issue by the opposition and the chaotic decisions of the government have succeeded in dividing society into camps, creating crowd psychosis, creating a group of people who strongly support vaccinations and measures, and a group that is completely against everything, this should not have happened. , vaccination is a sovereign medical topic not a political one! It would be interesting to do a survey on vaccination among voters of individual political parties, I assume that the strong politicization of the topic of pandemics and vaccination would be confirmed. In any case, all the people will pay for it!

Do you think that government politicians could have done something different to make people trust experts more?

Certainly yes! A pandemic is a social theme, it will cover all branches of society and should have remained a social theme. The role of government politicians in the current situation, unlike in 2020, should be to provide vaccination for all citizens over the age of 12 on a voluntary basis, non-violent propaganda of vaccination as the best way to protect and prevent the re-closing of the economy.

Source: Mir Obaidullah

I would certainly not force anyone to be vaccinated or restrict economic activities, nor would I order anyone to do anything! Everyone already knows if they can be vaccinated and will live freer or be on call non-stop. The whole essence of the COVID automaton measure is in ROR, and people already know this perfectly. Yes, if the number of seriously ill patients with COVID increases completely vaccinated and in people and people who have overcome COVID within 180 days and eventually increases mortality in these two categories, then have the current COVID machine in reserve. Everyone must know that he bears the benefits and consequences of his decision, without being forced by anyone. Paradoxically, then people decide for more certainty, in this case they can be vaccinated.

As for Afghanistan, what was it like when you left it?

I left Afghanistan when I was almost 17 years old, from Kabul, at that time there were Russians in Afghanistan and it was quite calm. The women were not veiled, they lived happier, especially in Kabul and larger cities, but even at that time there were troops, tanks, bans on night going out and front lines everywhere in several cities. I was 10 years old when the war began in Afghanistan, I will slowly retire and there is still a war. It is, unfortunately, a vicious circle.

What is your view of what is happening in Afghanistan now?

To be honest, I was embarrassed when I was still in high school in Afghanistan, I was an anti-mujahideen activist who was fighting against the progressive democratic government in Afghanistan at the time, I still don’t have to. Paradoxically, they are the Mujahideen, who have been in power for the last 20 years in Afghanistan with the support of the world community. I very much see no difference in the ways in which they fought between the times they fought against the legitimate progressive government of Afghanistan and the current Taliban.

To be clear – I am completely against all fundamentalists, extremists. I was and I am against the Taliban, finally 5 years ago the Taliban killed my brother in Afghanistan in a very cruel way, which I can hardly forgive. My close family had to leave Afghanistan, but on the other hand I do not think that the corrupt government, which was in power and incompetent for most Afghans, divided Afghanistan and people into groups, formed a layer of fairy-tale rich people, mobsters, drug mafia, the vast majority of poverty and almost 3-4 million drug addicts (children, women, men) in Afghanistan, corrupt police have increased crime, murders, kidnappings, thefts in cities, including Kabul – you could not slowly or with a mobile phone going to the city because they would be killed would be a better alternative. In my opinion, this was also the problem of the Afghan army, which was probably considering whether to fight for this, ear-worn government and corrupt politicians, and whether they would lay down their lives like others or not fight, but did not fight but did not join the Taliban!

Source: Mir Obaidullah

Unfortunately, there is no third alternative for the people in Afghanistan, the people are mostly desperate, tired, helpless, helpless, especially disappointed by the war in Afghanistan, and the world community with its army and capabilities, and, unfortunately, left only a corrupt government, war and more. suffering. That is why I am embarrassed to look at the current situation in Afghanistan. But one thing that is encouraging now, at least for me, and will create hope in me as such, is that now in the piece the Taliban at least declare that they have changed, that they need all men and women, the general – sorry – amnesty, that they will accept human rights and women’s rights, although, of course, with but … That they are not what they were, that they would reduce drug production in Afghanistan to 0, that they would reduce the crime rate in Afghanistan, that they would not pose any danger to the world community, and that they will eliminate IS fighters in Afghanistan. Even so far, while they do and how they treat people in cities, there is an obvious difference from 1996. I don’t mean to say that hurray, we have won or that they can be trusted, but for those 35 million people who suffer unbelievably every day, perhaps peace will finally come, and gradually freedom and progress are possible.

Did you return to your home country? Do you have any relatives there now?

Yes, I like going to Afghanistan, I have nice memories of a big family of cousins, friends at school for the whole time when I was still in Afghanistan. I always get positive. energy when I go there, but I admit that I prefer to go back to Slovakia and Rimavská Sobota, but that’s the way it is. In Afghanistan, a large family is close, so I have a close family there. But my parents and siblings had to leave Afghanistan after the murder of my brother because of the threat of danger.

The Taliban have been heard that they do not want to introduce a regime as it was until 2001, do you think that can be trusted?

Personally, I have trouble believing it, but do we have a choice? Does the world community have another contingency plan? Is there currently another alternative? As he saw, we have no choice but to believe and hope that they mean it and maybe even help them to do so. They declare this in all domestic and international forums, they are exposed to a possible nationwide uprising in Afghanistan and the age of the Internet and social networks. Most likely, they will not be alone in government, but also other political forces in Afghanistan. They are not in 1996-2001, when there was no mobile phone in Afghanistan and it didn’t work. Maybe he’s serious – so we’ll see.

Women who buy burqas are also afraid. They fear that they will not have the right to education or work, and many fear that they will only be able to go out with a male companion and that they will be put into sexual slavery. Do you think this scenario is also threatened?

That fear is justified, but as I said. the world The Taliban claim that they have changed, that they allow women to go to school and to work, but that they must be dressed according to Sharia. I think they will take action as in Iran – I suppose, which is not a big win either, but unfortunately the Afghans have little choice.

How do you think the whole situation in Afghanistan will develop?

This is a big question mark. After so many revolutions, coups, negotiations with international participation, interventions by the USSR and now the whole world in Afghanistan, which I have experienced and watched, I do not dare to predict how the situation in Afghanistan will develop. We can only assume. But I hope that lasting peace will finally come in Afghanistan and the region. The best in the world, let all people finally live as humans. I once saw a movie where on one wall after the liquidation of that part of the world it was written that “We learned to swim in the sea like fish, we learned to fly in the air like birds, we just have to learn to live on land as a human being.”