Life in a Golden Cage in Kabul

I arrived in Kabul over one year ago to work in the Community Outreach and Capacity Building unit of the larger Strategic Provincial Roads project as a Program Development Specialist. My scope of work was to assist in the development and management of secondary projects along each of our road alignments that would support the socio-economic development in southern and eastern Afghanistan and empower the communities with the necessary skills to continue their development. These projects include agriculture development, small scale infrastructure development, with a focus on sanitation, and vocational training, which has so far covered carpet weaving, embroidery, soap making, and literacy.

Though our program is being implemented in the southern and eastern provinces of Afghanistan, for security and logistical reasons, we primarily function out of our Kabul offices, with a regional office in Kandahar. Some of the Taliban’s main strongholds and areas of influence are in the areas where we are aiming to build roads and deliver our various secondary programs, and this naturally poses several challenges to operating successfully in an already daunting and taxing environment.







Different international organizations and companies require their expatriate employees to adhere to varying protocol for accommodation and lifestyle, and ours is probably one of the strictest. Our team is required to live in company guest houses, where nearly everything, including food and laundry services, is provided for us. I live in a lavish house here, by Kabul standards, with five very dear house mates. Unfortunately, the downside of this requirement is that we adhere to a curfew of 11:00 pm. I’ve conformed to culturally appropriate dress here, which includes loose shalwar kameez or slacks with a loose kurtha top, and when outdoors, a headscarf as well. Admittedly, I now feel bare, in some sense, when I'm without my veil. Security must “clear” any venue we want to visit after having done a reconnaissance, and we must travel everywhere in armored vehicles, on some occasions in body armor. It’s a most unusual lifestyle, to say the least.

Occasionally, we will receive security updates on events taking place in Kabul, some major but most minor. Most of what is shown on CNN, BBC, and other media sources are the events unfolding outside of Kabul, predominantly in the south and east, but more recently in the northwest of the country. So, generally, we feel rather safe and as distant from these threats as one watching them on a television in Los Angeles. But, when the occasional bomb blast, kidnapping, or even earthquake strikes Kabul, it does shake one up a bit. In this aspect, I’d say the most irritating and sometimes startling issue is the low flying helicopters and jets that fly low through Kabul skies, creating loud, buzzing sounds that cause the windows to rattle. It’s quite surreal when you read in the news on the subsequent day that a certain attack was carried out in Pakistan and the destination of those jets dawns on you. Here are some security notices received in the past year:

June 20, 2008: “Updated security report headlines-Afghans count Taliban dead near Kandahar, Suicide attack on US convoy in Afghanistan kills seven, BBIED (Body Borne Improvised Explosive Devices), Kidnapped Frenchman released in Afghanistan.”

January 17, 2009: “Suicide Bomb Rocks Afghan Capital.” A suicide vehicle packed with explosives detonated near the German embassy in District #10, Kabul City. The explosion, in an area near the UN offices and a US military base, set a light a tanker and two vehicles. There are casualties, and medical personnel are still working on the scene. Its target could be both Afghan and foreigners.

February 11, 2009: “Ministry of Justice-Police District 2-Up to five BBIEDs attacked the Ministry of Justice building with small arms fire (SAF) and grenades, entering the building. After ongoing small arms fire and a stand off with the security forces, the building was subsequently cleared resulting in a final: 4-5 insurgents killed in action (KIA), 2 x ANSF wounded in action (WIA), 8 LN casualties. It is not clear how many of the casualties were fatal-reports vary. Reporting suggests that incidents at the MOJ is over.

Ministry of Education- A BBIED attempted to enter the building and shot at ANSF guards, who returned fire. The BBIED was shot and killed.

Department of Prison Affairs-Up to two BBIEDs entered the compound and then the offices and detonated, resulting in up to ten KIA and approximately twenty WIA. The detonations completely destroyed what appear to be two offices. There were reports of suspicions that another BBIED was at large in the area, but this cannot be confirmed.

Taliban statements have been received by the media, in which the spokesmen claimed that attacks against the MoJ and Prison Department were in response to the poor treatment of Taliban prisoners in the country and the ANSF assault against armed inmates at Pole Charki some months ago.”

Yes, the reality here is very different, but it starts to become routine, as does life in a golden cage. Despite it all, I’ve grown to really enjoy the experiences of living and working in Kabul (aside from the six day working weeks). If we haven’t planned an excursion outside of Kabul on our Fridays off, we are often cooking and entertaining friends at our house, barbequing on our rooftop while flying kites, enjoying live Afghan music in our garden, or shopping at “cleared” local markets. Somehow, Kabul and Afghanistan seem to grow on everyone that visits here, and those who try to detach themselves and move on to adventures elsewhere always end up back in the Land of the Afghans.