Thunder Over Kandahar

by Sharon McKay

  Islam—based on the Qur’an (Koran), a record of the teachings received by the Prophet Muhammad. Islam literally means “submission to God.”

  Jada-e welayat—jada means street and welayat means governance. Together they mean the street where the court, and possibly government building, are located.

  jihad—an Islamic holy war against non-believers or infidels (literally “one without faith”). The literal meaning of jihad is “struggle.”

  Kabul—the capital of Afghanistan, located in Kabul Province. It is over three thousand years old. Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s, the city has been a constant target of destruction by rebels or militants. It is currently in the early phases of reconstruction.

  Kandahar Airfield (KAF)—also known as Kandahar International Airport and located ten miles southeast of Kandahar City. Built by the United States in l960, it was occupied by the Soviets in 1979. The airfield has been maintained by the Canadian Armed Forces since 2006 and includes the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

  Kandahar City—the second-largest city in Afghanistan, located in Kandahar Province. It is over three thousand years old. It is often called the birthplace and spiritual home of the Taliban.

  karakul (QaraQul)—a breed of long-eared domestic sheep, which originated in Central Asia and have been raised continually since 1400 BCE. They thrive under extremely harsh living conditions.

  khak—soil, grave, tomb, ground. There is no exact translation.

  Khalili, Khalilullah—Afghanistan’s foremost twentieth-century poet (1907–1987), as well as a noted historian, university professor, diplomat, and royal confidant. He lived in many countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Germany, the United States, and Pakistan. He was buried in Peshawar, Pakistan.

  khariji—foreigner.

  khoda-hafez—means literally “God look after you, ” and is a formal way to say “goodbye.”

  lagaan—a large pot.

  madrassa—an Islamic religious school.

  maharam—a male family member who may accompany a woman outside the home. Also in Islam, maharam are people to whom a woman, or man, may communicate freely, such as a mother, sister, brother, husband, and so on.

  martyr—in Arabic, a martyr is termed “shahid, ” which literally means “witness.” Typically a martyr is thought of as somebody who suffers persecution, and dies, for a belief.

  Mecca (or Makkah)—located in Saudi Arabia, this is the center of the Islamic world and the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and the religion he founded.

  millie buses—brightly decorated public buses, most are donated by India or Pakistan.

  Mor—the word for “mother” in the Pashto language.

  Mora, Mora—words for “Mummy” or “Mom” ; a term of affection, in the Pashto language.

  muezzin—one who calls the faithful to prayer, usually from the minaret of a mosque.

  mujahideen—a person who fights a holy war to protect Islam. This name is often used by Afghans to refer to those who fought against the Russians and then the Taliban.

  mullah—a term generally used to refer to a Muslim man who is educated in Islamic theology. It is derived from the Arabic word meaning “vicar” or “guardian.” This man is highly respected in the community.

  Muslim—devotee of the Islamic faith.

  naan (nan)—unleavened bread baked in a tandoor, which is a clay or mud oven.

  naswar (also nass or niswar)—a type of dipping or chewing tobacco mixed with calcium oxide (chuna) and wood ash.

  NATO—North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty, which was signed in 1949. Headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium. Members of NATO agree on a defense as a response to an attack. In July 2006, a NATO-led force, made up mostly of troops from Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Turkey, took over a military operation in Afghanistan from a U.S.-led antiterrorism coalition.

  Nekahnama certificate—this document, more than the actual vows, is what makes a marriage legal in Afghanistan.

  NGO—non-governmental organization. For example, Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF, and Save the Children would all fit into this category.

  noor—means “light.” It can also be a proper name, or used to mean “the light of someone’s heart.”

  Northern Alliance—coalition of non-Pashtuns who succeeded, with U.S. assistance, in overthrowing the Taliban in 2001.

  opium—the raw ingredient used to make heroin.

  Parwan (or Parvan)—a province in northern Afghanistan, north of Kabul Province. Its capital is Charikar.

  Pashto (also Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pathani, or Pushtu)—language spoken primarily in Afghanistan and western Pakistan. The number of Pashto speakers is estimated to be 60 to 70 million. Pashto is written using the Arabic script.

  Pashtuns—the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, making up approximately 35 percent of the nation. Most speak Pashto, although some speak Dari. Pashtuns are governed by trabgani, a code of behavior that stresses loyalty to family.

  Pashtunwali—the Pashtun tribal code. Pashtuns are thought of as the most hospitable people in the world.

  patoo—a type of shawl.

  pediatrician—doctor who specializes in childhood illness.

  Qur’an (Koran)—the central religious text of Islam. Muslims believe the Qur’an to be the book of divine guidance for mankind, the teachings of God as revealed to Muhammad by the angel Jibril (Gabriel) over a period of approximately twenty-three years.

  rickshaw—two-wheeled vehicle, sometimes motorized.

  rupees—this is the common name for the currencies used in India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, and Seychelles, and near the Afghanistan–Pakistan border.

  “Shadow of the Sky”—description of an overcast day cited by the ancient writer Curtius, who recorded the travels of Alexander the Great.

  shalwar kameez—also called pirahan wa tonban, this is a set of clothing that consists of a tunic over wide-legged pants.

  Soviet-Afghan War—a ten-year conflict beginning in December l979 and ending in May l989. The Soviet Union supported the Marxist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Islamist Mujahideen Resistance. They controlled cities but not the countryside. Nevertheless, those in villages did not escape Soviet aircraft raids from above.

  surma—also known as kajal or kohl, this is a mixture of soot and other ingredients to make an oily black paste that is smeared around eyes. It is thought to prevent eye disease and to provide protection from the sun.

  Tajik—a group ethnically related to the people of Tajikistan in the northeast. There are about 6 million Tajiks in Afghanistan, making up approximately 25 percent of the population.

  Taliban—Afghan fundamentalist Muslims (the name literally means “seekers of religious knowledge” or “students” ) led by Mullah Mohammed Omar. Most are Pashtuns who have spent their youth in religious schools or camps in Pakistan. They support al-Qaeda, whose leader is Osama bin Laden. The Taliban imposed strict codes of behavior and dress based on literal translations from the Qur’an. They prevented girls from attending school and women from working outside the house. All women were ordered to wear the burka and leave the house only in the company of a male relative. Men were ordered to grow beards. Kite flying, dancing, television, and keeping pet birds were just a few of the activities prohibited to the population.

  Note: The term Taliban is often used to describe all the insurgents in Afghanistan, but there are additional players in Afghanistan that are operating against the NATO coalition forces.

  tandoor—a cylindrical clay oven used in cooking and baking.

  tasbih beads—comparable to a Roman Catholic rosary, these beads are traditionally used to keep track of how many times one has recited Islam’s prayerful recitations.

  taweez—a talisman or a charm. One kind of taweez is simply a written du’a, or prayer from the Qur’an. They are used only for good.


  toshak (also tooshak)—a large, often long, pillow made with heavy cloth and carpet backing. It is used to sit on and sometimes to sleep on.

  Ulugh Beg (1394–1449)—built one of the earliest Islamic astronomical observatories, in the fifteenth century. It is considered to have been one of the finest observatories in the Islamic world at the time. It was destroyed by religious fanatics in 1449. It was only rediscovered in 1908.

  United Nations—an international organization established in l945 after World War II to promote cooperation among nations. Uzbeks—minority ethnic group (approximately 6.3 percent of the population) mostly found in the northwest. Most are farmers or herders. Besides growing crops they produce high-quality karakul fleece and rugs.

  Timeline

  330 BCE: Alexander the Great conquers Afghanistan and incorporates it into the Persian Empire.

  50 CE: Afghanistan becomes part of the central Sassanian Empire.

  652: Arab armies invade and bring with them Islam.

  1220: Genghis Khan invades the north and west of Afghanistan.

  1839–42: First Afghan war against the British.

  1878–81: Second Afghan war against the British.

  1901: Habibullah becomes king (assassinated in l919).

  1919: Third Afghan war against the British ends with bombing of Kabul and Jalalabad. British recognize Afghan independence.

  1946: Afghanistan joins the United Nations (UN).

  1979: The Soviets are “invited” into the country to keep order.

  1980: The mujahideen fight the Soviets.

  1982: The United States start to fund the mujahideen.

  1989: Soviet withdrawal.

  1992: Civil war.

  1994: The Taliban capture Kandahar and Osama bin Laden sets up al-Qaeda bases.

  1995: The Taliban capture Herat.

  1996: The Taliban capture Kabul and rule most of the country. The Northern Alliance fight back.

  1998: The U.S. launch missile strikes on al-Qaeda bases in retaliation for bombings of U.S. embassies in eastern Africa.

  2000: United Nations imposes sanctions on Afghanistan.

  2001: The September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., claim the lives of over three thousand innocent people. Al-Qaeda claims responsibility.

  2001: The United States begins attacks on Afghanistan. Canada’s military mission to Afghanistan begins soon after the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.

  2001: Anti-Taliban groups sign the Bonn Agreement (a series of agreements intended to re-create the State of Afghanistan following the U.S. invasion). The Taliban government fails and Hamid Karzai is declared president of an interim government.

  2002: Loya Jirga (Pashto term meaning “grand council”) agrees to a new constitution. An election keeps Hamid Karzai in power.

  2007: One hundred and forty more suicide bombings in this year—more than in the previous five years combined—kill more than three hundred people, many civilians.

  2009: Taliban regain control over the countryside in several Afghan provinces.

  Peace remains . . . beyond reach . . .

  Acknowledgments

  It all began with the Canadian Forces Artists Program (CFAP). With gratitude to: Dr. John MacFarlane, program manager; Dr. Serge Bernier, president of the CFAP; and the entire CFAP committee. Also, to Ken Steacy, military artist, author/illustrator, and graphic novelist; and to my traveling companion to Afghanistan, the beautiful, astonishing, incomparable Althea Thauberger, filmmaker, photographer, and military artist.

  Every book has it challenges, but along the way I met some amazing people, and most, if not all, are friends for life. High on the list of keepers is my publisher at Annick Press, Rick Wilks, along with staff Katie Hearn, Brigitte Waisberg, Susan Shipton, and Kong Njo. Such patience!

  My relationships with Barbara Berson, editor, and Catherine Marjoribanks, copy-editor, go back longer than any of us want to admit. As always, thank you.

  Most amazing of all were the new people who came into my life during this project. The women of Canadians in Support of Afghan Women, cited in the dedication, continue to be inspiring.

  Famia Haidary read every word ten times over. Famia, I will remember your contribution and dedication forever. Roya Rahmani, human rights activist, and A. Rahim Parwani, author and journalist, came late to the project but offered insightful comments, suggestions, and corrections with unparalleled generosity. Mojo, your name is disguised but I thank you. I hope that in a future edition I can name others, now in Afghanistan, who generously offered their support.

  Thank you Lauryn Oates, project director of Canadians in Support of Afghan Women and education specialist and human rights advocate. Lauryn leads a fearless life of integrity and adventure that leaves me breathless.

  My thanks to those posted at Kandahar Airfield (KAF) and Masum Ghar (Forward Operation Base) in northern Afghanistan who took such good care of Althea and me—Captain Gail Sullivan, Corporal Greg Van Sevenant, Captain R.L. Hackett, Lieutenant Brenda Andrews, Master Corporal Stephanie Emond, Master Corporal Michelle Neilson, and Major Diane Kirby.

  Thanks to the best e-mail friend I have ever had, Gail Latouche, deputy director of the Correctional Service of Canada, Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team.

  And then there are my dear friends who read, commented, and told me the truth (you can stop that now): Dr. David Parsons, Linda Bronfman, Kim Zarzour, Christina Dockrill, Jennifer Kerr Hlusko, Kathy Kacer, Ann Ball, Linda Holeman, Donna Patton, Shelley Grieves, Linda Bellm, Nancy Sermon, Joan Viaene, Carole Dixon, Meg Masters, Eva Salinas, and, in Northern Ireland, Roberta Daniel.

  As with every book I write for young adults, this manuscript was vetted by young readers. My thanks to Zohra Bhimani, John McNally, Holly Caldwell, Jack Caldwell, and Alaina Podmorow, the founder of Little Women for Little Women in Afghanistan.

  Author’s Note

  My sincere thanks to the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council Writers’ Reserve Program.

  The photographs, by Rafal Gerszak, were taken in Kabul, northern Afghanistan (Panjshir Province), and eastern Afghanistan along the Pakistan border, in 2008 and 2009.

  With all due diligence, the material in this book has been vetted, pondered, and discussed by Muslims (both in Afghanistan and in the West), young adults, teachers and adults of different faiths, and editors. That said, if there are errors, as the author I take full responsibility.

  Sharon E. McKay

  © 2010 Sharon E. McKay (text)

  © 2010 Rafal Gerszak (photographs)

  Edited by Barbara Berson

  Designed by Kong Njo

  Annick Press Ltd.

  All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyrights hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical—without prior written permission of the publisher.

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  We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF) and the Ontario Book Publishing Tax Credit (OBPTC) for our publishing activities.

  Cataloging in Publication

  McKay, Sharon E.

  Thunder over Kandahar / Sharon E. McKay ; photographs by Rafal Gerszak.

  ISBN 978-1-55451-266-9 (pbk.).— ISBN 978-1-55451-267-6 (bound)

  1. Afghan War, 2001- —Juvenile fiction. I. Gerszak, Rafal II. Title.

  PS8575.K2898T58 2010 jC813'.54 C2010-903311-6

  The songs “Afghan People” and “The Book,” both Dari songs, can be found in the book edited by Louise M. Pascale, Childr
en’s Songs from Afghanistan: Qu Qu Qu Barg-e-Chinaar (Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, English edition, 2008).

  The quote from Abdu’l-Baha’i cited in the epigraph is from The Promulgation of Universal Peace:Talks delivered by Abdu’l-Baha’i during his Visit to the United States and Canada in 1919 (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha’i Pub. Trust, 1982).

  Front cover: helicopters by Rafal Gerszak; woman in burka and smoke © iStockphoto Inc./Lori Martin and © iStockphoto Inc./Stephen Strathdee

  Visit us at: www.annickpress.com

  Visit Sharon E. McKay at: www.sharonmckay.ca

  Visit Rafal Gerszak at: www.gerszak.com