The Australian Federal of Islamic Councils (AFIC) has invited two Taliban radicals as speakers in a live webinar scheduled to take place on October 16. The Afghan refugees and Australian veterans have condemned the move.
The two invitees are Sheikh Suhail Shaheen and Sheikh Sayed Abdul Basir Sabiri. Notably, Shaheen had been interviewed by Australian and international media in the past after the Taliban took over Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US-led forces from the country.
As per the statement released by AFIC, they have brought together a “stellar panel of speakers” for the webinar. If they are to be believed, the panel will discuss “the future of Afghanistan and our role, regardless of whether we are in favour or against recent developments.”
Refugees express concerns
Sitarah Mohammadi, a Refugee advocate and member of the long-persecuted Hazara minority of Afghanistan, called it “completely inappropriate”. She said that she found it horrifying that Taliban radicals were getting a platform to address the Islamic community in Australia and might spread the Talibani propaganda.
The Hazaras, as long persecuted religious minority are currently facing forced land evictions and ethnic cleansing at the hands of the Taliban in Afghanistan. This event would allow the Taliban to advance its push for global legitimacy, & strengthen its oppressive rule.
— Sitarah Mohammadi (@sitarah_m) October 13, 2021
She added, “As part of the Hazara community – my family and I fled the rule of the Taliban in the late 1990s – to see faces like these on a prominent event like this is really traumatising. Our people have suffered so horrifically at their hands, and continue to do so to this day.”
According to Mohammadi, the event would help the Taliban in getting global legitimacy. It might lead to unlocking international funds that would strengthen the oppressive rule over Afghanistan under the Talibani regime. She said, “If anything, it legitimises them to have those members on the panel.”
Taliban should not be given a platform, say experts
Herbert Phil Thompson, Liberal Member, called it a misstep by the AFIC and said it would outrage veterans. Notably, when Thompson was serving as an army private in Afghanistan, he got seriously wounded after an improvised explosive device (IEDs) exploded in close proximity. He said, “These two people from the Taliban should not be given a platform. The Taliban is an illegitimate government.”
He further added, “We have seen young girls unable to attend school. We see girls and women treated as property. They are vile and barbaric. They rule with an iron fist and murder, and this organisation should not be given a platform in Australia.”
Senator James Paterson, chairman, federal parliament’s intelligence and security committee, warned against the step. He said it would allow them “to support their claims of legitimacy”. Paterson added, “We should instead be doing everything we can to advance the cause of freedom for millions of Afghan girls and women who are now living under the control of a regime with a proven history of violence and brutality.”
Walt Secord, spokesperson, NSW Labor’s police and counter-terrorism, said the event should not take place. He said, “This event looks like a road map to radicalisation. I am absolutely disgusted that any organisation in Australia would provide a platform to the Taliban and their primitive views.”
AFIC justified the event
AFIC president Dr Rateb Jneid said they had invited the Taliban members to hear about their intentions as a ruling regime in Afghanistan. He claimed that many Australian Muslims had expressed concerns about what has been happening in Afghanistan as many of them have loved ones who still live there. He said, “We have many families of Afghan background who are worried about their loved ones in Afghanistan, and they want to hear about the intentions of the government there. We will do what is necessary to make sure that we get the message across to our youths not to go to Afghanistan.”
Justifying giving them a platform, Jneid said, “The Taliban have been given thousands of platforms all over the internet, they do not need us for a platform.” Jneid, along with National Grand Mufti of Australia, Imam Abdul Quddoos Al Azhari and Islamic legal scholar Professor Mohammad Naqib Jan are scheduled as speakers for the event.
Keysar Trad, AFIC chief executive, also defended the event and called Taliban was “recognised as the government of Afghanistan”. He added that AFIC sought to stop young Australian Muslims from travelling to Afghanistan “for the wrong reasons” as previously people had travelled to Iraq and Syria to join Islamic groups.
He claimed that AFIC believed the Taliban would support them in convincing young Australian Muslims not to travel to Afghanistan. “We don’t want to see our children getting involved in foreign matters, and we certainly don’t want to see them in Supermax [prison] either,” he said.
