‘Artists are now hated’: the heartbreaking stories of the Afghan musicians fleeing the Taliban

Fearing for their lives, musicians are crossing the border into Pakistan – but they need help, writes Bel Trew

‘Art is essential for culture and for life. All we want is to continue creating our music’ (Bel Trew)

Twenty-five years ago, when the Taliban banned music and even owning a cassette tape could get you into trouble, Afghan folk singer Radwan*, now 57, would risk hefty jail sentences or worse, by holding secret underground concerts in private rooms.

When he could, he would escape to Peshawar, in northwest Pakistan, to do what he loved most: playing in public to large crowds. He was eventually able to do this openly in his own country after the Taliban were forced from power in the early 2000s.

Fast forward a quarter of a century after the Taliban takeover, Radwan has not been forced underground but out of his country entirely.

So far, the Taliban has not officially banned music and claims to be a more moderate version of the group that ruled with an iron fist in the late 1990s. But Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, told The New York Times recently that music will not be allowed in public as it is “forbidden in Islam”.

“We’re hoping that we can persuade people not to do such things, instead of pressuring them,” he added tactfully.

Seeing the end of his livelihood, and possibly his life as well, Radwan tells me he snuck himself across the border into Pakistan, with his son, Fawad*, 22 who over the years has garnered a huge following via the internet.

The pair, who had to cut their hair and grow beards to disguise themselves, tried four times and on the final attempt were successful.

“In this region artists are now hated,” Radwan says bitterly, sitting crossed-legged on the floor: his immaculate dress incongruous in the squalid rooms he now occupies near Peshawar.

“All of us artists, musicians, writers, know where this is going: our lives are in danger.

“There are thousands of musicians in Afghanistan who want to leave. We left many friends behind who want to cross but cannot say anything because they live in fear. ”

Afghanistan, long nicknamed the “Crossroads of Asia” because of its crucial positioning along trade routes like the Silk Road, has a rich history of music that is largely a melting pot of Iranian and Indian classical music traditions.

After the Taliban fell in the early 2000s a bustling pop and rap music scene blossomed, with electronic instruments and beats being added to more traditional themes.

The emergence of social media saw musicians garner popularity across the world. Fawad has built up a cult following, including collaborations with female artists, something the Taliban would never allow. Both father and son – who between them play the saxophone, flute, drums and tabla drums – would also regularly appear on Afghan TV.

They say the international community has to help Afghan musicians and artists get to safety as whatever the Taliban says they will be targeted.

They say this is essential to preserving classical and modern Afghan music that is at risk of being snuffed out.

“We fear our lives are in danger in Afghanistan, we can’t go back,” says Fawad, explaining how they have no legal documentation to stay in Pakistan and so are worried about being forced to return home.

“We are asking the world to help, and also Pakistan to legalise us because music is banned in Afghanistan and we are on target lists.”

International cultural institutions should and have stepped in to try to help. Some have lobbied governments like the US to expedite the special immigrant visas but also visas for cultural workers and performers as well as to ensure that processing does not need to happen in a third country, which is practically impossible and dangerous.

The “Arts for Afghanistan” collective garnered hundreds of signatures including renowned American photographer Susan Meiselas as well as artists Hank Willis Thomas and Walid Raad on an open letter to the US government, urging it “to do everything” to help at-risk Afghans that must “include artists, filmmakers, performers, and writers”.

They have also called on US citizens to call their representatives to pile pressure on as well.

“Moving Artists”, a Bilbao-based NGO which connects western artists with artists living in conflict zones, is lobbying the Spanish government to put Afghan artists, filmmakers and academics on evacuation lists, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The British government has been accused by UK-based academics of being “negligent” over this and has faced similar pressure. The Independent has called on the government to take in more refugees from Afghanistan as part of the “Refugees Welcome” campaign.

But British cultural institutions could do more to help all of those at risk get to safety and to assure those who have managed to make it to countries next to Afghanistan – like Radwan and Fawad – can secure legal documentation where they are seeking shelter.

No one knows how many musicians and artists need help, or how many have managed to escape Afghanistan. But they will no doubt be a significant part of the 35,400 Afghans that the United Nations says have arrived in neighbouring countries since January in a new report released this week.

“It’s simple, artists are on the Taliban’s list of enemies, they will not let us live in peace,” concludes Radwan, his hands palm up in despair.

“We want to stay and should be allowed to stay in Afghanistan free as others, but we know that is not possible.

“Art is essential for culture and for life. All we want is to continue creating our music, to live in peace and safety”.

*Names have been changed

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