Insecurity of the Dead Under Taliban Rule Sparks Concern in Darulaman
For more than two weeks, dozens of residents of Darulaman have been detained—not for violence or rebellion, but simply for burying a deceased person in a century-old cemetery. This cemetery has been the resting place for generations of local residents, and until now, no one had questioned its legitimacy.
What is even more troubling is that in recent days, those who have come only to inquire about and follow up on the status of the detainees have faced the same fate; as if asking questions itself is a crime.
A society that reaches this point gradually becomes numb. No outcry, no demands, not even surprise—a phenomenon akin to the ‘boiling frog syndrome’ that dulls human sensitivity.
Institutions that once claimed to advocate for the rights of Shiites are now either busy justifying these actions or prefer to interpret silence as a form of ‘prudence.’ Meanwhile, writers and intellectuals are either embroiled in trivial disputes or analyzing fate and historical narratives.
But the question is simple: if one cannot defend the sanctity of a corpse, then what can they defend?
Perhaps the issue is not just about a cemetery. Perhaps the problem lies in our acclimation to a situation where both the living and the dead are left unprotected.
And this complacency is the most dangerous aspect of all.
Seyed Ahmad Mousavi, Preacher
