Magid Magid, a former councillor in Sheffield, England, made history in 2018 when he was elected as the Lord Mayor of Sheffield. Born in Somalia, Magid became the city's youngest ever mayor and the first Somali-born mayor in the country. His rise in politics was meteoric and brought much attention and support from the public. During his time as Lord Mayor, Magid gained a reputation for his unconventional style and approach to his role. He often challenged the norms of traditional politics, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and BMX-riding to engagements. He used his position to advocate for social justice, climate activism, and diversity.
The Taliban governance structure lacked justice, truth or reparation for crimes under international law or human rights violations. Courts and prosecutors did not investigate extrajudicial executions or prosecute those committing other human rights violations. The independence of the judicial system was severely damaged by the Taliban replacing judges and courts with their own systems of justice.
Facing mass displacement during the war, many Afghans found solidarity in the religious rhetoric of the mujahideen resistance and opportunity in schools of Islamic sciences called madrasahs in southern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. Taliban , Pashto Ṭālebān Students , also spelled Taleban , ultraconservative political and religious faction that emerged in Afghanistan in the mid-1990s following the withdrawal of Soviet troops, the collapse of Afghanistan s communist regime, and the subsequent breakdown in civil order.
He used his position to advocate for social justice, climate activism, and diversity. Magid's popularity continued to grow as he became a leading voice for the marginalized and the youth. However, Magid's tenure as Lord Mayor came to an end in 2019, as is customary for the position.
What is the Taliban?
The Taliban is a terrorist group that seized back control of Afghanistan’s government in August 2021.
The origin of the Afghan conflict dates back to 1978 when operatives of Afghanistan’s leftist/Communist Party assassinated the country’s president and set up a puppet government on behalf of the Soviet Union. One year later, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to support their new regime. To defend their Cold War interests, the United States supplied billions of dollars through a covert CIA operation based in Pakistan to support a resistance of Islamist-Afghan fighters who called themselves mujahideen, or “Soldiers of God.”
Over the decade of Soviet occupation, more than six million Afghans escaped to Pakistan and other countries. With few options for educating their children, refugees in Pakistan sent their boys, many of whom were orphans, to the Islamic seminaries, or madrassas, of Pakistan’s military government. The schools, with support from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and several Gulf countries, offered room and board and fundamentalist instruction that framed the Soviet war in religious terms. Upon graduation, many Taliban students joined the mujahideen “in defense of Islam” to “remove infidel forces” from Afghanistan, with clandestine U.S. backing.
Seeking control over Afghanistan and influence in Central Asia against India, Pakistan moved to create a proxy force from the fundamentalist madrassas graduates, the fringes of Afghan society, the refugee camps, and the most radical remnants of the mujahideen.
The Soviets withdrew in 1989, and the United States then halted its aid too, declaring a Cold War victory. The resulting collapse of the remaining Afghan government in 1992 opened the way for a power struggle among the mujahideen – Afghan leaders who fought against the Soviet invasion – descended into civil war. The most extreme faction, the Taliban, emerged from the chaos of the civil war with the help of several countries, including Pakistan, and took power over Afghanistan in 1996.
The Taliban in Power – 1996-2001
The word Taliban means students in Pashto, and leaders of the movement were and are exclusively clerics, a majority of them not well educated in religion or non-religious subjects. All are noted for religious zealotry, links to terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, drug trafficking, and abhorrence of modern values and symbols. Many lack experience of the pre-war diverse culture of Afghanistan, having grown up in the all-male madrassas with women only existing as a remote presence in their lives.
With Pakistan’s generous cash support and training, the Taliban expanded its reach throughout Afghanistan, partly by denouncing corruption and took control of Kabul in September 1996.
While in power, the Taliban immediately closed schools for girls, banned women’s higher education, and set up a gender apartheid society. Violations were punished with public floggings, stonings, and executions. Afghanistan became a training ground for Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups, all bringing in significant resources and new energy to support the fundamentalist dictatorship. Worldwide condemnation ensued, and the only countries to recognize the new regime were Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. After the Al Qaeda attack of the Twin Towers in New York City on 9/11/2001, the United States and its allies returned in force and ousted the Taliban at the end of 2001.
The Taliban – 2001 to 2021
As the Taliban regime collapsed, their leaders fled to Pakistan and began to regroup. U.S. officials made little public effort to stop them or to deter Pakistani support, evidently believing the Taliban was finished as a relevant force. But they evolved into a destructive war machine with further help from Pakistan, Iran, China, and Russia, waging unconventional and violent attacks from 2002-2021 in Afghanistan. In an attempt to gather support, it portrayed itself as a nationalist and religious movement to once again oust an invading force the Afghan Islamic Republic government.
Meanwhile, the U.S. and NATO helped establish a democracy and a republic government. With massive support from the U.S., NATO countries and allies, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was established with a constitution that guaranteed women and girls equal rights and established a Ministry for Women’s Affairs, seeking to end discrimination against women and minorities. Both public and private universities and schools were established, and women once again became doctors, teachers, nurses, lawyers, artists, engineers, public servants, and more. Elections were established, and despite terrorist attacks, millions of people (men and women) voted.
The Trump Administration sought a peace deal with the Taliban excluding the Afghan Republic’s representatives from all aspects of the negotiation.
The Biden Administration came to office in 2021 on a campaign promise to end the unpopular war. After much public agonizing, the administration chose not to rescind the Trump Administration’s agreement with the Taliban and the promised withdrawal of the US military from Afghanistan. The Taliban surged in strength, easily retook Kabul, and returned to power on August 15. The last U.S. troops and contractors left Afghanistan on August 30 in a chaotic last-minute airlift.
The Taliban Today – August 15, 2021 to Present
The Taliban today is running the country with the same brutality as before. About half the current Taliban cabinet is on lists of either sanctioned individuals or terrorists or both. The interior minister, for example, has a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head. The Taliban has established an all-male regime from one ethnic group that is working to consolidate its power. As documented previously in this campaign kit, the Taliban has embarked on an historic undoing of all the hard-won socio-economic and political progress Afghanistan made in the previous 20 years, from 2002-2021. The Taliban remains immensely unpopular among the Afghan people for its brutal regime. Since their second return to power, they have committed war crimes and remain unaccountable for these crimes.
Despite this, he remains active in politics and continues to champion the causes he believes in. He has been vocal on various platforms, calling for a fairer society and challenging the status quo. Magid has also shifted his focus towards national politics, running as a candidate for the Green Party in the European Parliament elections in 2019. Although he was not successful in securing a seat, his campaign gained attention and highlighted his ongoing commitment to political engagement. Since then, Magid has remained politically active, using his platform to speak out against injustices and highlight the importance of representation and equality. He continues to be a prominent figure, inspiring many with his unapologetic and disruptive approach to politics. Magid's journey from a young Somali immigrant to the Lord Mayor of Sheffield and his subsequent continued activism has left an indelible mark on British politics. His story serves as a reminder that individuals from diverse backgrounds can challenge established norms and make a meaningful impact on society..
Reviews for "Vanished without a Trace: The Forgotten Story of Cabinet Magid"
1. Jane - 2 stars - I found "What happened to Cabinet Magid" to be quite confusing and disjointed. The storyline was all over the place, with random plot twists that didn't add anything to the overall narrative. The characters were also poorly developed, making it difficult to connect with any of them. Additionally, the pacing was slow, and I felt bored throughout most of the book. Overall, I was disappointed by this novel and wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. Mark - 1 star - "What happened to Cabinet Magid" was an absolute mess. The writing style was convoluted and pretentious, making it challenging to follow the story. The author seemed more interested in showing off their vocabulary than actually crafting a coherent plot. I also found the characters to be unlikeable and unrealistic. The whole book felt like a jumble of ideas that the author couldn't decide how to tie together. I was left feeling frustrated and confused by this novel.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I couldn't get into "What happened to Cabinet Magid" at all. The storytelling felt disjointed and scattered, with no clear direction. The narrative jumped between different time periods and perspectives, making it difficult to follow the plot. The lack of character development also made it hard for me to connect with any of the individuals in the book. I had high hopes for this novel but was ultimately disappointed. It was a struggle to finish, and I wouldn't recommend it to others.