PRESS RELEASE
Kabul 1 April 2004

SCA Condemns Recent Attacks on Girls' schools

In the past month, three girls' schools Supported by the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) have been attacked and completely or partially destroyed by unknown assailants.
On 19 February, at night, Jar-e-Shah Baba girls' school in Keshem, Badakshan, was attacked and burnt to the ground. On 10 March Sangana school in Rokha, Kapisa province, was bombed and three classrooms were completely destroyed. In the latest attack on 17 March, Harmal Girls school in Laghman was targeted by armed men who tied up three guards and set fire to doors, windows, school books and official documents. No person was injured in the attacks.

"We are deeply concerned and angered by this recent wave of attacks on schools. The fact that such attacks are taking place in provinces in the north where there has traditionally been less resistance to girls' education is also very worrying", says Jesper Jensen, Country Director of SCA.

Reports by SCA's education staff in the field give conflicting accounts of the reasons behind the attacks. In the case of Jar-e-Shah Baba school in Keshem, where SCA supports almost 600 students in classes 1-6, armed men wearing black masks explicitly condemned education for females as they tied the two peons of the school and set fire to the building. Most reports indicate, however, that the attack was an expression of the on-going power struggle between a local commander and government authorities rather than actual resistance to girls' education. To show their support, villagers have guaranteed the safety of staff and hired armed guards to protect the school at night. The school also has roughly 600 girls in secondary education, supported by the Norwegian Committee (NAC).

In the case of the bombed Sangana school in Panjshir, some witnesses claim there was a note indicating that the attack was directed against "female activities" carried out by HABITAT, who were using school premises for meetings related to NSP (National Solidarity Programme). Other sources insist that it is more likely the result of political infighting between different factions. In the most recent attack in Laghman, no specific threats were issued. "Whatever the reasons are it is clear that girls' schools are an easy target for anti-government forces. They are used as symbolic pawns in various power struggles, partly because they are high on the agenda of donors and the International aid community and are likely to draw attention, partly because education for girls has traditionally not been considered a priority in Afghanistan", says Dr Attaullah, acting Education Coordinator for SCA.

SCA is committed to rebuilding the schools and has so far pledged approximately 1000,000 Afghani (19,000 Euro) to cover costs. Some other organisations have also offered their support. The school year started on 22 March and while repairs are being carried out many students are being taught outdoors.

"We condemn these attacks and urge authorities on a local and central level to secure the future of girls' education in Afghanistan and to bring the culprits to justice", says Jesper Jensen.

According to information from the Ministry of Education approximately 40 attacks on girls' schools were reported in Afghanistan in 2003. Over the past years a number of SCA-supported schools have been targeted, mainly in the south-eastern provinces.

The SCA Education Programme has been in operation for almost twenty years and currently supports approximately 450 schools with 250,000 students and 6400 teachers in Afghanistan. Approximately 30% of students in SCA supported schools are girls.

For more information about the attacks and the SCA Education programme, please contact:
Natasha Brieger, Information Coordinator; Swedish Committee for Afghanistan.

(Zarghona Maidan Street, opp Jamhoriat Hosp.) Kabul, Afghanistan

Email scainfocoord@brain.net.pk, Phone: +93-(0)70-299 290

THE SWEDISH COMMITTEE FOR AFGHANISTAN, SCA

Read the Press Releases and Newsletter from SCA's Central Management Office in Peshawar, Pakistan, to get the latest news about our field activities.

The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan was formed in 1980, shortly after the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Initially, the aim of the committee was to alert the Swedish public about the situation in the country and to work for a withdrawal of the Soviet troops. Local chapters were formed all over Sweden, at the most 55 in 1988.

SCA is a non-governmental organisation standing neutral as to political, religious and ideological issues. Today the association has about 4 000 members and in addition some 20 000 regular donors and sponsors. The main office is situated in Stockholm.

In 1982, SCA started to provide aid to Afghanistan, funded by own fund-raised money and by the Swedish government. An aid office was established in Peshawar, Pakistan, providing cross-border support to health centres inside Afghanistan. In 1985 an education programme was initiated, followed by agricultural activities in 1987. Three regional offices inside Afghanistan were opened in 1993. Presently, the development support consists of the same three programmes - health, education and agriculture - and emergency aid.

The activities in Sweden, besides fund-raising, concentrate on information to members, to media and to the public. The member magazine Afghanistan-Nytt is issued four times per year and deals with overviews of the political and social situation in Afghanistan as well as SCA's activities. Books and booklets are produced, and seminars, conferences and cultural events are arranged to spread knowledge about the country.

BBC's interview with Mullah Omar on November 15, 2001 - Read the transcription

Read more about SCA's activities in Sweden.