Sunday, February 04, 2007
Masculine Friday with dog fighting
Standing on the steep slope, I try to press my feet into slippery mud.
There are thousands of Afghans – no women except me – around. Afghans are whistling and shouting. Boys walk in the crowd, carrying baskets with cigarettes, boiled eggs or sweets. Some soldiers with kalashnikovs and truncheons are going around; they are pushing back the crowds. All men stare at the dogs and their masters in the middle of natural arena: it is a dog fighting time.Karim, my husband’s driver, asked us to join him to see the traditional winter entertainment in Afghanistan. He is driving us on Friday morning. Little daughter and son are with him, sitting on first seat (once we went on a joyride with all five of Karim’s children packed on the first seat). Approaching the fighting place, we see lots of cars and thousands of men. Dog fighting is popular among Afghans; many are coming from far away parts of the country.
Fighting dogs or war dogs in dari language (sag e jangi) recall me the dog named Babur, the companion of Rory. (The places in between by Rory Stewart) The old dog has been received as a gift from villagers of Ghor province. Those dogs look similar: muscular mixed breeds. Some of them have cut down ears and some of them don’t have tails. Those dogs look surprisingly well groomed: their claws are coloured with henna and collars are made from colourful fabric or leather. Their masters, sitting aside, pat and caress their wards. This is a really unusual view in Afghanistan where dogs are usually humiliated and avoided.I don’t see bleeding or fighting to death. Karim says with smile that sometimes there is a
quarrel between the owners and soldiers have to take care that angry men don’t shoot each other. Later I witness such a situation: the owners start to squabble in the middle of the fighting place, completely 
forgetting their fighting dogs.When the owner decides to cross swords then an announcer with wooden stick starts going around. Sometimes the announcer is holding a bet of cash money in his hands. Then men drag colourful cloth in the middle of arena. When the cloth falls down, the dogs are dashing towards each other like fireballs. There is not much biting. It rather looks like wrestling: one dog tries to press another dog to the ground. The owners stand by, patting or drawing away (if winner is clear or there is a danger of injury) their dogs. Public sympathize and the waiting dogs as well. They try to rip off their leashes to join the fighting as well.
By midday the fighting is over – soon there will be praying time and everyone goes to the mosque to hear mulla’s speech. We are moving back to our car when Karim says suddenly: Actually, the dog fighting is a violation of islamic law.
# posted by Õnne Pärl @ 2:59 AM 
Comments:
<< Home
I personally dislike dog fighting to the hilt... It is a kind of cruelty towards animals...For our pleasure we should not harm them and put their lives at stake.. It's high time we realise that.
# posted by 
: 9:39 PM
: 9:39 PM
sounds interesting! just discovered your blog. great that you have the possibility to move around so much. clearly not part of UN ;-)
best regards and keep blogging
best regards and keep blogging
Thanks for the news out of Afghanistan. Would you and your readers have anything to say about this?
Jihad Is Not A Term Of Convenience
It seems as if every Islamic group is declaring Jihad these days, and no two groups are agreeing on just what it is they are hoping to accomplish. The most visible organization fighting in the name of Islam is Al-Qa’ida, but even they have transformed over the past several years. There is far too much violence, Muslim against Muslim, for this to be declared Jihad. There is in-fighting at the highest levels of Al-Qa’ida, with the visionary Bin Ladin losing international recognition and popularity due to the successes of the splinter groups in Iraq. The death of the martyr Abu Mus’ab al-Zarqawi did little to diminish the violence in Iraq. As a matter of fact, the violence is moving more and more away from attacks against infidels and occupiers and more toward violence characterized by Muslims killing Muslims. This is not Jihad. This is not the way of Islam.
The crisis continues to evolve in Afghanistan, with leaders of the resistance against the infidels fighting against one another. The problems on the streets of Kabul are not as troubling as those in Baghdad; however, the fighting among their leadership has resulted in the death of influential Muslims, those who claim to be supporting a common Islamic goal. Not long ago, Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Osmani was killed during an infidel occupiers’ military operation. There have been reports that a rival, Mullah Dadullah-Lang, has been implicated in the death of Mullah Osmani. The reports talk of a feud between the two men immediately prior to the air strike that killed Osmani and that Dadullah-Lang provided information on Osmani’s whereabouts to the enemy forces. This is not the way of Jihad. These are not the actions of Muslims trying to build the caliphate. These are simple men fighting for power and control. Jihad is for Muslims, in the name of Allah, and not in the name of power-hungry fanatics.
Jihad Is Not A Term Of Convenience
It seems as if every Islamic group is declaring Jihad these days, and no two groups are agreeing on just what it is they are hoping to accomplish. The most visible organization fighting in the name of Islam is Al-Qa’ida, but even they have transformed over the past several years. There is far too much violence, Muslim against Muslim, for this to be declared Jihad. There is in-fighting at the highest levels of Al-Qa’ida, with the visionary Bin Ladin losing international recognition and popularity due to the successes of the splinter groups in Iraq. The death of the martyr Abu Mus’ab al-Zarqawi did little to diminish the violence in Iraq. As a matter of fact, the violence is moving more and more away from attacks against infidels and occupiers and more toward violence characterized by Muslims killing Muslims. This is not Jihad. This is not the way of Islam.
The crisis continues to evolve in Afghanistan, with leaders of the resistance against the infidels fighting against one another. The problems on the streets of Kabul are not as troubling as those in Baghdad; however, the fighting among their leadership has resulted in the death of influential Muslims, those who claim to be supporting a common Islamic goal. Not long ago, Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Osmani was killed during an infidel occupiers’ military operation. There have been reports that a rival, Mullah Dadullah-Lang, has been implicated in the death of Mullah Osmani. The reports talk of a feud between the two men immediately prior to the air strike that killed Osmani and that Dadullah-Lang provided information on Osmani’s whereabouts to the enemy forces. This is not the way of Jihad. These are not the actions of Muslims trying to build the caliphate. These are simple men fighting for power and control. Jihad is for Muslims, in the name of Allah, and not in the name of power-hungry fanatics.
# posted by : 5:05 AM
: 5:05 AM
Dog fighting is a disgusting, brutal, inhumane sport which in no matter what part of the world it occurs should be soundly condemned. In the U.S it is associated with gangs, lower class people, gambling and violence. It seems to be rather accepted in Afganistan. And we wonder why we're fighting wars against some in Middle East?
# posted by : 1:03 PM
: 1:03 PM
I was delighted to hear of the people blown up today whilst watching the disgusting so-called sport of dog-fighting. Serves them right; I wish they could all be blown up.
# posted by : 6:31 AM
: 6:31 AM
The act of dogfighting is pathetic and a insult to the human races so called intellect and suppieriority. If you feel the need to bet on or watch one on one bruatallity try mixed martial arts competitions. At least their the fighters are there by choice. Think what you will but I appluad who ever bombed the dogfight ring earlier this year.
# posted by : 11:43 PM
: 11:43 PM
Yes dog fighting is an evil,but for those "applauding" watchers getting blown up by suicide bombers should also applaud when the occupying forces get the same treatment too,as occupying others countries on bullshit pretences is just a bad a crime(if not worse)as dof fighting,and dont give me that saving the world or terrorist crap its just a smokescreen for world domination by the west(but most of us are too thick to see through it).
Then again the value of a dog seems to be more than that of an innocent muslim, to the eyes of the west anyway. shame on you!
Then again the value of a dog seems to be more than that of an innocent muslim, to the eyes of the west anyway. shame on you!
# posted by : 8:40 PM
: 8:40 PM
I think it's a shame that a dog is more important than human life, all you people that puts a dog first before human life are the sick.
# posted by : 10:13 AM
: 10:13 AM
i am sick of you stupid sentimental animal lovers with your "think of the animals!" mentality, you should be carefull what you wish for, if the dog-owners stop fighting dogs they probably will need another source of income and may join the taliban and directly cause HUMANS to die instead of stupid dogs.. seriously, some people should just be ignored
Post a Comment
# posted by : 4:57 PM
: 4:57 PM << Home
