Kandahar - clip from "Inside Afghanistan"

http://www.docfilm.com - Shot in Kabul, Herat, Kandahar, Spinbuldak, and the Afghan countryside in 1987, Inside Afghanistan" (57 min) is a look at the *other* side of the war in Afghanistan - the Communist government and its supporters.

Inside Afghanistan opens with an examination of the war as seen by the Afghan army. After a ride with an armored column transporting supplies from the Soviet border. We have tea with an Afghan captain, his Russian wife, and their two sons, as he explains the bond he feels with the other Afghan officers who trained in the Soviet Union. An Afghan colonel explains how these Soviet-trained army officers led the "revolution" that brought the Communists to power. At a tank training ground, an officer extols the "revolution".

The documentary then looks at the educated, urban modernizers and reformers who saw the "revolution" as a way to bring Afghanistan into the modern world, even if on the Soviet model: women teachers and medical students, doctors at a children's hospital, boys at a Soviet orphanage, government officials, party members, and a rare interview with then- President Najibullah himself.

The second half of the film moves to the countryside, where we visit several groups of villagers who had left the Mujahedin and were fighting on the government side under the same khans (clan landlords) who earlier had led them in their fight against the government. In a peaceful village square, a group of villagers discuss their needs, unaware of the camera, while in another village a government propaganda team entertains and passes out gifts. Under attack by Mujahedin at a remote outpost, we go to the nearby artillery base, which responds with a devastating barrage of rockets and howitzers. In the Kandahar prison, we meet two Mujahedin POWs, who in spite of torture tell us courageously that they still believe they were right to fight. Finally, at a meal in his home, the governor of Kandahar province breaks down in tears as he tells us of the deaths of his sons in this long and bloody war.

"Inside Afghanistan" underscores the chasm between the urbanized, Westernizing supporters of the Communist government and the traditional Muslim world of the villages, still based on clan and feudal ties. Without preaching, the film breaks the stereotypes of Communist "puppets" and heroic "Freedom Fighters" (now "terrorists") to give the viewer a new understanding of the tragic and complex struggle for change in Afghanistan - a struggle that is far from over.

TV: US (PBS)

Ethnoscope Film & Video

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Afghanistan
• Taliban
• Mujahedin
• Kandahar
• Russian
• Soviet

[mparviz]

E Video ma ra gerian dad. May Allah bless him, his sons and his family. Ameen. Ya Allah bring Afghanistan peace and Afghans togather as brother as they are. May Afghan become free of all the shaiteen and monafigeen! Ameen !

[mohammadmurtaza]

Very touching, I had tears coming to my eyes, inshallah Afghanistan will rise again someday, when the bombs stop falling, the mine fields are clear, when women have true freedom, the corruption and corrupt people are gone, when the criminals are arrested and brought to justice, when Afghanistan is great again, we will show the world Afghan courage and might!!

[mamapurplerainbows]

please send this message to the new american goverment obabama must stop this war and bring atribal peace treaty.a day of peace and reconcil;ation

[mamapurplerainbows]

tribal leaders must come togethr in peace and over come differences and find aday of forgiveness and muitfiath peace we must ask for a day of concenous objection on the 15 of may and find resolution this is to much tears men should not kill each others families ,,englsih families and american families want peace its the goverments and arms traders and herion farming can be exchanged to aloe vera ,,frurits cattle farming ,,,,,oil do we need so much why not ,,wind power and solar power .

[lucky03here]

how do they have a right to kill some1's son? a brother? a husband? a father? they have no right!!! gosh its just sooooo HARD to see an old guy cry i wish i could do something for him but all i can do is pray and make dua for them

[mobiedk1]

This video is heart breaking and emotional, but worse these conflicts are still taking place in a war inflicted nation. I read comments posted on you tube which are based on afghans degrading afghans soley based on ethnicity. So to those whether Khanderi, Kabuli, Hazeri, Tajiki, etc; before you start cursing and categorizing one another listen to this mans last few words before you do so. We must unite and not have the lives lost over the years be in vein. Thank You.

[Kasbeke]

I think many here dindt understay that he is against mudjahedeen...

he is one of the loyalists against the terrorist mujahedeen groups

[AFGalwayz]

afghanistan isnt only for pashtuns...wrora realize that afghanistan is made up of many ethnic groups and many of them consider themselves afghan...they have lived there for generations...so dont hate as they have suffered and endured hardships with us as well...the mission to divide afghanistan along ethnic lines is a pakistani ISI mission dont fall for it

[rahulnasari]

afghanistan will be free from occupation, and may allah give our uncle there patience and reward him for his great sacrifices in akhirah, marg ba hakoomate afghanistan, marg ba ghulamane america, zindabaad the resistnace of afghanista, free afghanistan again like we did against russia

[therockali]

very sad.

man we afghans once be all good.

inshallah.

afg 4 life